diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkutils.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkutils.c
index 1b226a7865..b9f3253fa5 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkutils.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkutils.c
@@ -271,6 +271,7 @@ gst_vulkan_ensure_element_data (GstElement * element,
     if (!gst_vulkan_instance_open (*instance_ptr, &error)) {
       GST_ELEMENT_ERROR (element, RESOURCE, NOT_FOUND,
           ("Failed to create vulkan instance"), ("%s", error->message));
+      gst_clear_context (&context);
       gst_object_unref (*instance_ptr);
       *instance_ptr = NULL;
       g_clear_error (&error);