diff --git a/ext/vulkan/vkupload.c b/ext/vulkan/vkupload.c
index 6a139af64d..256dff94b9 100644
--- a/ext/vulkan/vkupload.c
+++ b/ext/vulkan/vkupload.c
@@ -564,7 +564,7 @@ gst_vulkan_upload_query (GstBaseTransform * bt, GstPadDirection direction,
   switch (GST_QUERY_TYPE (query)) {
     case GST_QUERY_CONTEXT:{
       res = gst_vulkan_handle_context_query (GST_ELEMENT (vk_upload), query,
-          &vk_upload->display, &vk_upload->instance, &vk_upload->device);
+          NULL, &vk_upload->instance, &vk_upload->device);
 
       if (res)
         return res;
@@ -582,8 +582,7 @@ gst_vulkan_upload_set_context (GstElement * element, GstContext * context)
 {
   GstVulkanUpload *vk_upload = GST_VULKAN_UPLOAD (element);
 
-  gst_vulkan_handle_set_context (element, context, &vk_upload->display,
-      &vk_upload->instance);
+  gst_vulkan_handle_set_context (element, context, NULL, &vk_upload->instance);
 
   GST_ELEMENT_CLASS (parent_class)->set_context (element, context);
 }
@@ -602,17 +601,23 @@ gst_vulkan_upload_change_state (GstElement * element, GstStateChange transition)
     case GST_STATE_CHANGE_NULL_TO_READY:
       break;
     case GST_STATE_CHANGE_READY_TO_PAUSED:
-      if (!gst_vulkan_ensure_element_data (element, &vk_upload->display,
-              &vk_upload->instance)) {
+      if (!gst_vulkan_ensure_element_data (element, NULL, &vk_upload->instance)) {
         GST_ELEMENT_ERROR (vk_upload, RESOURCE, NOT_FOUND,
-            ("Failed to retreive vulkan instance/display"), (NULL));
+            ("Failed to retreive vulkan instance"), (NULL));
         return GST_STATE_CHANGE_FAILURE;
       }
       if (!gst_vulkan_device_run_context_query (GST_ELEMENT (vk_upload),
               &vk_upload->device)) {
-        GST_ELEMENT_ERROR (vk_upload, RESOURCE, NOT_FOUND,
-            ("Failed to retreive vulkan device"), (NULL));
-        return GST_STATE_CHANGE_FAILURE;
+        GError *error = NULL;
+        GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (vk_upload, "No device retrieved from peer elements");
+        if (!(vk_upload->device =
+                gst_vulkan_instance_create_device (vk_upload->instance,
+                    &error))) {
+          GST_ELEMENT_ERROR (vk_upload, RESOURCE, NOT_FOUND,
+              ("Failed to create vulkan device"), ("%s", error->message));
+          g_clear_error (&error);
+          return GST_STATE_CHANGE_FAILURE;
+        }
       }
       break;
     case GST_STATE_CHANGE_PAUSED_TO_PLAYING:
@@ -629,9 +634,6 @@ gst_vulkan_upload_change_state (GstElement * element, GstStateChange transition)
     case GST_STATE_CHANGE_PLAYING_TO_PAUSED:
       break;
     case GST_STATE_CHANGE_PAUSED_TO_READY:
-      if (vk_upload->display)
-        gst_object_unref (vk_upload->display);
-      vk_upload->display = NULL;
       if (vk_upload->device)
         gst_object_unref (vk_upload->device);
       vk_upload->device = NULL;
diff --git a/ext/vulkan/vkupload.h b/ext/vulkan/vkupload.h
index 8ea3d72e28..93792fdaf6 100644
--- a/ext/vulkan/vkupload.h
+++ b/ext/vulkan/vkupload.h
@@ -66,8 +66,6 @@ struct _GstVulkanUpload
   GstVulkanInstance     *instance;
   GstVulkanDevice       *device;
 
-  GstVulkanDisplay      *display;
-
   GstCaps               *in_caps;
   GstCaps               *out_caps;
 
diff --git a/ext/vulkan/vkutils.c b/ext/vulkan/vkutils.c
index e677bf923a..a202575e4d 100644
--- a/ext/vulkan/vkutils.c
+++ b/ext/vulkan/vkutils.c
@@ -184,7 +184,6 @@ gst_vulkan_ensure_element_data (gpointer element,
     GstVulkanDisplay ** display_ptr, GstVulkanInstance ** instance_ptr)
 {
   g_return_val_if_fail (element != NULL, FALSE);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (display_ptr != NULL, FALSE);
   g_return_val_if_fail (instance_ptr != NULL, FALSE);
 
   /*  1) Check if the element already has a context of the specific
@@ -192,21 +191,18 @@ gst_vulkan_ensure_element_data (gpointer element,
    */
   if (!*instance_ptr) {
     GError *error = NULL;
+    GstContext *context = NULL;
 
     gst_vulkan_global_context_query (element,
         GST_VULKAN_INSTANCE_CONTEXT_TYPE_STR);
 
     /* Neighbour found and it updated the display */
     if (!*instance_ptr) {
-      GstContext *context;
-
       /* If no neighboor, or application not interested, use system default */
       *instance_ptr = gst_vulkan_instance_new ();
 
       context = gst_context_new (GST_VULKAN_INSTANCE_CONTEXT_TYPE_STR, TRUE);
       gst_context_set_vulkan_instance (context, *instance_ptr);
-
-      _vk_context_propagate (element, context);
     }
 
     if (!gst_vulkan_instance_open (*instance_ptr, &error)) {
@@ -217,8 +213,15 @@ gst_vulkan_ensure_element_data (gpointer element,
       g_clear_error (&error);
       return FALSE;
     }
+
+    if (context)
+      _vk_context_propagate (element, context);
   }
 
+  /* we don't care about a display */
+  if (!display_ptr)
+    return *instance_ptr != NULL;
+
   if (!*display_ptr) {
     _vk_display_context_query (element, display_ptr);
 
@@ -250,7 +253,6 @@ gst_vulkan_handle_set_context (GstElement * element, GstContext * context,
   GstVulkanInstance *instance_replacement = NULL;
   const gchar *context_type;
 
-  g_return_val_if_fail (display != NULL, FALSE);
   g_return_val_if_fail (instance != NULL, FALSE);
 
   if (!context)
@@ -258,7 +260,8 @@ gst_vulkan_handle_set_context (GstElement * element, GstContext * context,
 
   context_type = gst_context_get_context_type (context);
 
-  if (g_strcmp0 (context_type, GST_VULKAN_DISPLAY_CONTEXT_TYPE_STR) == 0) {
+  if (display
+      && g_strcmp0 (context_type, GST_VULKAN_DISPLAY_CONTEXT_TYPE_STR) == 0) {
     if (!gst_context_get_vulkan_display (context, &display_replacement)) {
       GST_WARNING_OBJECT (element, "Failed to get display from context");
       return FALSE;
@@ -295,7 +298,8 @@ gst_vulkan_handle_context_query (GstElement * element, GstQuery * query,
     GstVulkanDisplay ** display, GstVulkanInstance ** instance,
     GstVulkanDevice ** device)
 {
-  if (gst_vulkan_display_handle_context_query (element, query, display))
+  if (display
+      && gst_vulkan_display_handle_context_query (element, query, display))
     return TRUE;
   if (gst_vulkan_instance_handle_context_query (element, query, instance))
     return TRUE;