diff --git a/src/virtio/vulkan/vn_common.c b/src/virtio/vulkan/vn_common.c
index bae8a0cd2d5..fdb1a47c14f 100644
--- a/src/virtio/vulkan/vn_common.c
+++ b/src/virtio/vulkan/vn_common.c
@@ -169,10 +169,8 @@ vn_relax_init(struct vn_ring *ring, const char *reason)
              ring->monitor.report_period_us);
 #endif
 
-      if (vn_ring_monitor_acquire(ring)) {
-         ring->monitor.alive = true;
+      if (vn_ring_monitor_acquire(ring))
          vn_ring_unset_status_bits(ring, VK_RING_STATUS_ALIVE_BIT_MESA);
-      }
    }
 
    return (struct vn_relax_state){
diff --git a/src/virtio/vulkan/vn_instance.c b/src/virtio/vulkan/vn_instance.c
index 98d59e76d79..52552f7a020 100644
--- a/src/virtio/vulkan/vn_instance.c
+++ b/src/virtio/vulkan/vn_instance.c
@@ -138,6 +138,9 @@ vn_instance_init_ring(struct vn_instance *instance)
    ring->monitor.report_period_us = 3000000;
    mtx_init(&ring->monitor.mutex, mtx_plain);
 
+   /* ring monitor should be alive at all time */
+   ring->monitor.alive = true;
+
    const struct VkRingMonitorInfoMESA monitor_info = {
       .sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_RING_MONITOR_INFO_MESA,
       .maxReportingPeriodMicroseconds = ring->monitor.report_period_us,