diff --git a/src/gallium/auxiliary/driver_ddebug/dd_screen.c b/src/gallium/auxiliary/driver_ddebug/dd_screen.c
index abe9fa8c692..215f1662c3f 100644
--- a/src/gallium/auxiliary/driver_ddebug/dd_screen.c
+++ b/src/gallium/auxiliary/driver_ddebug/dd_screen.c
@@ -466,12 +466,12 @@ dd_screen_memobj_destroy(struct pipe_screen *_screen,
  * screen
  */
 
-static char *
+static void
 dd_screen_finalize_nir(struct pipe_screen *_screen, struct nir_shader *nir)
 {
    struct pipe_screen *screen = dd_screen(_screen)->screen;
 
-   return screen->finalize_nir(screen, nir);
+   screen->finalize_nir(screen, nir);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/src/gallium/auxiliary/driver_noop/noop_pipe.c b/src/gallium/auxiliary/driver_noop/noop_pipe.c
index 07e8956921b..46878d9179b 100644
--- a/src/gallium/auxiliary/driver_noop/noop_pipe.c
+++ b/src/gallium/auxiliary/driver_noop/noop_pipe.c
@@ -579,11 +579,11 @@ static const struct nir_shader_compiler_options *noop_get_compiler_options(
    return screen->get_compiler_options(screen, shader);
 }
 
-static char *noop_finalize_nir(struct pipe_screen *pscreen, struct nir_shader *nir)
+static void noop_finalize_nir(struct pipe_screen *pscreen, struct nir_shader *nir)
 {
    struct pipe_screen *screen = ((struct noop_pipe_screen*)pscreen)->oscreen;
 
-   return screen->finalize_nir(screen, nir);
+   screen->finalize_nir(screen, nir);
 }
 
 static bool noop_check_resource_capability(struct pipe_screen *screen,
diff --git a/src/gallium/auxiliary/driver_trace/tr_screen.c b/src/gallium/auxiliary/driver_trace/tr_screen.c
index 7ba74b9a99e..16e931a6e58 100644
--- a/src/gallium/auxiliary/driver_trace/tr_screen.c
+++ b/src/gallium/auxiliary/driver_trace/tr_screen.c
@@ -1097,12 +1097,12 @@ trace_screen_get_timestamp(struct pipe_screen *_screen)
    return result;
 }
 
-static char *
+static void
 trace_screen_finalize_nir(struct pipe_screen *_screen, struct nir_shader *nir)
 {
    struct pipe_screen *screen = trace_screen(_screen)->screen;
 
-   return screen->finalize_nir(screen, nir);
+   screen->finalize_nir(screen, nir);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/src/gallium/auxiliary/nir/tgsi_to_nir.c b/src/gallium/auxiliary/nir/tgsi_to_nir.c
index 7c162b8affa..d8befefdae4 100644
--- a/src/gallium/auxiliary/nir/tgsi_to_nir.c
+++ b/src/gallium/auxiliary/nir/tgsi_to_nir.c
@@ -2566,8 +2566,7 @@ ttn_finalize_nir(struct ttn_compile *c, struct pipe_screen *screen)
       NIR_PASS(_, nir, nir_lower_samplers);
 
    if (screen->finalize_nir) {
-      char *msg = screen->finalize_nir(screen, nir);
-      free(msg);
+      screen->finalize_nir(screen, nir);
    } else {
       ttn_optimize_nir(nir);
    }
diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/ir3/ir3_gallium.c b/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/ir3/ir3_gallium.c
index e1b3170f89c..ccec262e886 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/ir3/ir3_gallium.c
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/ir3/ir3_gallium.c
@@ -480,7 +480,7 @@ ir3_fixup_shader_state(struct pipe_context *pctx, struct ir3_shader_key *key)
    }
 }
 
-static char *
+static void
 ir3_screen_finalize_nir(struct pipe_screen *pscreen, struct nir_shader *nir)
 {
    struct fd_screen *screen = fd_screen(pscreen);
@@ -491,8 +491,6 @@ ir3_screen_finalize_nir(struct pipe_screen *pscreen, struct nir_shader *nir)
 
    ir3_nir_lower_io_vars_to_temporaries(nir);
    ir3_finalize_nir(screen->compiler, &options, nir);
-
-   return NULL;
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/i915/i915_screen.c b/src/gallium/drivers/i915/i915_screen.c
index 60c6c697c06..20b48ec1430 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/i915/i915_screen.c
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/i915/i915_screen.c
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ i915_optimize_nir(struct nir_shader *s)
    NIR_PASS(_, s, nir_group_loads, nir_group_all, ~0);
 }
 
-static char *
+static void
 i915_finalize_nir(struct pipe_screen *pscreen, struct nir_shader *s)
 {
    if (s->info.stage == MESA_SHADER_FRAGMENT)
@@ -258,7 +258,6 @@ i915_finalize_nir(struct pipe_screen *pscreen, struct nir_shader *s)
    nir_validate_shader(s, "after uniform var removal");
 
    nir_sweep(s);
-   return NULL;
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/iris/iris_program.c b/src/gallium/drivers/iris/iris_program.c
index a53b98251e3..a3e05775b6a 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/iris/iris_program.c
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/iris/iris_program.c
@@ -3769,7 +3769,7 @@ iris_bind_cs_state(struct pipe_context *ctx, void *state)
    bind_shader_state((void *) ctx, state, MESA_SHADER_COMPUTE);
 }
 
-static char *
+static void
 iris_finalize_nir(struct pipe_screen *_screen, struct nir_shader *nir)
 {
    struct iris_screen *screen = (struct iris_screen *)_screen;
@@ -3813,8 +3813,6 @@ iris_finalize_nir(struct pipe_screen *_screen, struct nir_shader *nir)
    NIR_PASS(_, nir, iris_lower_storage_image_derefs);
 
    nir_sweep(nir);
-
-   return NULL;
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/llvmpipe/lp_screen.c b/src/gallium/drivers/llvmpipe/lp_screen.c
index 52bd21302eb..fd697e2ab07 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/llvmpipe/lp_screen.c
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/llvmpipe/lp_screen.c
@@ -473,12 +473,11 @@ static const struct nir_shader_compiler_options gallivm_nir_options = {
 };
 
 
-static char *
+static void
 llvmpipe_finalize_nir(struct pipe_screen *screen,
                       struct nir_shader *nir)
 {
    lp_build_opt_nir(nir);
-   return NULL;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/r600/r600_sfn.cpp b/src/gallium/drivers/r600/r600_sfn.cpp
index 37eca1fef4f..0fa85fbdbc3 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/r600/r600_sfn.cpp
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/r600/r600_sfn.cpp
@@ -24,12 +24,11 @@
 #include <cstring>
 #include <iostream>
 
-char *
+void
 r600_finalize_nir(pipe_screen *screen, struct nir_shader *nir)
 {
    auto rs = container_of(screen, r600_screen, b.b);
    r600_finalize_nir_common(nir, rs->b.gfx_level);
-   return nullptr;
 }
 
 class MallocPoolRelease {
diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/r600/r600_sfn.h b/src/gallium/drivers/r600/r600_sfn.h
index 0309bbb19b4..097730b8a2c 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/r600/r600_sfn.h
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/r600/r600_sfn.h
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
-char *
+void
 r600_finalize_nir(struct pipe_screen *screen, struct nir_shader *nir);
 
 int
diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/radeonsi/si_shader.h b/src/gallium/drivers/radeonsi/si_shader.h
index 4a2cb6900b4..c68a9d62215 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/radeonsi/si_shader.h
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/radeonsi/si_shader.h
@@ -925,7 +925,7 @@ void si_lower_mediump_io_option(struct nir_shader *nir);
 bool si_alu_to_scalar_packed_math_filter(const struct nir_instr *instr, const void *data);
 void si_nir_opts(struct si_screen *sscreen, struct nir_shader *nir, bool has_array_temps);
 void si_nir_late_opts(struct nir_shader *nir);
-char *si_finalize_nir(struct pipe_screen *screen, struct nir_shader *nir);
+void si_finalize_nir(struct pipe_screen *screen, struct nir_shader *nir);
 
 /* si_state_shaders.cpp */
 unsigned si_shader_num_alloc_param_exports(struct si_shader *shader);
diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/radeonsi/si_shader_nir.c b/src/gallium/drivers/radeonsi/si_shader_nir.c
index 9a11c159356..ee614efea9c 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/radeonsi/si_shader_nir.c
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/radeonsi/si_shader_nir.c
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ static void si_lower_nir(struct si_screen *sscreen, struct nir_shader *nir)
    NIR_PASS(_, nir, nir_lower_fp16_casts, nir_lower_fp16_split_fp64);
 }
 
-char *si_finalize_nir(struct pipe_screen *screen, struct nir_shader *nir)
+void si_finalize_nir(struct pipe_screen *screen, struct nir_shader *nir)
 {
    struct si_screen *sscreen = (struct si_screen *)screen;
 
@@ -439,6 +439,4 @@ char *si_finalize_nir(struct pipe_screen *screen, struct nir_shader *nir)
 
    /* Require divergence analysis to identify divergent loops. */
    nir_metadata_require(nir_shader_get_entrypoint(nir), nir_metadata_divergence);
-
-   return NULL;
 }
diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/zink/zink_compiler.c b/src/gallium/drivers/zink/zink_compiler.c
index e148b71ece7..e6dd5029964 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/zink/zink_compiler.c
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/zink/zink_compiler.c
@@ -6383,7 +6383,7 @@ zink_shader_init(struct zink_screen *screen, struct zink_shader *zs)
    memcpy(&zs->info, &nir->info, sizeof(nir->info));
 }
 
-char *
+void
 zink_shader_finalize(struct pipe_screen *pscreen, struct nir_shader *nir)
 {
    struct zink_screen *screen = zink_screen(pscreen);
@@ -6408,8 +6408,6 @@ zink_shader_finalize(struct pipe_screen *pscreen, struct nir_shader *nir)
       nir_shader_gather_info(nir, nir_shader_get_entrypoint(nir));
    if (screen->driconf.inline_uniforms)
       nir_find_inlinable_uniforms(nir);
-
-   return NULL;
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/zink/zink_compiler.h b/src/gallium/drivers/zink/zink_compiler.h
index c20cbeaac5d..ef68dcc0c32 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/zink/zink_compiler.h
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/zink/zink_compiler.h
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ zink_shader_create(struct zink_screen *screen, struct nir_shader *nir);
 void
 zink_shader_init(struct zink_screen *screen, struct zink_shader *zs);
 
-char *
+void
 zink_shader_finalize(struct pipe_screen *pscreen, struct nir_shader *nir);
 
 void
diff --git a/src/gallium/include/pipe/p_screen.h b/src/gallium/include/pipe/p_screen.h
index 8423e127fcc..cac3c7304f7 100644
--- a/src/gallium/include/pipe/p_screen.h
+++ b/src/gallium/include/pipe/p_screen.h
@@ -619,11 +619,8 @@ struct pipe_screen {
     *
     * gallium frontends should call this before passing shaders to drivers,
     * and ideally also before shader caching.
-    *
-    * The driver may return a non-NULL string to trigger GLSL link failure
-    * and logging of that message in the GLSL linker log.
     */
-   char *(*finalize_nir)(struct pipe_screen *screen, struct nir_shader *nir);
+   void (*finalize_nir)(struct pipe_screen *screen, struct nir_shader *nir);
 
    /*Separated memory/resource allocations interfaces for Vulkan */
 
diff --git a/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_glsl_to_nir.cpp b/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_glsl_to_nir.cpp
index 694b264eff7..2b2096e04ac 100644
--- a/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_glsl_to_nir.cpp
+++ b/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_glsl_to_nir.cpp
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ filter_64_bit_instr(const nir_instr *const_instr, UNUSED const void *data)
 /* Second third of converting glsl_to_nir. This creates uniforms, gathers
  * info on varyings, etc after NIR link time opts have been applied.
  */
-static char *
+static void
 st_glsl_to_nir_post_opts(struct st_context *st, struct gl_program *prog,
                          struct gl_shader_program *shader_program)
 {
@@ -316,13 +316,12 @@ st_glsl_to_nir_post_opts(struct st_context *st, struct gl_program *prog,
    st_set_prog_affected_state_flags(prog);
    nir_shader_gather_info(nir, nir_shader_get_entrypoint(nir));
 
-   char *msg = NULL;
    if (st->allow_st_finalize_nir_twice) {
       st_serialize_base_nir(prog, nir);
       st_finalize_nir(st, prog, shader_program, nir, true, false);
 
       if (screen->finalize_nir)
-         msg = screen->finalize_nir(screen, nir);
+         screen->finalize_nir(screen, nir);
    }
 
    if (st->ctx->_Shader->Flags & GLSL_DUMP) {
@@ -333,8 +332,6 @@ st_glsl_to_nir_post_opts(struct st_context *st, struct gl_program *prog,
       nir_print_shader(nir, mesa_log_get_file());
       _mesa_log("\n\n");
    }
-
-   return msg;
 }
 
 extern "C" {
@@ -515,11 +512,7 @@ st_link_glsl_to_nir(struct gl_context *ctx,
       struct gl_linked_shader *shader = linked_shader[i];
       struct shader_info *info = &shader->Program->nir->info;
 
-      char *msg = st_glsl_to_nir_post_opts(st, shader->Program, shader_program);
-      if (msg) {
-         linker_error(shader_program, msg);
-         return false;
-      }
+      st_glsl_to_nir_post_opts(st, shader->Program, shader_program);
 
       if (prev_info &&
           ctx->Const.ShaderCompilerOptions[shader->Stage].NirOptions->unify_interfaces) {
diff --git a/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_nir_builtins.c b/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_nir_builtins.c
index 257e5853977..f4c013f2481 100644
--- a/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_nir_builtins.c
+++ b/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_nir_builtins.c
@@ -69,8 +69,7 @@ st_nir_finish_builtin_nir(struct st_context *st, nir_shader *nir)
    }
 
    if (screen->finalize_nir) {
-      char *msg = screen->finalize_nir(screen, nir);
-      free(msg);
+      screen->finalize_nir(screen, nir);
    } else {
       gl_nir_opts(nir);
    }
diff --git a/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_program.c b/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_program.c
index 03b9c55d67f..c6137e29692 100644
--- a/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_program.c
+++ b/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_program.c
@@ -373,10 +373,8 @@ st_prog_to_nir_postprocess(struct st_context *st, nir_shader *nir,
       st_serialize_base_nir(prog, nir);
       st_finalize_nir(st, prog, NULL, nir, true, false);
 
-      if (screen->finalize_nir) {
-         char *msg = screen->finalize_nir(screen, nir);
-         free(msg);
-      }
+      if (screen->finalize_nir)
+         screen->finalize_nir(screen, nir);
    }
 
    nir_validate_shader(nir, "after st/glsl finalize_nir");
@@ -846,10 +844,8 @@ st_create_common_variant(struct st_context *st,
 
    if (finalize || !st->allow_st_finalize_nir_twice || key->is_draw_shader) {
       struct pipe_screen *screen = st->screen;
-      if (!key->is_draw_shader && screen->finalize_nir) {
-         char *msg = screen->finalize_nir(screen, state.ir.nir);
-         free(msg);
-      }
+      if (!key->is_draw_shader && screen->finalize_nir)
+         screen->finalize_nir(screen, state.ir.nir);
 
       /* Clip lowering and edgeflags may have introduced new varyings, so
        * update the inputs_read/outputs_written. However, with
@@ -1232,10 +1228,8 @@ st_create_fp_variant(struct st_context *st,
                               nir_shader_get_entrypoint(state.ir.nir));
 
       struct pipe_screen *screen = st->screen;
-      if (screen->finalize_nir) {
-         char *msg = screen->finalize_nir(screen, state.ir.nir);
-         free(msg);
-      }
+      if (screen->finalize_nir)
+         screen->finalize_nir(screen, state.ir.nir);
    }
 
    variant->base.driver_shader = st_create_nir_shader(st, &state);