diff --git a/include/aquamarine/backend/DRM.hpp b/include/aquamarine/backend/DRM.hpp
index 3b97348..b1c569d 100644
--- a/include/aquamarine/backend/DRM.hpp
+++ b/include/aquamarine/backend/DRM.hpp
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ namespace Aquamarine {
 
         struct {
             Hyprutils::Memory::CSharedPointer<IAllocator>   allocator;
-            Hyprutils::Memory::CSharedPointer<CDRMRenderer> renderer;
+            Hyprutils::Memory::CSharedPointer<CDRMRenderer> renderer; // may be null if creation fails
         } rendererState;
 
         Hyprutils::Memory::CWeakPointer<CBackend>                     backend;
diff --git a/src/allocator/GBM.cpp b/src/allocator/GBM.cpp
index d22d3a8..67151f7 100644
--- a/src/allocator/GBM.cpp
+++ b/src/allocator/GBM.cpp
@@ -192,7 +192,8 @@ Aquamarine::CGBMBuffer::CGBMBuffer(const SAllocatorBufferParams& params, Hypruti
     if (params.scanout && swapchain->backendImpl->type() == AQ_BACKEND_DRM) {
         // clear the buffer using the DRM renderer to avoid uninitialized mem
         auto impl = (CDRMBackend*)swapchain->backendImpl.get();
-        impl->rendererState.renderer->clearBuffer(this);
+        if (impl->rendererState.renderer)
+            impl->rendererState.renderer->clearBuffer(this);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/backend/drm/DRM.cpp b/src/backend/drm/DRM.cpp
index ba45ea9..8bb8837 100644
--- a/src/backend/drm/DRM.cpp
+++ b/src/backend/drm/DRM.cpp
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ void Aquamarine::CDRMBackend::restoreAfterVT() {
         };
 
         auto& STATE = c->output->state->state();
-        auto& MODE = STATE.customMode ? STATE.customMode : STATE.mode;
+        auto& MODE  = STATE.customMode ? STATE.customMode : STATE.mode;
 
         if (!MODE) {
             backend->log(AQ_LOG_WARNING, "drm: Connector {} has output but state has no mode, will send a reset state event later.");