diff --git a/Common/GPU/Vulkan/VulkanRenderManager.h b/Common/GPU/Vulkan/VulkanRenderManager.h
index 32e5c7ccf318..80270eb3787a 100644
--- a/Common/GPU/Vulkan/VulkanRenderManager.h
+++ b/Common/GPU/Vulkan/VulkanRenderManager.h
@@ -241,8 +241,7 @@ class VulkanRenderManager {
 	}
 
 	void BindPipeline(VKRGraphicsPipeline *pipeline, PipelineFlags flags, VkPipelineLayout pipelineLayout) {
-		_dbg_assert_(curRenderStep_ && curRenderStep_->stepType == VKRStepType::RENDER);
-		_dbg_assert_(pipeline != nullptr);
+		_assert_(curRenderStep_ && curRenderStep_->stepType == VKRStepType::RENDER && pipeline != nullptr);
 		VkRenderData &data = curRenderStep_->commands.push_uninitialized();
 		data.cmd = VKRRenderCommand::BIND_GRAPHICS_PIPELINE;
 		pipelinesToCheck_.push_back(pipeline);
diff --git a/Common/UI/UIScreen.cpp b/Common/UI/UIScreen.cpp
index 6cb3b54d1fa0..520375dae502 100644
--- a/Common/UI/UIScreen.cpp
+++ b/Common/UI/UIScreen.cpp
@@ -91,19 +91,19 @@ bool UIScreen::UnsyncTouch(const TouchInput &touch) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	std::lock_guard<std::mutex> guard(eventQueueLock_);
 	QueuedEvent ev{};
 	ev.type = QueuedEventType::TOUCH;
 	ev.touch = touch;
+	std::lock_guard<std::mutex> guard(eventQueueLock_);
 	eventQueue_.push_back(ev);
 	return false;
 }
 
 void UIScreen::UnsyncAxis(const AxisInput &axis) {
-	std::lock_guard<std::mutex> guard(eventQueueLock_);
 	QueuedEvent ev{};
 	ev.type = QueuedEventType::AXIS;
 	ev.axis = axis;
+	std::lock_guard<std::mutex> guard(eventQueueLock_);
 	eventQueue_.push_back(ev);
 }
 
@@ -123,10 +123,10 @@ bool UIScreen::UnsyncKey(const KeyInput &key) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	std::lock_guard<std::mutex> guard(eventQueueLock_);
 	QueuedEvent ev{};
 	ev.type = QueuedEventType::KEY;
 	ev.key = key;
+	std::lock_guard<std::mutex> guard(eventQueueLock_);
 	eventQueue_.push_back(ev);
 	return retval;
 }
diff --git a/GPU/Vulkan/PipelineManagerVulkan.cpp b/GPU/Vulkan/PipelineManagerVulkan.cpp
index 1f96662bf5b9..dea7a0201a02 100644
--- a/GPU/Vulkan/PipelineManagerVulkan.cpp
+++ b/GPU/Vulkan/PipelineManagerVulkan.cpp
@@ -180,6 +180,7 @@ static std::string CutFromMain(std::string str) {
 static VulkanPipeline *CreateVulkanPipeline(VulkanRenderManager *renderManager, VkPipelineCache pipelineCache,
 	VkPipelineLayout layout, PipelineFlags pipelineFlags, VkSampleCountFlagBits sampleCount, const VulkanPipelineRasterStateKey &key,
 	const DecVtxFormat *decFmt, VulkanVertexShader *vs, VulkanFragmentShader *fs, VulkanGeometryShader *gs, bool useHwTransform, u32 variantBitmask, bool cacheLoad) {
+	_assert_(fs && vs);
 
 	if (!fs->GetModule()) {
 		ERROR_LOG(G3D, "Fragment shader missing in CreateVulkanPipeline");
@@ -189,6 +190,10 @@ static VulkanPipeline *CreateVulkanPipeline(VulkanRenderManager *renderManager,
 		ERROR_LOG(G3D, "Vertex shader missing in CreateVulkanPipeline");
 		return nullptr;
 	}
+	if (gs && !gs->GetModule()) {
+		ERROR_LOG(G3D, "Geometry shader missing in CreateVulkanPipeline");
+		return nullptr;
+	}
 
 	VulkanPipeline *vulkanPipeline = new VulkanPipeline();
 	vulkanPipeline->desc = new VKRGraphicsPipelineDesc();
diff --git a/UI/EmuScreen.cpp b/UI/EmuScreen.cpp
index 13ef0d39fdd0..d82ed51ae39d 100644
--- a/UI/EmuScreen.cpp
+++ b/UI/EmuScreen.cpp
@@ -844,16 +844,16 @@ bool EmuScreen::UnsyncKey(const KeyInput &key) {
 	System_Notify(SystemNotification::ACTIVITY);
 
 	if (UI::IsFocusMovementEnabled()) {
-		if (UIScreen::UnsyncKey(key)) {
-			return true;
-		} else if ((key.flags & KEY_DOWN) != 0 && UI::IsEscapeKey(key)) {
+		bool retval = UIScreen::UnsyncKey(key);
+		if ((key.flags & KEY_DOWN) != 0 && UI::IsEscapeKey(key)) {
 			if (chatMenu_)
 				chatMenu_->Close();
 			if (chatButton_)
 				chatButton_->SetVisibility(UI::V_VISIBLE);
 			UI::EnableFocusMovement(false);
-			return true;
+			retval = true;
 		}
+		return retval;
 	}
 
 	return controlMapper_.Key(key, &pauseTrigger_);