diff --git a/include/Mw/LowLevel/Wayland.h b/include/Mw/LowLevel/Wayland.h
index 2de34d2..c6d397b 100644
--- a/include/Mw/LowLevel/Wayland.h
+++ b/include/Mw/LowLevel/Wayland.h
@@ -144,7 +144,12 @@ typedef struct wayland_call_table {
 } wayland_call_table_t;
 
 extern wayland_call_table_t wl_call_tbl;
-extern MwBool		    MwWaylandAlwaysRender;
+#ifdef MW_VULKAN
+extern MwBool MwWaylandVulkan;
+#else
+#define MwWaylandVulkan 0
+#endif
+
 /* defined inline right here so that it doesn't conflict with the other macros */
 MwInline int wayland_load_funcs() {
 #ifdef __APPLE__
diff --git a/src/backend/wayland/interfaces.c b/src/backend/wayland/interfaces.c
index 8561798..fa64268 100644
--- a/src/backend/wayland/interfaces.c
+++ b/src/backend/wayland/interfaces.c
@@ -798,7 +798,7 @@ static void keyboard_key(void*		     data,
 		}
 	}
 
-	if(!MwWaylandAlwaysRender) {
+	if(!MwWaylandVulkan) {
 		MwLLDispatch(self, draw, NULL);
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/backend/wayland/wayland.c b/src/backend/wayland/wayland.c
index ed2516f..3d61932 100644
--- a/src/backend/wayland/wayland.c
+++ b/src/backend/wayland/wayland.c
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@
 #include "../../../external/stb_ds.h"
 
 wayland_call_table_t wl_call_tbl;
-MwBool		     MwWaylandAlwaysRender = MwFALSE;
+#ifdef MW_VULKAN
+MwBool MwWaylandVulkan = MwFALSE;
+#endif
 
 static pthread_mutex_t destroyedWidgetsTableMutex;
 /*
@@ -1100,7 +1102,7 @@ static int MwLLPendingImpl(MwLL handle) {
 		handle->wayland.did_initial_resize = 1;
 	}
 
-	if(!MwWaylandAlwaysRender) {
+	if(!MwWaylandVulkan) {
 		wl_display_prepare_read(handle->wayland.display);
 		if(!poll(&fd, 1, timeout.tv_nsec)) {
 			wl_display_cancel_read(handle->wayland.display);
@@ -1127,7 +1129,7 @@ static int MwLLPendingImpl(MwLL handle) {
 
 static void MwLLNextEventImpl(MwLL handle) {
 	WIDGET_CHECK(handle);
-	if(!MwWaylandAlwaysRender) {
+	if(!MwWaylandVulkan) {
 		if(handle->wayland.did_event_loop_early) {
 			handle->wayland.did_event_loop_early = MwFALSE;
 		} else {
diff --git a/src/widget/vulkan.c b/src/widget/vulkan.c
index 8da8ef1..f4c5340 100644
--- a/src/widget/vulkan.c
+++ b/src/widget/vulkan.c
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ static int vulkan_instance_setup(MwWidget handle, vulkan_t* o) {
 	if(handle->lowlevel->common.type == MwLLBackendWayland) {
 		arrput(o->enabledExtensions, VK_KHR_WAYLAND_SURFACE_EXTENSION_NAME);
 		/* take this opprutunity to set the widget to always render */
-		MwWaylandAlwaysRender = MwTRUE;
+		MwWaylandVulkan = MwTRUE;
 	}
 #endif
 #ifdef USE_COCOA