diff --git a/src/video_core/renderer_vulkan/renderer_vulkan.cpp b/src/video_core/renderer_vulkan/renderer_vulkan.cpp
index d4a63dd9b..4a78d4b1a 100644
--- a/src/video_core/renderer_vulkan/renderer_vulkan.cpp
+++ b/src/video_core/renderer_vulkan/renderer_vulkan.cpp
@@ -61,31 +61,6 @@ constexpr static std::array<vk::DescriptorSetLayoutBinding, 1> PRESENT_BINDINGS
 namespace {
 static bool IsLowRefreshRate() {
 #if defined(__APPLE__) || defined(ENABLE_SDL2)
-#ifdef __APPLE__ // Need a special implementation because MacOS kills itself in disgust if the
-                 // input thread calls SDL_PumpEvents at the same time as we're in SDL_Init here.
-    const auto cur_refresh_rate = AppleUtils::GetRefreshRate();
-#elif defined(ENABLE_SDL2)
-    if (SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_VIDEO) != 0) {
-        LOG_ERROR(Render_Vulkan, "SDL video failed to initialize, unable to check refresh rate");
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    SDL_DisplayMode cur_display_mode;
-    SDL_GetCurrentDisplayMode(0, &cur_display_mode); // TODO: Multimonitor handling. -OS
-    const auto cur_refresh_rate = cur_display_mode.refresh_rate;
-
-    SDL_QuitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_VIDEO);
-#endif // __APPLE__
-
-    if (cur_refresh_rate < SCREEN_REFRESH_RATE) {
-        LOG_WARNING(Render_Vulkan,
-                    "Detected refresh rate lower than the emulated 3DS screen: {}hz. FIFO will "
-                    "be disabled",
-                    cur_refresh_rate);
-        return true;
-    }
-#endif // defined(__APPLE__) || defined(ENABLE_SDL2)
-
 #ifdef __APPLE__
     // Apple's low power mode sometimes limits applications to 30fps without changing the refresh
     // rate, meaning the above code doesn't catch it.
@@ -94,8 +69,34 @@ static bool IsLowRefreshRate() {
                                    "framerate. FIFO will be disabled");
         return true;
     }
-#endif
 
+    const auto cur_refresh_rate = AppleUtils::GetRefreshRate();
+#elif defined(ENABLE_SDL2)
+    if (SDL_WasInit(SDL_INIT_VIDEO) == 0) {
+        LOG_ERROR(Render_Vulkan, "Attempted to check refresh rate via SDL, but failed because "
+                                 "SDL_INIT_VIDEO wasn't initialized");
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    SDL_DisplayMode cur_display_mode;
+    SDL_GetCurrentDisplayMode(0, &cur_display_mode); // TODO: Multimonitor handling. -OS
+
+    const auto cur_refresh_rate = cur_display_mode.refresh_rate;
+#endif // ENABLE_SDL2
+
+    if (cur_refresh_rate < SCREEN_REFRESH_RATE) {
+        LOG_WARNING(Render_Vulkan,
+                    "Detected refresh rate lower than the emulated 3DS screen: {}hz. FIFO will "
+                    "be disabled",
+                    cur_refresh_rate);
+        return true;
+    } else {
+        LOG_INFO(Render_Vulkan, "Refresh rate is above emulated 3DS screen: {}hz. Good.",
+                 cur_refresh_rate);
+    }
+#endif // defined(__APPLE__) || defined(ENABLE_SDL2)
+
+    // We have no available method of checking refresh rate. Just assume that everything is fine :)
     return false;
 }
 } // Anonymous namespace
diff --git a/src/video_core/video_core.cpp b/src/video_core/video_core.cpp
index 59b9d140a..b756c65ed 100644
--- a/src/video_core/video_core.cpp
+++ b/src/video_core/video_core.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright 2014 Citra Emulator Project
+// Copyright Citra Emulator Project / Azahar Emulator Project
 // Licensed under GPLv2 or any later version
 // Refer to the license.txt file included.
 
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@
 #endif
 #include "video_core/video_core.h"
 
+#ifdef ENABLE_SDL2
+#include <SDL.h>
+#endif
+
 namespace VideoCore {
 
 std::unique_ptr<RendererBase> CreateRenderer(Frontend::EmuWindow& emu_window,
@@ -29,6 +33,12 @@ std::unique_ptr<RendererBase> CreateRenderer(Frontend::EmuWindow& emu_window,
 #endif
 #ifdef ENABLE_VULKAN
     case Settings::GraphicsAPI::Vulkan:
+#if defined(ENABLE_SDL2) && !defined(__APPLE__)
+        // TODO: When we migrate to SDL3, refactor so that we don't need to init here.
+        if (SDL_WasInit(SDL_INIT_VIDEO) == 0) {
+            SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_VIDEO);
+        }
+#endif // ENABLE_SDL2
         return std::make_unique<Vulkan::RendererVulkan>(system, pica, emu_window, secondary_window);
 #endif
 #ifdef ENABLE_OPENGL