diff --git a/include/vsg/state/DescriptorSetLayout.h b/include/vsg/state/DescriptorSetLayout.h
index c9e31f49b3..ffadb396bb 100644
--- a/include/vsg/state/DescriptorSetLayout.h
+++ b/include/vsg/state/DescriptorSetLayout.h
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ namespace vsg
         /// VkDescriptorSetLayoutCreateInfo settings
         DescriptorSetLayoutBindings bindings;
 
+        virtual bool empty() const { return bindings.empty(); }
+
         /// map the descriptor bindings to the descriptor pool sizes that will be required to represent them.
         void getDescriptorPoolSizes(DescriptorPoolSizes& descriptorPoolSizes);
 
diff --git a/include/vsg/state/PipelineLayout.h b/include/vsg/state/PipelineLayout.h
index 2d5554f993..5634cc2b68 100644
--- a/include/vsg/state/PipelineLayout.h
+++ b/include/vsg/state/PipelineLayout.h
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ namespace vsg
         VkPipelineLayoutCreateFlags flags = 0;
         DescriptorSetLayouts setLayouts;
         PushConstantRanges pushConstantRanges;
+        std::vector<bool> descriptorSetSlots;
 
         /// Vulkan VkPipelineLayout handle
         VkPipelineLayout vk(uint32_t deviceID) const { return _implementation[deviceID]->_pipelineLayout; }
diff --git a/include/vsg/state/ViewDependentState.h b/include/vsg/state/ViewDependentState.h
index 56adc361df..7f57239c60 100644
--- a/include/vsg/state/ViewDependentState.h
+++ b/include/vsg/state/ViewDependentState.h
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ namespace vsg
     public:
         ViewDescriptorSetLayout();
 
+        bool empty() const override { return false; }
+
         VkDescriptorSetLayout vk(uint32_t deviceID) const override { return _viewDescriptorSetLayout ? _viewDescriptorSetLayout->vk(deviceID) : 0; }
 
         int compare(const Object& rhs_object) const override;
diff --git a/include/vsg/utils/ShaderSet.h b/include/vsg/utils/ShaderSet.h
index e3bf15ac4d..5cba36a42d 100644
--- a/include/vsg/utils/ShaderSet.h
+++ b/include/vsg/utils/ShaderSet.h
@@ -177,9 +177,12 @@ namespace vsg
         /// create the descriptor set layout.
         virtual ref_ptr<DescriptorSetLayout> createDescriptorSetLayout(const std::set<std::string>& defines, uint32_t set) const;
 
-        /// return true of specified pipeline layout is compatible with what is required for this ShaderSet
+        /// return true if specified pipeline layout is compatible with what is required for this ShaderSet
         virtual bool compatiblePipelineLayout(const PipelineLayout& layout, const std::set<std::string>& defines) const;
 
+        /// return true if specified pipeline layout is partially compatible with what is required for this ShaderSet
+        virtual bool partiallyCompatiblePipelineLayout(const PipelineLayout& layout, const std::set<std::string>& defines, bool onlyPushConstants, uint32_t descriptorSet) const;
+
         /// create the pipeline layout for all descriptor sets enabled by specified defines or required by default.
         inline ref_ptr<PipelineLayout> createPipelineLayout(const std::set<std::string>& defines) { return createPipelineLayout(defines, descriptorSetRange()); }
 
diff --git a/include/vsg/vk/CommandBuffer.h b/include/vsg/vk/CommandBuffer.h
index 966c055943..9ec0d0a50e 100644
--- a/include/vsg/vk/CommandBuffer.h
+++ b/include/vsg/vk/CommandBuffer.h
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ namespace vsg
         void setCurrentPipelineLayout(const PipelineLayout* pipelineLayout);
 
         VkPipelineLayout getCurrentPipelineLayout() const { return _currentPipelineLayout; }
+        const std::vector<bool>& getCurrentDescriptorSetSlots() const { return _currentDescriptorSetSlots; }
         VkShaderStageFlags getCurrentPushConstantStageFlags() const { return _currentPushConstantStageFlags; }
 
         ref_ptr<ScratchMemory> scratchMemory;
@@ -73,6 +74,7 @@ namespace vsg
         ref_ptr<Device> _device;
         ref_ptr<CommandPool> _commandPool;
         VkPipelineLayout _currentPipelineLayout;
+        std::vector<bool> _currentDescriptorSetSlots;
         VkShaderStageFlags _currentPushConstantStageFlags;
     };
     VSG_type_name(vsg::CommandBuffer);
diff --git a/src/vsg/state/BindDescriptorSet.cpp b/src/vsg/state/BindDescriptorSet.cpp
index 4af20a8f3b..4f60ea87e1 100644
--- a/src/vsg/state/BindDescriptorSet.cpp
+++ b/src/vsg/state/BindDescriptorSet.cpp
@@ -113,6 +113,13 @@ void BindDescriptorSets::compile(Context& context)
 void BindDescriptorSets::record(CommandBuffer& commandBuffer) const
 {
     //info("BindDescriptorSets::record() ", dynamicOffsets.size(), ", ", dynamicOffsets.data());
+    if (commandBuffer.getCurrentDescriptorSetSlots().size() < firstSet + descriptorSets.size())
+        return;
+    for (size_t slot = firstSet; slot < firstSet + descriptorSets.size(); ++slot)
+    {
+        if (!commandBuffer.getCurrentDescriptorSetSlots()[slot])
+            return;
+    }
     auto& vkd = _vulkanData[commandBuffer.deviceID];
     vkCmdBindDescriptorSets(commandBuffer, pipelineBindPoint, vkd._vkPipelineLayout, firstSet,
                             static_cast<uint32_t>(vkd._vkDescriptorSets.size()), vkd._vkDescriptorSets.data(),
@@ -209,8 +216,11 @@ void BindDescriptorSet::compile(Context& context)
 void BindDescriptorSet::record(CommandBuffer& commandBuffer) const
 {
     //info("BindDescriptorSet::record() ", dynamicOffsets.size(), ", ", dynamicOffsets.data());
-    auto& vkd = _vulkanData[commandBuffer.deviceID];
-    vkCmdBindDescriptorSets(commandBuffer, pipelineBindPoint, vkd._vkPipelineLayout, firstSet,
-                            1, &(vkd._vkDescriptorSet),
-                            static_cast<uint32_t>(dynamicOffsets.size()), dynamicOffsets.data());
+    if (commandBuffer.getCurrentDescriptorSetSlots().size() > firstSet && commandBuffer.getCurrentDescriptorSetSlots()[firstSet])
+    {
+        auto& vkd = _vulkanData[commandBuffer.deviceID];
+        vkCmdBindDescriptorSets(commandBuffer, pipelineBindPoint, vkd._vkPipelineLayout, firstSet,
+                                1, &(vkd._vkDescriptorSet),
+                                static_cast<uint32_t>(dynamicOffsets.size()), dynamicOffsets.data());
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/vsg/state/PipelineLayout.cpp b/src/vsg/state/PipelineLayout.cpp
index 5fab02a848..fc243ed541 100644
--- a/src/vsg/state/PipelineLayout.cpp
+++ b/src/vsg/state/PipelineLayout.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ PipelineLayout::PipelineLayout(const PipelineLayout& rhs, const CopyOp& copyop)
     Inherit(rhs, copyop),
     flags(rhs.flags),
     setLayouts(rhs.setLayouts),
-    pushConstantRanges(rhs.pushConstantRanges)
+    pushConstantRanges(rhs.pushConstantRanges),
+    descriptorSetSlots(rhs.descriptorSetSlots)
 {
 }
 
@@ -123,9 +124,13 @@ void PipelineLayout::compile(Context& context)
 {
     if (!_implementation[context.deviceID])
     {
+        descriptorSetSlots.clear();
+        descriptorSetSlots.reserve(setLayouts.size());
+
         for (auto dsl : setLayouts)
         {
             if (dsl) dsl->compile(context);
+            descriptorSetSlots.push_back(dsl != nullptr && !dsl->empty());
         }
         _implementation[context.deviceID] = PipelineLayout::Implementation::create(context.device, setLayouts, pushConstantRanges, flags);
     }
diff --git a/src/vsg/state/ViewDependentState.cpp b/src/vsg/state/ViewDependentState.cpp
index baef9fd173..34ac4b3a74 100644
--- a/src/vsg/state/ViewDependentState.cpp
+++ b/src/vsg/state/ViewDependentState.cpp
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ void BindViewDescriptorSets::compile(Context& context)
 
 void BindViewDescriptorSets::record(CommandBuffer& commandBuffer) const
 {
-    if (commandBuffer.viewDependentState)
+    if (commandBuffer.viewDependentState && commandBuffer.getCurrentDescriptorSetSlots().size() > firstSet && commandBuffer.getCurrentDescriptorSetSlots()[firstSet])
     {
         commandBuffer.viewDependentState->bindDescriptorSets(commandBuffer, pipelineBindPoint, layout->vk(commandBuffer.deviceID), firstSet);
     }
diff --git a/src/vsg/utils/GraphicsPipelineConfigurator.cpp b/src/vsg/utils/GraphicsPipelineConfigurator.cpp
index 698139c635..f886e9f028 100644
--- a/src/vsg/utils/GraphicsPipelineConfigurator.cpp
+++ b/src/vsg/utils/GraphicsPipelineConfigurator.cpp
@@ -552,9 +552,9 @@ void GraphicsPipelineConfigurator::_assignInheritedSets()
 
         void apply(const BindDescriptorSet& bds) override
         {
-            if (!bds.descriptorSet || !bds.descriptorSet->setLayout || !gpc.descriptorConfigurator) return;
+            if (!bds.layout || !gpc.descriptorConfigurator) return;
 
-            if (gpc.shaderSet->compatiblePipelineLayout(*bds.layout, gpc.shaderHints->defines))
+            if (gpc.shaderSet->partiallyCompatiblePipelineLayout(*bds.layout, gpc.shaderHints->defines, false, bds.firstSet))
             {
                 gpc.inheritedSets.insert(bds.firstSet);
             }
@@ -562,9 +562,9 @@ void GraphicsPipelineConfigurator::_assignInheritedSets()
 
         void apply(const BindDescriptorSets& bds) override
         {
-            if (!gpc.descriptorConfigurator) return;
+            if (!bds.layout || !gpc.descriptorConfigurator) return;
 
-            if (gpc.shaderSet->compatiblePipelineLayout(*bds.layout, gpc.shaderHints->defines))
+            if (gpc.shaderSet->partiallyCompatiblePipelineLayout(*bds.layout, gpc.shaderHints->defines, false, bds.firstSet + static_cast<uint32_t>(bds.descriptorSets.size()) - 1))
             {
                 for (size_t i = 0; i < bds.descriptorSets.size(); ++i)
                 {
@@ -575,7 +575,7 @@ void GraphicsPipelineConfigurator::_assignInheritedSets()
 
         void apply(const BindViewDescriptorSets& bvds) override
         {
-            if (!gpc.shaderSet->compatiblePipelineLayout(*bvds.layout, gpc.shaderHints->defines))
+            if (!gpc.shaderSet->partiallyCompatiblePipelineLayout(*bvds.layout, gpc.shaderHints->defines, false, bvds.firstSet))
             {
                 return;
             }
diff --git a/src/vsg/utils/ShaderSet.cpp b/src/vsg/utils/ShaderSet.cpp
index 6441aa5b04..bc17d231c9 100644
--- a/src/vsg/utils/ShaderSet.cpp
+++ b/src/vsg/utils/ShaderSet.cpp
@@ -561,6 +561,13 @@ bool ShaderSet::compatiblePipelineLayout(const PipelineLayout& layout, const std
         ++set;
     }
 
+#ifdef VK_EXT_graphics_pipeline_library
+    if (layout.flags & VK_PIPELINE_LAYOUT_CREATE_INDEPENDENT_SETS_BIT_EXT)
+    {
+        return false;
+    }
+#endif
+
     PushConstantRanges ranges;
     for (auto& pcr : pushConstantRanges)
     {
@@ -578,6 +585,45 @@ bool ShaderSet::compatiblePipelineLayout(const PipelineLayout& layout, const std
     return true;
 }
 
+bool vsg::ShaderSet::partiallyCompatiblePipelineLayout(const PipelineLayout& layout, const std::set<std::string>& defines, bool onlyPushConstants, uint32_t descriptorSet) const
+{
+    PushConstantRanges ranges;
+    for (auto& pcr : pushConstantRanges)
+    {
+        if (pcr.define.empty() || defines.count(pcr.define) == 1)
+        {
+            ranges.push_back(pcr.range);
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (compare_value_container(layout.pushConstantRanges, ranges) != 0)
+    {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    if (onlyPushConstants)
+    {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+#ifdef VK_EXT_graphics_pipeline_library
+    if (layout.flags & VK_PIPELINE_LAYOUT_CREATE_INDEPENDENT_SETS_BIT_EXT)
+    {
+        return false;
+    }
+#endif
+
+    for (uint32_t set = 0; set <= std::min(layout.setLayouts.size() - 1, size_t(descriptorSet)); ++set)
+    {
+        if (layout.setLayouts[set] && !compatibleDescriptorSetLayout(*layout.setLayouts[set], defines, set))
+        {
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return true;
+}
+
 ref_ptr<PipelineLayout> ShaderSet::createPipelineLayout(const std::set<std::string>& defines, std::pair<uint32_t, uint32_t> range) const
 {
     DescriptorSetLayouts descriptorSetLayouts;
diff --git a/src/vsg/vk/CommandBuffer.cpp b/src/vsg/vk/CommandBuffer.cpp
index 314e340752..89f10a82cd 100644
--- a/src/vsg/vk/CommandBuffer.cpp
+++ b/src/vsg/vk/CommandBuffer.cpp
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ CommandBuffer::CommandBuffer(CommandPool* commandPool, VkCommandBuffer commandBu
     _device(commandPool->getDevice()),
     _commandPool(commandPool),
     _currentPipelineLayout(VK_NULL_HANDLE),
+    _currentDescriptorSetSlots(),
     _currentPushConstantStageFlags(0)
 {
 }
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ CommandBuffer::~CommandBuffer()
 void CommandBuffer::reset()
 {
     _currentPipelineLayout = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
+    _currentDescriptorSetSlots.clear();
     _currentPushConstantStageFlags = 0;
 
     _commandPool->reset();
@@ -59,6 +61,7 @@ void CommandBuffer::setCurrentPipelineLayout(const PipelineLayout* pipelineLayou
         state->dirtyStateStacks();
 
         _currentPipelineLayout = newLayout;
+        _currentDescriptorSetSlots = pipelineLayout->descriptorSetSlots;
         if (pipelineLayout->pushConstantRanges.empty())
             _currentPushConstantStageFlags = 0;
         else