diff --git a/src/freedreno/ir3/ir3_context.c b/src/freedreno/ir3/ir3_context.c
index bba41377525..c2d01666cff 100644
--- a/src/freedreno/ir3/ir3_context.c
+++ b/src/freedreno/ir3/ir3_context.c
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ ir3_context_init(struct ir3_compiler *compiler,
 		ctx->s = ir3_optimize_nir(so->shader, s, &so->key);
 	} else {
 		/* fast-path for shader key that lowers nothing in NIR: */
-		ctx->s = so->shader->nir;
+		ctx->s = nir_shader_clone(ctx, so->shader->nir);
 	}
 
 	/* this needs to be the last pass run, so do this here instead of