diff --git a/include/vsg/vk/Instance.h b/include/vsg/vk/Instance.h
index f92658a0e..c863a9992 100644
--- a/include/vsg/vk/Instance.h
+++ b/include/vsg/vk/Instance.h
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ namespace vsg
     /// return names of layers that are supported from the desired list.
     extern VSG_DECLSPEC Names validateInstanceLayerNames(const Names& names);
 
+    /// return true if the specified layer name exists in the list.
+    extern VSG_DECLSPEC bool containsInstanceLayerName(const Names& names, const char* layerName);
+
     /// Instance encapsulates the VkInstance.
     class VSG_DECLSPEC Instance : public Inherit<Object, Instance>
     {
diff --git a/include/vsg/vk/vulkan.h b/include/vsg/vk/vulkan.h
index cac8dbd1a..2c25d4921 100644
--- a/include/vsg/vk/vulkan.h
+++ b/include/vsg/vk/vulkan.h
@@ -573,6 +573,47 @@ typedef enum VkRayTracingShaderGroupTypeKHR
 
 #endif
 
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//
+//  Definitions not provided prior to 1.2.150
+//
+#if VK_HEADER_VERSION < 150
+
+#define VK_EXT_validation_features 1
+#define VK_EXT_VALIDATION_FEATURES_SPEC_VERSION 4
+#define VK_EXT_VALIDATION_FEATURES_EXTENSION_NAME "VK_EXT_validation_features"
+
+typedef enum VkValidationFeatureEnableEXT {
+    VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_ENABLE_GPU_ASSISTED_EXT = 0,
+    VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_ENABLE_GPU_ASSISTED_RESERVE_BINDING_SLOT_EXT = 1,
+    VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_ENABLE_BEST_PRACTICES_EXT = 2,
+    VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_ENABLE_DEBUG_PRINTF_EXT = 3,
+    VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_ENABLE_SYNCHRONIZATION_VALIDATION_EXT = 4,
+    VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_ENABLE_MAX_ENUM_EXT = 0x7FFFFFFF
+} VkValidationFeatureEnableEXT;
+
+typedef enum VkValidationFeatureDisableEXT {
+    VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_DISABLE_ALL_EXT = 0,
+    VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_DISABLE_SHADERS_EXT = 1,
+    VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_DISABLE_THREAD_SAFETY_EXT = 2,
+    VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_DISABLE_API_PARAMETERS_EXT = 3,
+    VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_DISABLE_OBJECT_LIFETIMES_EXT = 4,
+    VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_DISABLE_CORE_CHECKS_EXT = 5,
+    VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_DISABLE_UNIQUE_HANDLES_EXT = 6,
+    VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_DISABLE_MAX_ENUM_EXT = 0x7FFFFFFF
+} VkValidationFeatureDisableEXT;
+typedef struct VkValidationFeaturesEXT {
+    VkStructureType                         sType;
+    const void*                             pNext;
+    uint32_t                                enabledValidationFeatureCount;
+    const VkValidationFeatureEnableEXT*     pEnabledValidationFeatures;
+    uint32_t                                disabledValidationFeatureCount;
+    const VkValidationFeatureDisableEXT*    pDisabledValidationFeatures;
+} VkValidationFeaturesEXT;
+
+#endif
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //
 //  Definitions not provided prior to 1.2.162
diff --git a/src/vsg/vk/Instance.cpp b/src/vsg/vk/Instance.cpp
index 86c88b30d..d34e3b929 100644
--- a/src/vsg/vk/Instance.cpp
+++ b/src/vsg/vk/Instance.cpp
@@ -91,6 +91,16 @@ Names vsg::validateInstanceLayerNames(const Names& names)
     return validatedNames;
 }
 
+bool vsg::containsInstanceLayerName(const Names& names, const char* layerName)
+{
+    if (!layerName) return false;
+
+    auto cmpFunc = [&](const char* name) {
+        return strcmp(name, layerName) == 0;
+    };
+    return std::find_if(names.begin(), names.end(), cmpFunc) != names.end();
+}
+
 static VKAPI_ATTR VkBool32 VKAPI_CALL debugUtilsMessengerCallback(
     VkDebugUtilsMessageSeverityFlagBitsEXT messageSeverity,
     VkDebugUtilsMessageTypeFlagsEXT /*messageType*/,
@@ -143,7 +153,29 @@ Instance::Instance(Names instanceExtensions, Names layers, uint32_t vulkanApiVer
     createInfo.enabledLayerCount = static_cast<uint32_t>(layers.size());
     createInfo.ppEnabledLayerNames = layers.empty() ? nullptr : layers.data();
 
-    createInfo.pNext = nullptr;
+    std::vector<VkValidationFeatureEnableEXT> enabledValidationFeatures;
+    std::vector<VkValidationFeatureDisableEXT> disabledValidationFeatures;
+
+    // syncronization validation requires VkValidationFeaturesEXT
+    if (containsInstanceLayerName(layers, "VK_LAYER_KHRONOS_synchronization2")) enabledValidationFeatures.push_back(VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_ENABLE_SYNCHRONIZATION_VALIDATION_EXT);
+
+    // set up the VkValidationFeaturesEXT if required
+    VkValidationFeaturesEXT validationFeatures{};
+    if (!enabledValidationFeatures.empty() || !disabledValidationFeatures.empty())
+    {
+        validationFeatures.sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_VALIDATION_FEATURES_EXT;
+        validationFeatures.enabledValidationFeatureCount = static_cast<uint32_t>(enabledValidationFeatures.size());
+        validationFeatures.pEnabledValidationFeatures = enabledValidationFeatures.data();
+
+        validationFeatures.disabledValidationFeatureCount = static_cast<uint32_t>(disabledValidationFeatures.size());
+        validationFeatures.pDisabledValidationFeatures = disabledValidationFeatures.data();
+
+        createInfo.pNext = &validationFeatures;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        createInfo.pNext = nullptr;
+    }
 
     VkInstance instance;
     VkResult result = vkCreateInstance(&createInfo, allocator, &instance);