diff --git a/src/video_display/vulkan/vulkan_context.cpp b/src/video_display/vulkan/vulkan_context.cpp
index 60576f1f6..8617c7fa6 100644
--- a/src/video_display/vulkan/vulkan_context.cpp
+++ b/src/video_display/vulkan/vulkan_context.cpp
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ using namespace vulkan_display;
 
 namespace {
 
+#if VK_HEADER_VERSION > 169
 VKAPI_ATTR VkBool32 VKAPI_CALL debug_callback(
         [[maybe_unused]] vk::DebugUtilsMessageSeverityFlagBitsEXT message_severity,
         [[maybe_unused]] vk::DebugUtilsMessageTypeFlagsEXT message_type,
@@ -64,6 +65,28 @@ VKAPI_ATTR VkBool32 VKAPI_CALL debug_callback(
 
         return VK_FALSE;
 }
+#else /// compat (eg. Debian 11) @todo TOREMOVE later
+ VKAPI_ATTR VkBool32 VKAPI_CALL debug_callback(
+         [[maybe_unused]] VkDebugUtilsMessageSeverityFlagBitsEXT message_severity,
+         [[maybe_unused]] VkDebugUtilsMessageTypeFlagsEXT message_type,
+         const VkDebugUtilsMessengerCallbackDataEXT* callback_data,
+         [[maybe_unused]] void* user_data)
+ {
+         LogLevel level = LogLevel::notice;
+         if      (VK_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSAGE_SEVERITY_ERROR_BIT_EXT & message_severity)   level = LogLevel::error;
+         else if (VK_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSAGE_SEVERITY_WARNING_BIT_EXT & message_severity) level = LogLevel::warning;
+         else if (VK_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSAGE_SEVERITY_INFO_BIT_EXT & message_severity)    level = LogLevel::info;
+         else if (VK_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSAGE_SEVERITY_VERBOSE_BIT_EXT & message_severity) level = LogLevel::verbose;
+
+         vulkan_log_msg(level, "validation layer: "s + callback_data->pMessage);
+
+         if (message_type != VkDebugUtilsMessageTypeFlagBitsEXT::VK_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSAGE_TYPE_GENERAL_BIT_EXT){
+                 //assert(false);
+         }
+
+        return VK_FALSE;
+}
+#endif
 
 void check_validation_layers(const std::vector<const char*>& required_layers) {
         std::vector<vk::LayerProperties>  layers = vk::enumerateInstanceLayerProperties();