diff --git a/ggml/src/ggml-vulkan/ggml-vulkan.cpp b/ggml/src/ggml-vulkan/ggml-vulkan.cpp
index 3d893295ffdb3..d9f1601a93b8a 100644
--- a/ggml/src/ggml-vulkan/ggml-vulkan.cpp
+++ b/ggml/src/ggml-vulkan/ggml-vulkan.cpp
@@ -4450,7 +4450,7 @@ static void ggml_vk_instance_init() {
 
     if (api_version < VK_API_VERSION_1_2) {
         std::cerr << "ggml_vulkan: Error: Vulkan 1.2 required." << std::endl;
-        GGML_ABORT("fatal error");
+        throw vk::SystemError(vk::Result::eErrorFeatureNotPresent, "Vulkan 1.2 required");
     }
 
     vk::ApplicationInfo app_info{ "ggml-vulkan", 1, nullptr, 0, api_version };
@@ -12726,6 +12726,12 @@ ggml_backend_reg_t ggml_backend_vk_reg() {
     } catch (const vk::SystemError& e) {
         VK_LOG_DEBUG("ggml_backend_vk_reg() -> Error: System error: " << e.what());
         return nullptr;
+    } catch (const std::exception &e) {
+        VK_LOG_DEBUG("ggml_backend_vk_reg() -> Error: " << e.what());
+        return nullptr;
+    } catch (...) {
+        VK_LOG_DEBUG("ggml_backend_vk_reg() -> Error: unknown exception during Vulkan init");
+        return nullptr;
     }
 }