diff --git a/backends/imgui_impl_vulkan.h b/backends/imgui_impl_vulkan.h
index 91ca2d7c1..adc832db7 100644
--- a/backends/imgui_impl_vulkan.h
+++ b/backends/imgui_impl_vulkan.h
@@ -130,6 +130,12 @@ struct ImGui_ImplVulkan_DescriptorHeapInfo
 //   - ImTextureID is the GPU descriptor device address returned by RegisterImage.
 //     Requires a 64-bit ImTextureID.
 //   - ImGui_ImplVulkan_AddTexture()/RemoveTexture() are pool-path only.
+//   - Device extensions / features the application must enable:
+//     - VK_EXT_descriptor_heap (feature: descriptorHeap).
+//     - VK_KHR_maintenance5 (formal dependency of descriptor_heap; used for VkPipelineCreateFlags2 / DESCRIPTOR_HEAP pipeline flag).
+//     - VK_KHR_buffer_device_address, or Vulkan 1.2+ where BDA is core (formal dependency; enable the bufferDeviceAddress feature either way).
+//     - VK_KHR_shader_untyped_pointers (feature: shaderUntypedPointers): required by the default heap shaders (layout(descriptor_heap)).
+//     Not a formal dependency of VK_EXT_descriptor_heap; mapping-based custom shaders could omit it.
 struct ImGui_ImplVulkan_InitInfo
 {
     uint32_t                        ApiVersion;                 // Fill with API version of Instance, e.g. VK_API_VERSION_1_3 or your value of VkApplicationInfo::apiVersion. May be lower than header version (VK_HEADER_VERSION_COMPLETE)
@@ -169,6 +175,7 @@ struct ImGui_ImplVulkan_InitInfo
 #ifdef IMGUI_IMPL_VULKAN_HAS_DESCRIPTOR_HEAP
     // (Optional) If set, use VK_EXT_descriptor_heap (app-owned Register*/UnRegister* callbacks; see comment above).
     // ImTextureID = RegisterImage(...) device address. ImGui_ImplVulkan_AddTexture() is unavailable in this mode.
+    // App must enable the device extensions/features listed under "About descriptor heap".
     const ImGui_ImplVulkan_DescriptorHeapInfo *DescriptorHeapInfo;
 #endif
 };
diff --git a/examples/example_glfw_vulkan/main.cpp b/examples/example_glfw_vulkan/main.cpp
index e4a6c3ca3..8f0c94744 100644
--- a/examples/example_glfw_vulkan/main.cpp
+++ b/examples/example_glfw_vulkan/main.cpp
@@ -244,6 +244,18 @@ static bool PhysicalDeviceHasExtension(VkPhysicalDevice physical_device, const c
     return IsExtensionAvailable(properties, extension);
 }
 
+// Extensions required by this example's VK_EXT_descriptor_heap path (Vulkan 1.1 instance → BDA is an extension).
+// Formal deps of VK_EXT_descriptor_heap: maintenance5 + (buffer_device_address | Vulkan 1.2).
+// shader_untyped_pointers is required by ImGui's default layout(descriptor_heap) shaders, not by the Vulkan extension itself.
+// See "About descriptor heap" in imgui_impl_vulkan.h.
+static bool PhysicalDeviceSupportsImGuiDescriptorHeap(VkPhysicalDevice physical_device)
+{
+    return PhysicalDeviceHasExtension(physical_device, VK_EXT_DESCRIPTOR_HEAP_EXTENSION_NAME)
+        && PhysicalDeviceHasExtension(physical_device, VK_KHR_BUFFER_DEVICE_ADDRESS_EXTENSION_NAME)
+        && PhysicalDeviceHasExtension(physical_device, VK_KHR_SHADER_UNTYPED_POINTERS_EXTENSION_NAME)
+        && PhysicalDeviceHasExtension(physical_device, VK_KHR_MAINTENANCE_5_EXTENSION_NAME);
+}
+
 static void SetupVulkan(ImVector<const char*> instance_extensions, bool require_descriptor_heap)
 {
     VkResult err;
@@ -321,17 +333,21 @@ static void SetupVulkan(ImVector<const char*> instance_extensions, bool require_
         VkPhysicalDevice device_with_heap = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
         for (uint32_t i = 0; i < device_count; i++)
         {
-            VkPhysicalDeviceProperties props;
-            vkGetPhysicalDeviceProperties(physical_devices[i], &props);
-            const bool has_heap = PhysicalDeviceHasExtension(physical_devices[i], VK_EXT_DESCRIPTOR_HEAP_EXTENSION_NAME);
-
-            if (has_heap && device_with_heap == VK_NULL_HANDLE)
+            if (PhysicalDeviceSupportsImGuiDescriptorHeap(physical_devices[i]))
+            {
                 device_with_heap = physical_devices[i];
+                break;
+            }
         }
 
         if (device_with_heap == VK_NULL_HANDLE)
         {
-            fprintf(stderr, "Error: --require-descriptor-heap requested but no device with VK_EXT_descriptor_heap was found.\n");
+            fprintf(stderr, "Error: --require-descriptor-heap requested but no device with VK_EXT_descriptor_heap and its required dependencies was found.\n");
+            fprintf(stderr, "  Required: %s, %s, %s, %s\n",
+                VK_EXT_DESCRIPTOR_HEAP_EXTENSION_NAME,
+                VK_KHR_BUFFER_DEVICE_ADDRESS_EXTENSION_NAME,
+                VK_KHR_SHADER_UNTYPED_POINTERS_EXTENSION_NAME,
+                VK_KHR_MAINTENANCE_5_EXTENSION_NAME);
             exit(1);
         }
         g_PhysicalDevice = device_with_heap;
@@ -364,19 +380,19 @@ static void SetupVulkan(ImVector<const char*> instance_extensions, bool require_
         if (IsExtensionAvailable(properties, VK_KHR_PORTABILITY_SUBSET_EXTENSION_NAME))
             device_extensions.push_back(VK_KHR_PORTABILITY_SUBSET_EXTENSION_NAME);
 #endif
-        if (IsExtensionAvailable(properties, VK_EXT_DESCRIPTOR_HEAP_EXTENSION_NAME))
+        if (PhysicalDeviceSupportsImGuiDescriptorHeap(g_PhysicalDevice))
         {
             device_extensions.push_back(VK_KHR_BUFFER_DEVICE_ADDRESS_EXTENSION_NAME);
-            device_extensions.push_back(VK_KHR_CREATE_RENDERPASS_2_EXTENSION_NAME);
-            device_extensions.push_back(VK_KHR_DEPTH_STENCIL_RESOLVE_EXTENSION_NAME);
-            device_extensions.push_back(VK_KHR_DYNAMIC_RENDERING_EXTENSION_NAME);
-            device_extensions.push_back(VK_KHR_MAINTENANCE_2_EXTENSION_NAME);
             device_extensions.push_back(VK_KHR_MAINTENANCE_5_EXTENSION_NAME);
-            device_extensions.push_back(VK_KHR_MULTIVIEW_EXTENSION_NAME);
             device_extensions.push_back(VK_KHR_SHADER_UNTYPED_POINTERS_EXTENSION_NAME);
             device_extensions.push_back(VK_EXT_DESCRIPTOR_HEAP_EXTENSION_NAME);
             g_UsingDescriptorHeap = true;
         }
+        else if (require_descriptor_heap)
+        {
+            fprintf(stderr, "Error: --require-descriptor-heap but selected device is missing a required dependency.\n");
+            exit(1);
+        }
 
         const float queue_priority[] = { 1.0f };
         VkDeviceQueueCreateInfo queue_info[1] = {};