diff --git a/include/vulkan/graphics.h b/include/vulkan/graphics.h
index e93c4bc..fc95e78 100644
--- a/include/vulkan/graphics.h
+++ b/include/vulkan/graphics.h
@@ -9,15 +9,20 @@ class Graphics final {
   Graphics(gsl::not_null<Window *> window);
   ~Graphics();
 
- private:
   void InitializeVulkan();
   void CreateInstance();
 
-  static gsl::span<gsl::czstring> GetSuggestedExtentions();
+  std::vector<gsl::czstring> GetRequiredInstanceExtentions();
+
+  static gsl::span<gsl::czstring> GetSuggestedInstanceExtentions();
   static std::vector<VkExtensionProperties> GetSupprotedInstanceExtensions();
   static bool AreAllExtensionsSupported(gsl::span<gsl::czstring> extensions);
 
+  static std::vector<VkLayerProperties> GetSupprotedValidationLayers();
+  static bool AreAllLayersSupported(gsl::span<gsl::czstring> extensions);
+
   VkInstance instance_ = nullptr;
   gsl::not_null<Window *> window_;
+  bool validation_enabled_ = false;
 };
 }  // namespace veng
diff --git a/src/vulkan/graphics.cpp b/src/vulkan/graphics.cpp
index 4912f64..733909a 100644
--- a/src/vulkan/graphics.cpp
+++ b/src/vulkan/graphics.cpp
@@ -2,11 +2,45 @@
 
 #include <GLFW/glfw3.h>
 
+#include <iostream>
+
 #include "precomp.h"
 
 namespace veng {
 
+static VKAPI_ATTR VkBool32 VKAPI_CALL
+ValidationCallback(VkDebugUtilsMessageSeverityFlagBitsEXT messageSeverity,
+                   VkDebugUtilsMessageTypeFlagsEXT messageTypes,
+                   const VkDebugUtilsMessengerCallbackDataEXT* pCallbackData,
+                   void* pUserData) {
+  if (messageSeverity >= VK_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSAGE_SEVERITY_WARNING_BIT_EXT) {
+    std::cerr << "Validation Error : " << pCallbackData->pMessage << std::endl;
+  } else {
+    std::cout << "Validation Message : " << pCallbackData->pMessage
+              << std::endl;
+  }
+  return VK_FALSE;
+}
+
+static VkDebugUtilsMessengerCreateInfoEXT GetCreateMessengerInfo() {
+  VkDebugUtilsMessengerCreateInfoEXT creation_info = {};
+  creation_info.sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSENGER_CREATE_INFO_EXT;
+  creation_info.messageSeverity =
+      VK_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSAGE_SEVERITY_WARNING_BIT_EXT |
+      VK_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSAGE_SEVERITY_ERROR_BIT_EXT |
+      VK_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSAGE_SEVERITY_VERBOSE_BIT_EXT;
+  creation_info.messageType = VK_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSAGE_TYPE_GENERAL_BIT_EXT |
+                              VK_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSAGE_TYPE_VALIDATION_BIT_EXT;
+  creation_info.pfnUserCallback = ValidationCallback;
+  creation_info.pUserData = nullptr;
+
+  return creation_info;
+}
+
 Graphics::Graphics(gsl::not_null<Window*> window) : window_(window) {
+#if !defined(NDEBUG)
+  validation_enabled_ = true;
+#endif
   InitializeVulkan();
 }
 
@@ -17,8 +51,13 @@ Graphics::~Graphics() {
 void Graphics::InitializeVulkan() { CreateInstance(); }
 
 void Graphics::CreateInstance() {
-  gsl::span<gsl::czstring> suggested_extentions = GetSuggestedExtentions();
-  if (!AreAllExtensionsSupported(suggested_extentions)) std::exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+  std::array<gsl::czstring, 1> validation_layers = {
+      "VK_LAYER_KHRONOS_validation"};
+
+  if (!AreAllLayersSupported(validation_layers)) validation_enabled_ = false;
+
+  std::vector<gsl::czstring> required_extentions =
+      GetRequiredInstanceExtentions();
 
   VkApplicationInfo app_info = {};
   app_info.sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_APPLICATION_INFO;
@@ -33,24 +72,48 @@ void Graphics::CreateInstance() {
   instance_creation_info.sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_INSTANCE_CREATE_INFO;
   instance_creation_info.pNext = nullptr;
   instance_creation_info.pApplicationInfo = &app_info;
-  instance_creation_info.enabledExtensionCount = suggested_extentions.size();
-  instance_creation_info.ppEnabledExtensionNames = suggested_extentions.data();
-  instance_creation_info.enabledLayerCount = 0;
+  instance_creation_info.enabledExtensionCount = required_extentions.size();
+  instance_creation_info.ppEnabledExtensionNames = required_extentions.data();
+
+  VkDebugUtilsMessengerCreateInfoEXT messenger_create_info =
+      GetCreateMessengerInfo();
+  if (validation_enabled_) {
+    instance_creation_info.pNext = &messenger_create_info;
+    instance_creation_info.enabledLayerCount = validation_layers.size();
+    instance_creation_info.ppEnabledLayerNames = validation_layers.data();
+  } else {
+    instance_creation_info.enabledLayerCount = 0;
+    instance_creation_info.ppEnabledLayerNames = nullptr;
+  }
 
   VkResult result =
       vkCreateInstance(&instance_creation_info, nullptr, &instance_);
   if (result != VK_SUCCESS) std::exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 }
 
-gsl::span<gsl::czstring> Graphics::GetSuggestedExtentions() {
+gsl::span<gsl::czstring> Graphics::GetSuggestedInstanceExtentions() {
   std::uint32_t glfw_extention_count = 0;
   gsl::czstring* glfw_extentions =
       glfwGetRequiredInstanceExtensions(&glfw_extention_count);
   return {glfw_extentions, glfw_extention_count};
 }
 
+std::vector<gsl::czstring> Graphics::GetRequiredInstanceExtentions() {
+  gsl::span<gsl::czstring> suggested_extentions =
+      GetSuggestedInstanceExtentions();
+  std::vector<gsl::czstring> required_extentions(suggested_extentions.size());
+  std::copy(suggested_extentions.begin(), suggested_extentions.end(),
+            required_extentions.begin());
+
+  if (validation_enabled_)
+    required_extentions.push_back(VK_EXT_DEBUG_UTILS_EXTENSION_NAME);
+
+  if (!AreAllExtensionsSupported(suggested_extentions)) std::exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+
+  return required_extentions;
+}
+
 std::vector<VkExtensionProperties> Graphics::GetSupprotedInstanceExtensions() {
-  VkExtensionProperties buffer[32];
   std::uint32_t count;
   vkEnumerateInstanceExtensionProperties(nullptr, &count, nullptr);
 
@@ -81,4 +144,32 @@ bool Graphics::AreAllExtensionsSupported(gsl::span<gsl::czstring> extensions) {
       std::bind_front(IsExtensionSupported, supported_extensions));
 }
 
+std::vector<VkLayerProperties> Graphics::GetSupprotedValidationLayers() {
+  std::uint32_t count;
+  vkEnumerateInstanceLayerProperties(&count, nullptr);
+
+  if (count == 0) return {};
+
+  std::vector<VkLayerProperties> properties(count);
+  vkEnumerateInstanceLayerProperties(&count, properties.data());
+  return properties;
+}
+
+bool LayerMatchesName(gsl::czstring name, const VkLayerProperties& properties) {
+  return streq(properties.layerName, name);
+}
+
+bool IsLayerSupported(gsl::span<VkLayerProperties> layers, gsl::czstring name) {
+  return std::any_of(layers.begin(), layers.end(),
+                     std::bind_front(LayerMatchesName, name));
+}
+
+bool Graphics::AreAllLayersSupported(gsl::span<gsl::czstring> layers) {
+  std::vector<VkLayerProperties> supported_layers =
+      GetSupprotedValidationLayers();
+
+  return std::all_of(layers.begin(), layers.end(),
+                     std::bind_front(IsLayerSupported, supported_layers));
+}
+
 }  // namespace veng