diff --git a/src/d3d8/d3d8_device.cpp b/src/d3d8/d3d8_device.cpp
index f56fb80d7..f0315d8c0 100644
--- a/src/d3d8/d3d8_device.cpp
+++ b/src/d3d8/d3d8_device.cpp
@@ -228,6 +228,13 @@ namespace dxvk {
     if (unlikely(pPresentationParameters == nullptr))
       return D3DERR_INVALIDCALL;
 
+    // D3DSWAPEFFECT_COPY can not be used with more than one back buffer.
+    // This is also technically true for D3DSWAPEFFECT_COPY_VSYNC, however
+    // RC Cars depends on it not being rejected.
+    if (unlikely(pPresentationParameters->SwapEffect == D3DSWAPEFFECT_COPY
+              && pPresentationParameters->BackBufferCount > 1))
+      return D3DERR_INVALIDCALL;
+
     m_presentParams = *pPresentationParameters;
     ResetState();
 
diff --git a/src/d3d8/d3d8_interface.cpp b/src/d3d8/d3d8_interface.cpp
index 6324946b6..a5550d532 100644
--- a/src/d3d8/d3d8_interface.cpp
+++ b/src/d3d8/d3d8_interface.cpp
@@ -122,6 +122,13 @@ namespace dxvk
                  ppReturnedDeviceInterface == nullptr))
       return D3DERR_INVALIDCALL;
 
+    // D3DSWAPEFFECT_COPY can not be used with more than one back buffer.
+    // This is also technically true for D3DSWAPEFFECT_COPY_VSYNC, however
+    // RC Cars depends on it not being rejected.
+    if (unlikely(pPresentationParameters->SwapEffect == D3DSWAPEFFECT_COPY
+              && pPresentationParameters->BackBufferCount > 1))
+      return D3DERR_INVALIDCALL;
+
     Com<d3d9::IDirect3DDevice9> pDevice9 = nullptr;
     d3d9::D3DPRESENT_PARAMETERS params = ConvertPresentParameters9(pPresentationParameters);
     HRESULT res = m_d3d9->CreateDevice(
diff --git a/src/d3d9/d3d9_device.cpp b/src/d3d9/d3d9_device.cpp
index 5818a39a4..8413e6cd6 100644
--- a/src/d3d9/d3d9_device.cpp
+++ b/src/d3d9/d3d9_device.cpp
@@ -476,6 +476,11 @@ namespace dxvk {
     Logger::info("Device reset");
     m_deviceLostState = D3D9DeviceLostState::Ok;
 
+    HRESULT hr = m_parent->ValidatePresentationParameters(pPresentationParameters);
+
+    if (unlikely(FAILED(hr)))
+      return hr;
+
     if (!IsExtended()) {
       // The internal references are always cleared, regardless of whether the Reset call succeeds.
       ResetState(pPresentationParameters);
@@ -507,8 +512,8 @@ namespace dxvk {
       return D3DERR_DEVICELOST;
     }
 
-    HRESULT hr = ResetSwapChain(pPresentationParameters, nullptr);
-    if (FAILED(hr)) {
+    hr = ResetSwapChain(pPresentationParameters, nullptr);
+    if (unlikely(FAILED(hr))) {
       if (!IsExtended()) {
         Logger::warn("Device reset failed: Device not reset");
         m_deviceLostState = D3D9DeviceLostState::NotReset;
diff --git a/src/d3d9/d3d9_interface.cpp b/src/d3d9/d3d9_interface.cpp
index be302bced..d30aa148b 100644
--- a/src/d3d9/d3d9_interface.cpp
+++ b/src/d3d9/d3d9_interface.cpp
@@ -350,16 +350,21 @@ namespace dxvk {
           IDirect3DDevice9Ex**   ppReturnedDeviceInterface) {
     InitReturnPtr(ppReturnedDeviceInterface);
 
-    if (ppReturnedDeviceInterface == nullptr
-    || pPresentationParameters    == nullptr)
+    if (unlikely(ppReturnedDeviceInterface  == nullptr
+              || pPresentationParameters    == nullptr))
       return D3DERR_INVALIDCALL;
 
-    // creating a device with D3DCREATE_PUREDEVICE only works in conjunction
-    // with D3DCREATE_HARDWARE_VERTEXPROCESSING on native drivers
-    if (BehaviorFlags & D3DCREATE_PUREDEVICE &&
-    !(BehaviorFlags & D3DCREATE_HARDWARE_VERTEXPROCESSING))
+    // Creating a device with D3DCREATE_PUREDEVICE only works in conjunction
+    // with D3DCREATE_HARDWARE_VERTEXPROCESSING on native drivers.
+    if (unlikely(BehaviorFlags & D3DCREATE_PUREDEVICE &&
+               !(BehaviorFlags & D3DCREATE_HARDWARE_VERTEXPROCESSING)))
       return D3DERR_INVALIDCALL;
 
+    HRESULT hr = ValidatePresentationParameters(pPresentationParameters);
+
+    if (unlikely(FAILED(hr)))
+      return hr;
+
     auto* adapter = GetAdapter(Adapter);
 
     if (adapter == nullptr)
@@ -378,9 +383,9 @@ namespace dxvk {
         BehaviorFlags,
         dxvkDevice);
 
-      HRESULT hr = device->InitialReset(pPresentationParameters, pFullscreenDisplayMode);
+      hr = device->InitialReset(pPresentationParameters, pFullscreenDisplayMode);
 
-      if (FAILED(hr))
+      if (unlikely(FAILED(hr)))
         return hr;
 
       *ppReturnedDeviceInterface = ref(device);
diff --git a/src/d3d9/d3d9_interface.h b/src/d3d9/d3d9_interface.h
index 2bb0e0a82..2449694b2 100644
--- a/src/d3d9/d3d9_interface.h
+++ b/src/d3d9/d3d9_interface.h
@@ -121,6 +121,49 @@ namespace dxvk {
 
     HRESULT STDMETHODCALLTYPE GetAdapterLUID(UINT Adapter, LUID* pLUID);
 
+    HRESULT ValidatePresentationParameters(D3DPRESENT_PARAMETERS* pPresentationParameters) {
+      if (m_extended) {
+        // The swap effect value on a D3D9Ex device
+        // can not be higher than D3DSWAPEFFECT_FLIPEX.
+        if (unlikely(pPresentationParameters->SwapEffect > D3DSWAPEFFECT_FLIPEX))
+          return D3DERR_INVALIDCALL;
+      } else {
+        // The swap effect value on a non-Ex D3D9 device
+        // can not be higher than D3DSWAPEFFECT_COPY.
+        if (unlikely(pPresentationParameters->SwapEffect > D3DSWAPEFFECT_COPY))
+          return D3DERR_INVALIDCALL;
+      }
+
+      // The swap effect value can not be 0.
+      if (unlikely(!pPresentationParameters->SwapEffect))
+        return D3DERR_INVALIDCALL;
+
+      // D3DSWAPEFFECT_COPY can not be used with more than one back buffer.
+      // Allow D3DSWAPEFFECT_COPY to bypass this restriction in D3D8 compatibility
+      // mode, since it may be a remapping of D3DSWAPEFFECT_COPY_VSYNC and RC Cars
+      // depends on it not being validated.
+      if (unlikely(!IsD3D8Compatible()
+                && pPresentationParameters->SwapEffect == D3DSWAPEFFECT_COPY
+                && pPresentationParameters->BackBufferCount > 1))
+        return D3DERR_INVALIDCALL;
+
+      // 3 is the highest supported back buffer count.
+      if (unlikely(pPresentationParameters->BackBufferCount > 3))
+        return D3DERR_INVALIDCALL;
+
+      // Valid fullscreen presentation intervals must be known values.
+      if (unlikely(!pPresentationParameters->Windowed
+              && !(pPresentationParameters->PresentationInterval == D3DPRESENT_INTERVAL_DEFAULT
+                || pPresentationParameters->PresentationInterval == D3DPRESENT_INTERVAL_ONE
+                || pPresentationParameters->PresentationInterval == D3DPRESENT_INTERVAL_TWO
+                || pPresentationParameters->PresentationInterval == D3DPRESENT_INTERVAL_THREE
+                || pPresentationParameters->PresentationInterval == D3DPRESENT_INTERVAL_FOUR
+                || pPresentationParameters->PresentationInterval == D3DPRESENT_INTERVAL_IMMEDIATE)))
+        return D3DERR_INVALIDCALL;
+
+      return D3D_OK;
+    }
+
     const D3D9Options& GetOptions() { return m_d3d9Options; }
 
     D3D9Adapter* GetAdapter(UINT Ordinal) {
@@ -146,10 +189,6 @@ namespace dxvk {
 
   private:
 
-    void CacheModes(D3D9Format Format);
-
-    static const char* GetDriverDllName(DxvkGpuVendor vendor);
-
     Rc<DxvkInstance>              m_instance;
 
     DxvkD3D8InterfaceBridge       m_d3d8Bridge;