diff --git a/src/d3d11/d3d11_depth_stencil.cpp b/src/d3d11/d3d11_depth_stencil.cpp
index 444b1efe5..66886166f 100644
--- a/src/d3d11/d3d11_depth_stencil.cpp
+++ b/src/d3d11/d3d11_depth_stencil.cpp
@@ -51,6 +51,33 @@ namespace dxvk {
   }
   
   
+  D3D11_DEPTH_STENCIL_DESC D3D11DepthStencilState::DefaultDesc() {
+    D3D11_DEPTH_STENCILOP_DESC stencilOp;
+    stencilOp.StencilFunc        = D3D11_COMPARISON_ALWAYS;
+    stencilOp.StencilDepthFailOp = D3D11_STENCIL_OP_KEEP;
+    stencilOp.StencilPassOp      = D3D11_STENCIL_OP_KEEP;
+    stencilOp.StencilFailOp      = D3D11_STENCIL_OP_KEEP;
+    
+    D3D11_DEPTH_STENCIL_DESC dstDesc;
+    dstDesc.DepthEnable      = TRUE;
+    dstDesc.DepthWriteMask   = D3D11_DEPTH_WRITE_MASK_ALL;
+    dstDesc.DepthFunc        = D3D11_COMPARISON_LESS;
+    dstDesc.StencilEnable    = FALSE;
+    dstDesc.StencilReadMask  = D3D11_DEFAULT_STENCIL_READ_MASK;
+    dstDesc.StencilWriteMask = D3D11_DEFAULT_STENCIL_WRITE_MASK;
+    dstDesc.FrontFace        = stencilOp;
+    dstDesc.BackFace         = stencilOp;
+    return dstDesc;
+  }
+  
+  
+  HRESULT D3D11DepthStencilState::NormalizeDesc(D3D11_DEPTH_STENCIL_DESC* pDesc) {
+    // TODO validate
+    // TODO clear unused values
+    return S_OK;
+  }
+  
+  
   VkStencilOpState D3D11DepthStencilState::DecodeStencilOpState(
     const D3D11_DEPTH_STENCILOP_DESC& StencilDesc,
     const D3D11_DEPTH_STENCIL_DESC&   Desc) const {
diff --git a/src/d3d11/d3d11_depth_stencil.h b/src/d3d11/d3d11_depth_stencil.h
index c1d171eb3..3ceb7008f 100644
--- a/src/d3d11/d3d11_depth_stencil.h
+++ b/src/d3d11/d3d11_depth_stencil.h
@@ -33,6 +33,11 @@ namespace dxvk {
     void BindToContext(
       const Rc<DxvkContext>&  ctx);
     
+    static D3D11_DEPTH_STENCIL_DESC DefaultDesc();
+    
+    static HRESULT NormalizeDesc(
+            D3D11_DEPTH_STENCIL_DESC* pDesc);
+    
   private:
     
     D3D11Device* const        m_device;
diff --git a/src/d3d11/d3d11_device.cpp b/src/d3d11/d3d11_device.cpp
index affe10753..f08ece4c4 100644
--- a/src/d3d11/d3d11_device.cpp
+++ b/src/d3d11/d3d11_device.cpp
@@ -1114,26 +1114,12 @@ namespace dxvk {
   HRESULT STDMETHODCALLTYPE D3D11Device::CreateDepthStencilState(
     const D3D11_DEPTH_STENCIL_DESC*   pDepthStencilDesc,
           ID3D11DepthStencilState**   ppDepthStencilState) {
-    D3D11_DEPTH_STENCIL_DESC desc;
+    D3D11_DEPTH_STENCIL_DESC desc = pDepthStencilDesc != nullptr
+      ? *pDepthStencilDesc
+      : D3D11DepthStencilState::DefaultDesc();
     
-    if (pDepthStencilDesc != nullptr) {
-      desc = *pDepthStencilDesc;
-    } else {
-      D3D11_DEPTH_STENCILOP_DESC stencilOp;
-      stencilOp.StencilFunc        = D3D11_COMPARISON_ALWAYS;
-      stencilOp.StencilDepthFailOp = D3D11_STENCIL_OP_KEEP;
-      stencilOp.StencilPassOp      = D3D11_STENCIL_OP_KEEP;
-      stencilOp.StencilFailOp      = D3D11_STENCIL_OP_KEEP;
-      
-      desc.DepthEnable      = TRUE;
-      desc.DepthWriteMask   = D3D11_DEPTH_WRITE_MASK_ALL;
-      desc.DepthFunc        = D3D11_COMPARISON_LESS;
-      desc.StencilEnable    = FALSE;
-      desc.StencilReadMask  = D3D11_DEFAULT_STENCIL_READ_MASK;
-      desc.StencilWriteMask = D3D11_DEFAULT_STENCIL_WRITE_MASK;
-      desc.FrontFace        = stencilOp;
-      desc.BackFace         = stencilOp;
-    }
+    if (FAILED(D3D11DepthStencilState::NormalizeDesc(&desc)))
+      return E_INVALIDARG;
     
     if (ppDepthStencilState != nullptr) {
       *ppDepthStencilState = m_dsStateObjects.Create(this, desc);