diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/GL/GLGSRender.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/GL/GLGSRender.cpp
index 5ccafe5eef..dee0cf0617 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/GL/GLGSRender.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/GL/GLGSRender.cpp
@@ -276,15 +276,6 @@ void GLGSRender::on_init_thread()
 
 	m_vao.element_array_buffer = *m_index_ring_buffer;
 
-	if (g_cfg.video.overlay)
-	{
-		if (gl_caps.ARB_shader_draw_parameters_supported)
-		{
-			m_text_printer.init();
-			m_text_printer.set_enabled(true);
-		}
-	}
-
 	int image_unit = 0;
 	for (auto &sampler : m_fs_sampler_states)
 	{
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/GL/GLPresent.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/GL/GLPresent.cpp
index 1e1cbe12c1..e2c7f4036c 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/GL/GLPresent.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/GL/GLPresent.cpp
@@ -290,8 +290,14 @@ void GLGSRender::flip(const rsx::display_flip_info_t& info)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (g_cfg.video.overlay)
+	if (g_cfg.video.overlay && gl::get_driver_caps().ARB_shader_draw_parameters_supported)
 	{
+		if (!m_text_printer.is_enabled())
+		{
+			m_text_printer.init();
+			m_text_printer.set_enabled(true);
+		}
+
 		// Disable depth test
 		gl_state.depth_func(GL_ALWAYS);
 
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/GL/GLTextOut.h b/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/GL/GLTextOut.h
index d98cbe3e2e..362a582370 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/GL/GLTextOut.h
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/GL/GLTextOut.h
@@ -118,6 +118,11 @@ namespace gl
 			enabled = state;
 		}
 
+		bool is_enabled()
+		{
+			return enabled;
+		}
+
 		void print_text(int x, int y, int target_w, int target_h, const std::string &text, color4f color = { 0.3f, 1.f, 0.3f, 1.f })
 		{
 			if (!enabled) return;
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/RSXThread.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/RSXThread.cpp
index 35b0d0c60f..9cf8161011 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/RSXThread.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/RSXThread.cpp
@@ -478,7 +478,6 @@ namespace rsx
 		on_init_thread();
 
 		method_registers.init();
-		m_profiler.enabled = !!g_cfg.video.overlay;
 
 		if (!zcull_ctrl)
 		{
@@ -2843,6 +2842,7 @@ namespace rsx
 
 		// Reset current stats
 		m_frame_stats = {};
+		m_profiler.enabled = !!g_cfg.video.overlay;
 	}
 
 	void thread::request_emu_flip(u32 buffer)
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/VK/VKGSRender.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/VK/VKGSRender.cpp
index f4b7a44a35..286efb324a 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/VK/VKGSRender.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/VK/VKGSRender.cpp
@@ -477,13 +477,6 @@ VKGSRender::VKGSRender() : GSRender()
 	vk::initialize_compiler_context();
 	vk::initialize_pipe_compiler(g_cfg.video.shader_compiler_threads_count);
 
-	if (g_cfg.video.overlay)
-	{
-		auto key = vk::get_renderpass_key(m_swapchain->get_surface_format());
-		m_text_writer = std::make_unique<vk::text_writer>();
-		m_text_writer->init(*m_device, vk::get_renderpass(*m_device, key));
-	}
-
 	m_prog_buffer = std::make_unique<vk::program_cache>
 	(
 		[this](const vk::pipeline_props& props, const RSXVertexProgram& vp, const RSXFragmentProgram& fp)
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/VK/VKPresent.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/VK/VKPresent.cpp
index a6dbc4f494..c9bc1d64d7 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/VK/VKPresent.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/VK/VKPresent.cpp
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ void VKGSRender::frame_context_cleanup(vk::frame_context_t *ctx, bool free_resou
 
 	if (free_resources)
 	{
-		if (g_cfg.video.overlay)
+		if (m_text_writer)
 		{
 			m_text_writer->reset_descriptors();
 		}
@@ -730,6 +730,13 @@ void VKGSRender::flip(const rsx::display_flip_info_t& info)
 
 		if (g_cfg.video.overlay)
 		{
+			if (!m_text_writer)
+			{
+				auto key = vk::get_renderpass_key(m_swapchain->get_surface_format());
+				m_text_writer = std::make_unique<vk::text_writer>();
+				m_text_writer->init(*m_device, vk::get_renderpass(*m_device, key));
+			}
+
 			m_text_writer->print_text(*m_current_command_buffer, *direct_fbo, 0,   0, direct_fbo->width(), direct_fbo->height(), fmt::format("RSX Load:                 %3d%%", get_load()));
 			m_text_writer->print_text(*m_current_command_buffer, *direct_fbo, 0,  18, direct_fbo->width(), direct_fbo->height(), fmt::format("draw calls: %17d", info.stats.draw_calls));
 			m_text_writer->print_text(*m_current_command_buffer, *direct_fbo, 0,  36, direct_fbo->width(), direct_fbo->height(), fmt::format("draw call setup: %12dus", info.stats.setup_time));
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/system_config.h b/rpcs3/Emu/system_config.h
index ebaa48d60b..a95e2a6d33 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/system_config.h
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/system_config.h
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ struct cfg_root : cfg::node
 		cfg::_bool log_programs{ this, "Log shader programs" };
 		cfg::_bool vsync{ this, "VSync" };
 		cfg::_bool debug_output{ this, "Debug output" };
-		cfg::_bool overlay{ this, "Debug overlay" };
+		cfg::_bool overlay{ this, "Debug overlay", false, true };
 		cfg::_bool gl_legacy_buffers{ this, "Use Legacy OpenGL Buffers" };
 		cfg::_bool use_gpu_texture_scaling{ this, "Use GPU texture scaling", false };
 		cfg::_bool stretch_to_display_area{ this, "Stretch To Display Area", false, true };