diff --git a/src/plugin/utility/filesystem_browser/FileSystemBrowser/xstudio/FileSystemBrowser.qml b/src/plugin/utility/filesystem_browser/FileSystemBrowser/xstudio/FileSystemBrowser.qml
index 3dfeb190d..226fc5112 100644
--- a/src/plugin/utility/filesystem_browser/FileSystemBrowser/xstudio/FileSystemBrowser.qml
+++ b/src/plugin/utility/filesystem_browser/FileSystemBrowser/xstudio/FileSystemBrowser.qml
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ Item {
 
     property var previewing: previewMediaUuid != helpers.QVariantFromUuidString("") ? previewMediaUuid == currentPlayhead.mediaUuid : false
 
-    # uri requires triple slash before drive letter on Windows, since this is the root.
+    // uri requires triple slash before drive letter on Windows, since this is the root.
     property var thumbSrcRoot: Qt.platform.os === "windows" ? "image://thumbnail/file:///" : "image://thumbnail/file://"
 
     FileSystemBrowserScanResultsModel {
diff --git a/src/ui/opengl/src/opengl_viewport_renderer.cpp b/src/ui/opengl/src/opengl_viewport_renderer.cpp
index 5d6431a14..53af90059 100644
--- a/src/ui/opengl/src/opengl_viewport_renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/ui/opengl/src/opengl_viewport_renderer.cpp
@@ -479,6 +479,12 @@ void OpenGLViewportRenderer::draw_image(
     const Imath::M44f &viewport_to_image_space,
     const float viewport_du_dx) {
 
+    // active_shader_program_ can be null if even the fallback "no image" shader
+    // failed to compile/link (e.g. a driver issue) - bind_textures() already
+    // treats this as nothing-to-draw, so match that here rather than
+    // dereferencing a null program.
+    if (!active_shader_program_)
+        return;
 
     active_shader_program_->use();
 
diff --git a/src/ui/opengl/src/shader_program_base.cpp b/src/ui/opengl/src/shader_program_base.cpp
index 0ebfb7676..dd18256a3 100644
--- a/src/ui/opengl/src/shader_program_base.cpp
+++ b/src/ui/opengl/src/shader_program_base.cpp
@@ -573,9 +573,15 @@ GLuint compile_frag_shader(const std::string fragmentSource) {
         GLint maxLength = 0;
         glGetShaderiv(fragmentShader, GL_INFO_LOG_LENGTH, &maxLength);
 
-        // The maxLength includes the NULL character
-        std::vector<GLchar> infoLog(maxLength);
-        glGetShaderInfoLog(fragmentShader, maxLength, &maxLength, &infoLog[0]);
+        // The maxLength includes the NULL character. Some drivers report a
+        // compile failure but leave the info log empty, so guard against
+        // that instead of dereferencing an empty vector's data().
+        std::string info_log_str = "(no info log provided by driver)";
+        if (maxLength > 0) {
+            std::vector<GLchar> infoLog(maxLength);
+            glGetShaderInfoLog(fragmentShader, maxLength, &maxLength, infoLog.data());
+            info_log_str.assign(infoLog.data());
+        }
 
         // We don't need the shader anymore.
         glDeleteShader(fragmentShader);
@@ -592,7 +598,7 @@ GLuint compile_frag_shader(const std::string fragmentSource) {
         // Use the infoLog as you see fit.
         std::stringstream e;
         e << "Fragment shader error:\n\n"
-          << infoLog.data() << "\n\nin program: \n\n"
+          << info_log_str << "\n\nin program: \n\n"
           << source_with_linenumbers;
         throw std::runtime_error(e.str().c_str());
     }
@@ -618,9 +624,15 @@ GLuint compile_vertex_shader(const std::string vertexSource) {
         GLint maxLength = 0;
         glGetShaderiv(vertexShader, GL_INFO_LOG_LENGTH, &maxLength);
 
-        // The maxLength includes the NULL character
-        std::vector<GLchar> infoLog(maxLength);
-        glGetShaderInfoLog(vertexShader, maxLength, &maxLength, &infoLog[0]);
+        // The maxLength includes the NULL character. Some drivers report a
+        // compile failure but leave the info log empty, so guard against
+        // that instead of dereferencing an empty vector's data().
+        std::string info_log_str = "(no info log provided by driver)";
+        if (maxLength > 0) {
+            std::vector<GLchar> infoLog(maxLength);
+            glGetShaderInfoLog(vertexShader, maxLength, &maxLength, infoLog.data());
+            info_log_str.assign(infoLog.data());
+        }
 
         // We don't need the shader anymore.
         glDeleteShader(vertexShader);
@@ -628,7 +640,7 @@ GLuint compile_vertex_shader(const std::string vertexSource) {
         // Use the infoLog as you see fit.
         std::stringstream e;
         e << "Vertex shader error:\n\n"
-          << infoLog.data() << "\n\nin program: \n\n"
+          << info_log_str << "\n\nin program: \n\n"
           << vertexSource;
         throw std::runtime_error(e.str().c_str());
 
@@ -832,9 +844,15 @@ void GLShaderProgram::compile(const bool force_combine_frag_shaders) {
         GLint maxLength = 0;
         glGetProgramiv(program_, GL_INFO_LOG_LENGTH, &maxLength);
 
-        // The maxLength includes the NULL character
-        std::vector<GLchar> infoLog(maxLength);
-        glGetProgramInfoLog(program_, maxLength, &maxLength, &infoLog[0]);
+        // The maxLength includes the NULL character. Some drivers report a
+        // link failure but leave the info log empty, so guard against that
+        // instead of dereferencing an empty vector's data().
+        std::string info_log_str = "(no info log provided by driver)";
+        if (maxLength > 0) {
+            std::vector<GLchar> infoLog(maxLength);
+            glGetProgramInfoLog(program_, maxLength, &maxLength, infoLog.data());
+            info_log_str.assign(infoLog.data());
+        }
 
         // Detach shaders after failed link .... (not clear if this is correct,
         // but no errors have been observed)
@@ -861,7 +879,7 @@ void GLShaderProgram::compile(const bool force_combine_frag_shaders) {
 
         // Use the infoLog as you see fit.
         std::stringstream e;
-        e << "Shader link error:\n\n" << infoLog.data();
+        e << "Shader link error:\n\n" << info_log_str;
 
         std::for_each(
             fragment_shaders_.begin(),