diff --git a/src/engine/renderer/vk.cpp b/src/engine/renderer/vk.cpp
index b71e020..a99c813 100644
--- a/src/engine/renderer/vk.cpp
+++ b/src/engine/renderer/vk.cpp
@@ -797,7 +797,49 @@ static void deinit_vulkan_library() {
 
 VkPipeline create_pipeline(const Vk_Pipeline_Def&);
 
+// Helper function for acquiring the first available hardware adapter that supports Direct3D 12.
+// If no such adapter can be found, *ppAdapter will be set to nullptr.
+void get_hardware_adapter(IDXGIFactory4* p_factory, IDXGIAdapter1** pp_adapter) {
+	ComPtr<IDXGIAdapter1> adapter;
+	*pp_adapter = nullptr;
+
+	for (UINT adapter_index = 0; DXGI_ERROR_NOT_FOUND != p_factory->EnumAdapters1(adapter_index, &adapter); ++adapter_index) {
+		DXGI_ADAPTER_DESC1 desc;
+		adapter->GetDesc1(&desc);
+
+		if (desc.Flags & DXGI_ADAPTER_FLAG_SOFTWARE) {
+			// Don't select the Basic Render Driver adapter.
+			// If you want a software adapter, pass in "/warp" on the command line.
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		// Check to see if the adapter supports Direct3D 12, but don't create the
+		// actual device yet.
+		if (SUCCEEDED(D3D12CreateDevice(adapter.Get(), D3D_FEATURE_LEVEL_11_0, _uuidof(ID3D12Device), nullptr))) {
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+	*pp_adapter = adapter.Detach();
+}
+
 void vk_initialize() {
+#if defined(_DEBUG)
+	// Enable the D3D12 debug layer
+	{
+		ComPtr<ID3D12Debug> debug_controller;
+		if (SUCCEEDED(D3D12GetDebugInterface(IID_PPV_ARGS(&debug_controller)))) {
+			debug_controller->EnableDebugLayer();
+		}
+	}
+#endif
+
+	ComPtr<IDXGIFactory4> factory;
+    DX_CHECK(CreateDXGIFactory1(IID_PPV_ARGS(&factory)));
+
+	ComPtr<IDXGIAdapter1> hardware_adapter;
+	get_hardware_adapter(factory.Get(), &hardware_adapter);
+	DX_CHECK(D3D12CreateDevice(hardware_adapter.Get(), D3D_FEATURE_LEVEL_11_0, IID_PPV_ARGS(&vk.dx_device)));
+
 	init_vulkan_library();
 
 	VkPhysicalDeviceFeatures features;
diff --git a/src/engine/renderer/vk.h b/src/engine/renderer/vk.h
index ebc2d13..b71017e 100644
--- a/src/engine/renderer/vk.h
+++ b/src/engine/renderer/vk.h
@@ -8,6 +8,13 @@
 #define VK_NO_PROTOTYPES
 #include "vulkan/vulkan.h"
 
+#include "D3d12.h"
+#include "D3d12SDKLayers.h"
+#include "DXGI1_4.h"
+#include "wrl.h"
+
+using Microsoft::WRL::ComPtr;
+
 const int MAX_SWAPCHAIN_IMAGES = 8;
 const int MAX_VK_SAMPLERS = 32;
 const int MAX_VK_PIPELINES = 1024;
@@ -22,6 +29,12 @@ const int MAX_IMAGE_CHUNKS = 16;
 		ri.Error(ERR_FATAL, "Vulkan: error code %d returned by %s", result, #function_call); \
 }
 
+#define DX_CHECK(function_call) { \
+	HRESULT hr = function_call; \
+	if (FAILED(hr)) \
+		ri.Error(ERR_FATAL, "Direct3D: error returned by %s", #function_call); \
+}
+
 enum class Vk_Shader_Type {
 	single_texture,
 	multi_texture_mul,
@@ -107,6 +120,9 @@ void vk_read_pixels(byte* buffer); // screenshots
 // This structure is initialized/deinitialized by vk_initialize/vk_shutdown functions correspondingly.
 struct Vk_Instance {
 	bool active = false;
+
+	ComPtr<ID3D12Device> dx_device;
+
 	VkInstance instance = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
 	VkPhysicalDevice physical_device = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
 	VkSurfaceKHR surface = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
diff --git a/visual-studio/quake3.vcxproj b/visual-studio/quake3.vcxproj
index 1c08b83..7f3d389 100644
--- a/visual-studio/quake3.vcxproj
+++ b/visual-studio/quake3.vcxproj
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@
       <Culture>0x0409</Culture>
     </ResourceCompile>
     <Link>
-      <AdditionalDependencies>winmm.lib;wsock32.lib;%(AdditionalDependencies)</AdditionalDependencies>
+      <AdditionalDependencies>winmm.lib;wsock32.lib;D3d12.lib;DXGI.lib;%(AdditionalDependencies)</AdditionalDependencies>
       <SuppressStartupBanner>true</SuppressStartupBanner>
       <GenerateDebugInformation>true</GenerateDebugInformation>
       <SubSystem>Windows</SubSystem>
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@
       <Culture>0x0409</Culture>
     </ResourceCompile>
     <Link>
-      <AdditionalDependencies>winmm.lib;wsock32.lib;%(AdditionalDependencies)</AdditionalDependencies>
+      <AdditionalDependencies>winmm.lib;wsock32.lib;D3d12.lib;DXGI.lib;%(AdditionalDependencies)</AdditionalDependencies>
       <SuppressStartupBanner>true</SuppressStartupBanner>
       <SubSystem>Windows</SubSystem>
       <StackReserveSize>8388608</StackReserveSize>