diff --git a/include/QF/Vulkan/qf_particles.h b/include/QF/Vulkan/qf_particles.h
index 4e2c7f0b6..26feb51fb 100644
--- a/include/QF/Vulkan/qf_particles.h
+++ b/include/QF/Vulkan/qf_particles.h
@@ -21,6 +21,14 @@ typedef struct qfv_parameters_s {
 	vec4f_t     ramp;
 } qfv_parameters_t;
 
+// Doubles as VkDrawIndirectCommand
+typedef struct qfv_particle_system_s {
+	uint32_t    vertexCount;	// always 1
+	uint32_t    particleCount;
+	uint32_t    firstVertex;	// always 0
+	uint32_t    firstInstance;	// always 0
+} qfv_particle_system_t;
+
 typedef enum {
 	QFV_particleTranslucent,
 
@@ -50,6 +58,9 @@ typedef struct particlectx_s {
 	VkPipeline  update;
 	VkPipeline  draw;
 
+	VkDeviceMemory memory;
+	struct qfv_stagebuf_s *stage;
+
 	VkDescriptorPool pool;
 	VkDescriptorSetLayout setLayout;
 	VkPipelineLayout physics_layout;
diff --git a/libs/video/renderer/vulkan/deferred.plist b/libs/video/renderer/vulkan/deferred.plist
index 087710d8c..1eade9e2e 100644
--- a/libs/video/renderer/vulkan/deferred.plist
+++ b/libs/video/renderer/vulkan/deferred.plist
@@ -432,6 +432,14 @@
 				dstAccessMask = input_attachment_read|depth_stencil_attachment_read;
 				dependencyFlags = by_region;
 			},
+			{
+				srcSubpass = ~0u;	// external
+				dstSubpass = 1; // translucent
+				srcStageMask = compute_shader;
+				dstStageMask = vertex_input|draw_indirect;
+				srcAccessMask = shader_write;
+				dstAccessMask = vertex_attribute_read|indirect_command_read;
+			},
 			{
 				srcSubpass = 0;	// depth
 				dstSubpass = 2; // g-buffer
diff --git a/libs/video/renderer/vulkan/vulkan_particles.c b/libs/video/renderer/vulkan/vulkan_particles.c
index 14a98df44..461c01c91 100644
--- a/libs/video/renderer/vulkan/vulkan_particles.c
+++ b/libs/video/renderer/vulkan/vulkan_particles.c
@@ -44,14 +44,20 @@
 
 #include "QF/plugin/vid_render.h"
 
+#include "QF/Vulkan/qf_vid.h" //FIXME header issues
+#include "QF/Vulkan/buffer.h"
 #include "QF/Vulkan/debug.h"
 #include "QF/Vulkan/device.h"
 #include "QF/Vulkan/instance.h"
+#include "QF/Vulkan/staging.h"
 #include "QF/Vulkan/qf_particles.h"
 
 #include "r_internal.h"
 #include "vid_vulkan.h"
 
+//FIXME make dynamic
+#define MaxParticles 2048
+
 static const char * __attribute__((used)) particle_pass_names[] = {
 	"draw",
 };
@@ -61,6 +67,57 @@ Vulkan_DrawParticles (vulkan_ctx_t *ctx)
 {
 }
 
+static void
+create_buffers (vulkan_ctx_t *ctx)
+{
+	qfv_device_t *device = ctx->device;
+	qfv_devfuncs_t *dfunc = device->funcs;
+	particlectx_t *pctx = ctx->particle_context;
+	size_t      size = 0;
+	size_t      mp = MaxParticles;
+
+	VkMemoryRequirements stReq, parmReq, sysReq;
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < pctx->frames.size; i++) {
+		__auto_type pframe = &pctx->frames.a[i];
+		pframe->state
+			= QFV_CreateBuffer (device, sizeof (qfv_particle_t) * mp,
+								VK_BUFFER_USAGE_STORAGE_BUFFER_BIT
+								| VK_BUFFER_USAGE_VERTEX_BUFFER_BIT);
+		pframe->params
+			= QFV_CreateBuffer (device, sizeof (qfv_particle_t) * mp,
+								VK_BUFFER_USAGE_STORAGE_BUFFER_BIT);
+		pframe->system
+			= QFV_CreateBuffer (device, sizeof (qfv_particle_t) * mp,
+								VK_BUFFER_USAGE_STORAGE_BUFFER_BIT
+								| VK_BUFFER_USAGE_INDIRECT_BUFFER_BIT);
+		dfunc->vkGetBufferMemoryRequirements (device->dev, pframe->state,
+											  &stReq);
+		dfunc->vkGetBufferMemoryRequirements (device->dev, pframe->params,
+											  &parmReq);
+		dfunc->vkGetBufferMemoryRequirements (device->dev, pframe->system,
+											  &sysReq);
+		size = QFV_NextOffset (size + stReq.size, &stReq);
+		size = QFV_NextOffset (size + parmReq.size, &parmReq);
+		size = QFV_NextOffset (size + sysReq.size, &sysReq);
+	}
+	size_t      stageSize = (size / pctx->frames.size)*(pctx->frames.size + 1);
+	pctx->stage = QFV_CreateStagingBuffer (device, "particles", stageSize,
+										   ctx->cmdpool);
+	pctx->memory = QFV_AllocBufferMemory (device, pctx->frames.a[0].state,
+										  VK_MEMORY_PROPERTY_DEVICE_LOCAL_BIT,
+										  size, 0);
+	size_t      offset = 0;
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < pctx->frames.size; i++) {
+		__auto_type pframe = &pctx->frames.a[i];
+		QFV_BindBufferMemory (device, pframe->state, pctx->memory, offset);
+		offset = QFV_NextOffset (offset + stReq.size, &parmReq);
+		QFV_BindBufferMemory (device, pframe->params, pctx->memory, offset);
+		offset = QFV_NextOffset (offset + parmReq.size, &sysReq);
+		QFV_BindBufferMemory (device, pframe->system, pctx->memory, offset);
+		offset = QFV_NextOffset (offset + sysReq.size, &stReq);
+	}
+}
+
 void
 Vulkan_Particles_Init (vulkan_ctx_t *ctx)
 {
@@ -83,7 +140,7 @@ Vulkan_Particles_Init (vulkan_ctx_t *ctx)
 														"partphysics_layout");
 	pctx->update_layout = Vulkan_CreatePipelineLayout (ctx,
 													   "partupdate_layout");
-	pctx->draw_layout = Vulkan_CreatePipelineLayout (ctx, "draw_layout");
+	pctx->draw_layout = Vulkan_CreatePipelineLayout (ctx, "partdraw_layout");
 
 	pctx->pool = Vulkan_CreateDescriptorPool (ctx, "particle_pool");
 	pctx->setLayout = Vulkan_CreateDescriptorSetLayout (ctx, "particle_set");
@@ -104,6 +161,7 @@ Vulkan_Particles_Init (vulkan_ctx_t *ctx)
 									 particle_pass_names[j]));
 		}
 	}
+	create_buffers (ctx);
 	qfvPopDebug (ctx);
 }
 
@@ -117,7 +175,12 @@ Vulkan_Particles_Shutdown (vulkan_ctx_t *ctx)
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < pctx->frames.size; i++) {
 		__auto_type pframe = &pctx->frames.a[i];
 		free (pframe->cmdSet.a);
+		dfunc->vkDestroyBuffer (device->dev, pframe->state, 0);
+		dfunc->vkDestroyBuffer (device->dev, pframe->params, 0);
+		dfunc->vkDestroyBuffer (device->dev, pframe->system, 0);
 	}
+	dfunc->vkFreeMemory (device->dev, pctx->memory, 0);
+	QFV_DestroyStagingBuffer (pctx->stage);
 
 	dfunc->vkDestroyPipeline (device->dev, pctx->physics, 0);
 	dfunc->vkDestroyPipeline (device->dev, pctx->update, 0);