diff --git a/src/hardware/hw_batching.c b/src/hardware/hw_batching.c
index 1819b8c17..fd49afa68 100644
--- a/src/hardware/hw_batching.c
+++ b/src/hardware/hw_batching.c
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #ifdef HWRENDER
 #include "hw_glob.h"
 #include "hw_batching.h"
+#include "hw_main.h"
 #include "../i_system.h"
 #include "../qs22j.h"
 
@@ -387,14 +388,14 @@ static unsigned int HWR_MarkStateChanges(DrawCallInfo *current, DrawCallInfo *ne
 
 	// check if a state change is required and flag it to stateChanges
 
-	if (current->shader != next->shader && cv_glshaders.value && gl_shadersavailable)
+	if (current->shader != next->shader && HWR_UseShader())
 		stateChanges |= SHADER_CHANGED;
 	if (HWR_GetDrawCallTexture(current) != HWR_GetDrawCallTexture(next)
 		|| HWR_GetDrawCallBrightmap(current) != HWR_GetDrawCallBrightmap(next))
 		stateChanges |= TEXTURE_CHANGED;
 	if (current->polyFlags != next->polyFlags)
 		stateChanges |= POLYFLAGS_CHANGED;
-	if (cv_glshaders.value && gl_shadersavailable)
+	if (HWR_UseShader())
 	{
 		if (currentSI->PolyColor.rgba != nextSI->PolyColor.rgba ||
 			currentSI->TintColor.rgba != nextSI->TintColor.rgba ||
@@ -418,7 +419,7 @@ static unsigned int HWR_MarkStateChanges(DrawCallInfo *current, DrawCallInfo *ne
 
 static void HWR_ExecuteStateChanges(unsigned int stateChanges, DrawCallInfo *dc)
 {
-	if ((stateChanges & SHADER_CHANGED) && cv_glshaders.value && gl_shadersavailable)
+	if ((stateChanges & SHADER_CHANGED) && HWR_UseShader())
 	{
 		GL_SetShader(dc->shader);
 		ps_hw_numshaders++;
@@ -477,7 +478,7 @@ void HWR_RenderBatches(void)
 
 	// sort the draw calls
 	ps_hw_batchsorttime = I_GetPreciseTime();
-	if (cv_glshaders.value && gl_shadersavailable)
+	if (HWR_UseShader())
 		qs22j(drawCallOrder, cst->drawCallsSize, sizeof(UINT32), compareDrawCalls);
 	else
 		qs22j(drawCallOrder, cst->drawCallsSize, sizeof(UINT32), compareDrawCallsNoShaders);
diff --git a/src/hardware/hw_main.c b/src/hardware/hw_main.c
index 5583029e4..b49df1e2c 100644
--- a/src/hardware/hw_main.c
+++ b/src/hardware/hw_main.c
@@ -122,6 +122,10 @@ static angle_t gl_aimingangle;
 // Returns true if shaders can be used.
 boolean HWR_UseShader(void)
 {
+#ifdef HAVE_VR
+	if (vr_started)
+		return gl_shadersavailable;
+#endif
 	return (cv_glshaders.value && gl_shadersavailable);
 }
 
@@ -775,7 +779,7 @@ void HWR_RenderPlayerView(void)
 	ClearColor.blue = 0.0f;
 	ClearColor.alpha = 1.0f;
 
-	if (cv_glshaders.value)
+	if (HWR_UseShader())
 	{
 		GL_SetShaderInfo(HWD_SHADERINFO_LEVELTIME, (INT32)leveltime); // The water surface shader needs the leveltime.
 
diff --git a/src/p_user.c b/src/p_user.c
index d7ef85571..818cfe8eb 100644
--- a/src/p_user.c
+++ b/src/p_user.c
@@ -3129,6 +3129,21 @@ boolean P_MoveChaseCamera(player_t *player, camera_t *thiscam, boolean resetcall
 	camrotate = cv_cam_rotate[num].value;
 	camdist = FixedMul(cv_cam_dist[num].value, mapobjectscale);
 	camheight = FixedMul(cv_cam_height[num].value, mapobjectscale);
+#ifdef HAVE_VR
+	if (vr_started)
+	{
+		const fixed_t vr_camdist = FixedMul(160*FRACUNIT, mapobjectscale);
+		const fixed_t vr_camheight = FixedMul(50*FRACUNIT, mapobjectscale);
+
+		// Match kart-public-vr's chase camera defaults in VR. Blankart's
+		// normal camera is higher and farther back, which makes the headset
+		// view start too high and pitched down.
+		if (camdist > vr_camdist)
+			camdist = vr_camdist;
+		if (camheight > vr_camheight)
+			camheight = vr_camheight;
+	}
+#endif
 
 	if (leveltime > introtime)
 	{
diff --git a/src/vr/vr_main.c b/src/vr/vr_main.c
index d3e8b87ca..9e9ae3d77 100644
--- a/src/vr/vr_main.c
+++ b/src/vr/vr_main.c
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@
 #include "../i_video.h"
 #include "../r_fps.h"
 #include "../v_video.h"
+#ifdef HWRENDER
+#include "../hardware/hw_glob.h"
+#include "../hardware/hw_main.h"
+#endif
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <SDL3/SDL.h>
 #include "../sdl/sdlmain.h"
@@ -519,6 +523,12 @@ boolean VR_Init(void)
 
     vr_started = true;
     vr_enabled = true;
+#ifdef HWRENDER
+    if (gl_shadersavailable) {
+        CONS_Printf("VR: Recompiling hardware shaders with OpenXR view uniforms.\n");
+        HWR_CompileShaders();
+    }
+#endif
     CV_StealthSet(&cv_vidwait, "Off");
     CV_StealthSetValue(&cv_fpscap, -1);
     CV_StealthSet(&cv_ticrate, "Compact");
@@ -550,6 +560,10 @@ void VR_Shutdown(void)
     vr_started = false;
     vr_enabled = false;
     vr_drawing_ui = false;
+#ifdef HWRENDER
+    if (gl_shadersavailable)
+        HWR_CompileShaders();
+#endif
     displayRefreshRateExtensionEnabled = false;
     pfnEnumerateDisplayRefreshRatesFB = NULL;
     pfnGetDisplayRefreshRateFB = NULL;