diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 5363f9b9b8..190ccff508 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -24,17 +24,13 @@ include(CTest)
 include(CPMUtil)
 
 if (CXX_GCC AND CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_VERSION VERSION_LESS "14.0")
-    message(FATAL_ERROR "You must use gcc14 (or newer) feel free to fix clang yourself otherwise.")
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "GCC versions older than 14.0 are not supported. Update your system, or use clang/clang++ instead.")
 endif()
 
 if (OPENBSD)
     # OpenBSD 7.8 broke libcxx when upgrading, so we must define the PSTL backend manually
     set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -D_LIBCPP_PSTL_BACKEND_SERIAL=1")
     set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -D_LIBCPP_PSTL_BACKEND_SERIAL=1")
-elseif (NETBSD)
-    if (NOT CXX_GCC OR CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_VERSION VERSION_LESS "14.0")
-        message(FATAL_ERROR "You must use gcc14 (or newer) from pkgin; feel free to fix clang yourself otherwise.")
-    endif()
 endif()
 
 # NetBSD: Fun for the whole family!
diff --git a/externals/CMakeLists.txt b/externals/CMakeLists.txt
index f190f68b9d..c54bbe5168 100644
--- a/externals/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/externals/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -411,3 +411,16 @@ if (APPLE)
         set(MOLTENVK_LIBRARY "${moltenvk_SOURCE_DIR}/MoltenVK/dylib/macOS/libMoltenVK.dylib" CACHE STRING "" FORCE)
     endif()
 endif()
+
+# We are NOT adding this to cpmfile.json
+# In BSD world, it is often the case that X11
+# will be under /usr/X11R{5,6,7}/include/...
+# ...
+# FreeBSD was able to see with hindsight this was a bad idea.
+# OpenBSD, OmniOS and NetBSD by default, aren't illuminated yet by this notion.
+#
+# Reliance on X11 Headers being available without explicitly
+# linking or mentioning X11 is something to note.
+if (NOT (WIN32 OR APPLE OR ANDROID OR HAIKU OR PS4))
+    find_package(X11 REQUIRED)
+endif()
diff --git a/src/qt_common/CMakeLists.txt b/src/qt_common/CMakeLists.txt
index b83fd427b4..3db3ece497 100644
--- a/src/qt_common/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/qt_common/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -63,13 +63,9 @@ if (USE_DISCORD_PRESENCE)
 endif()
 
 # Qt itself may use Vulkan stuffs so we'd need to account for that as well
-# must match src/video_core/vulkan_common/vulkan.h logic
-if (WIN32 OR APPLE OR ANDROID OR PLATFORM_HAIKU OR PLATFORM_PS4)
-    # ...
-else()
-    find_package(X11 REQUIRED)
-    target_include_directories(video_core PUBLIC ${X11_INCLUDE_DIR})
-    target_link_libraries(video_core PUBLIC ${X11_LIBRARIES})
+if (X11_FOUND)
+    target_include_directories(qt_common PUBLIC ${X11_INCLUDE_DIR})
+    target_link_libraries(qt_common PUBLIC ${X11_LIBRARIES})
 endif()
 
 # TODO(crueter)
diff --git a/src/video_core/CMakeLists.txt b/src/video_core/CMakeLists.txt
index 2b193718ad..b2023fff27 100644
--- a/src/video_core/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/video_core/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -358,11 +358,7 @@ if (ENABLE_OPENGL)
     )
 endif()
 
-# Must match src/video_core/vulkan_common/vulkan.h X11 logic
-if (WIN32 OR APPLE OR ANDROID OR PLATFORM_HAIKU OR PLATFORM_PS4)
-    # ...
-else()
-    find_package(X11 REQUIRED)
+if (X11_FOUND)
     target_include_directories(video_core PUBLIC ${X11_INCLUDE_DIR})
     target_link_libraries(video_core PUBLIC ${X11_LIBRARIES})
 endif()
diff --git a/src/video_core/vulkan_common/vulkan_instance.cpp b/src/video_core/vulkan_common/vulkan_instance.cpp
index 7f3d8ed41f..b59897546e 100644
--- a/src/video_core/vulkan_common/vulkan_instance.cpp
+++ b/src/video_core/vulkan_common/vulkan_instance.cpp
@@ -43,26 +43,32 @@ namespace {
     switch (window_type) {
     case Core::Frontend::WindowSystemType::Headless:
         break;
-#ifdef _WIN32
+#if defined(VK_USE_PLATFORM_WIN32_KHR)
     case Core::Frontend::WindowSystemType::Windows:
         extensions.push_back(VK_KHR_WIN32_SURFACE_EXTENSION_NAME);
         break;
-#elif defined(__APPLE__)
+#endif
+#if defined(VK_USE_PLATFORM_METAL_EXT)
     case Core::Frontend::WindowSystemType::Cocoa:
         extensions.push_back(VK_EXT_METAL_SURFACE_EXTENSION_NAME);
         break;
-#elif defined(__ANDROID__)
+#endif
+#if defined(VK_USE_PLATFORM_ANDROID_KHR)
     case Core::Frontend::WindowSystemType::Android:
         extensions.push_back(VK_KHR_ANDROID_SURFACE_EXTENSION_NAME);
         break;
-#elif defined(__HAIKU__)
+#endif
+#if defined(VK_USE_PLATFORM_XCB_KHR)
     case Core::Frontend::WindowSystemType::Xcb:
         extensions.push_back(VK_KHR_XCB_SURFACE_EXTENSION_NAME);
         break;
-#else
+#endif
+#if defined(VK_USE_PLATFORM_XLIB_KHR)
     case Core::Frontend::WindowSystemType::X11:
         extensions.push_back(VK_KHR_XLIB_SURFACE_EXTENSION_NAME);
         break;
+#endif
+#if defined(VK_USE_PLATFORM_WAYLAND_KHR)
     case Core::Frontend::WindowSystemType::Wayland:
         extensions.push_back(VK_KHR_WAYLAND_SURFACE_EXTENSION_NAME);
         break;
diff --git a/src/video_core/vulkan_common/vulkan_surface.cpp b/src/video_core/vulkan_common/vulkan_surface.cpp
index 8b9dcb4d42..6f18bcbb76 100644
--- a/src/video_core/vulkan_common/vulkan_surface.cpp
+++ b/src/video_core/vulkan_common/vulkan_surface.cpp
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include "core/frontend/emu_window.h"
 #include "video_core/vulkan_common/vulkan_surface.h"
 #include "video_core/vulkan_common/vulkan_wrapper.h"
+#include "video_core/vulkan_common/vulkan.h"
 
 namespace Vulkan {
 
@@ -17,7 +18,7 @@ vk::SurfaceKHR CreateSurface(
     [[maybe_unused]] const vk::InstanceDispatch& dld = instance.Dispatch();
     VkSurfaceKHR unsafe_surface = VkSurfaceKHR{};
 
-#ifdef _WIN32
+#if defined(VK_USE_PLATFORM_WIN32_KHR)
     if (window_info.type == Core::Frontend::WindowSystemType::Windows) {
         const HWND hWnd = static_cast<HWND>(window_info.render_surface);
         const VkWin32SurfaceCreateInfoKHR win32_ci{VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_WIN32_SURFACE_CREATE_INFO_KHR,
@@ -30,7 +31,8 @@ vk::SurfaceKHR CreateSurface(
             throw vk::Exception(VK_ERROR_INITIALIZATION_FAILED);
         }
     }
-#elif defined(__APPLE__)
+#endif
+#if defined(VK_USE_PLATFORM_METAL_EXT)
     if (window_info.type == Core::Frontend::WindowSystemType::Cocoa) {
         const VkMetalSurfaceCreateInfoEXT metal_ci = {
             .sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_METAL_SURFACE_CREATE_INFO_EXT,
@@ -45,7 +47,8 @@ vk::SurfaceKHR CreateSurface(
             throw vk::Exception(VK_ERROR_INITIALIZATION_FAILED);
         }
     }
-#elif defined(__ANDROID__)
+#endif
+#if defined(VK_USE_PLATFORM_ANDROID_KHR)
     if (window_info.type == Core::Frontend::WindowSystemType::Android) {
         const VkAndroidSurfaceCreateInfoKHR android_ci{
             VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_ANDROID_SURFACE_CREATE_INFO_KHR, nullptr, 0,
@@ -59,7 +62,8 @@ vk::SurfaceKHR CreateSurface(
             throw vk::Exception(VK_ERROR_INITIALIZATION_FAILED);
         }
     }
-#elif defined(__HAIKU__)
+#endif
+#if defined(VK_USE_PLATFORM_XCB_KHR)
     if (window_info.type == Core::Frontend::WindowSystemType::Xcb) {
         const VkXcbSurfaceCreateInfoKHR xcb_ci{
             .sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_XCB_SURFACE_CREATE_INFO_KHR,
@@ -76,7 +80,8 @@ vk::SurfaceKHR CreateSurface(
             throw vk::Exception(VK_ERROR_INITIALIZATION_FAILED);
         }
     }
-#else
+#endif
+#if defined(VK_USE_PLATFORM_XLIB_KHR)
     if (window_info.type == Core::Frontend::WindowSystemType::X11) {
         const VkXlibSurfaceCreateInfoKHR xlib_ci{
             VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_XLIB_SURFACE_CREATE_INFO_KHR, nullptr, 0,
@@ -90,6 +95,8 @@ vk::SurfaceKHR CreateSurface(
             throw vk::Exception(VK_ERROR_INITIALIZATION_FAILED);
         }
     }
+#endif
+#if defined(VK_USE_PLATFORM_WAYLAND_KHR)
     if (window_info.type == Core::Frontend::WindowSystemType::Wayland) {
         const VkWaylandSurfaceCreateInfoKHR wayland_ci{
             VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_WAYLAND_SURFACE_CREATE_INFO_KHR, nullptr, 0,
@@ -105,7 +112,6 @@ vk::SurfaceKHR CreateSurface(
         }
     }
 #endif
-
     if (!unsafe_surface) {
         LOG_ERROR(Render_Vulkan, "Presentation not supported on this platform");
         throw vk::Exception(VK_ERROR_INITIALIZATION_FAILED);