diff --git a/taichi/backends/vulkan/embedded_device.cpp b/taichi/backends/vulkan/embedded_device.cpp
index 7ad4bf296f463..7bcaa13e41460 100644
--- a/taichi/backends/vulkan/embedded_device.cpp
+++ b/taichi/backends/vulkan/embedded_device.cpp
@@ -426,7 +426,8 @@ void EmbeddedVulkanDevice::create_logical_device() {
     } else if (name == VK_KHR_SPIRV_1_4_EXTENSION_NAME) {
       ti_device_->set_cap(DeviceCapability::spirv_version, 0x10400);
       enabled_extensions.push_back(ext.extensionName);
-    } else if (name == VK_KHR_EXTERNAL_MEMORY_CAPABILITIES_EXTENSION_NAME) {
+    } else if (name == VK_KHR_EXTERNAL_MEMORY_CAPABILITIES_EXTENSION_NAME ||
+               name == VK_KHR_EXTERNAL_MEMORY_EXTENSION_NAME) {
       ti_device_->set_cap(DeviceCapability::vk_has_external_memory, true);
       enabled_extensions.push_back(ext.extensionName);
     } else if (name == VK_KHR_VARIABLE_POINTERS_EXTENSION_NAME) {
diff --git a/taichi/ui/backends/vulkan/app_context.cpp b/taichi/ui/backends/vulkan/app_context.cpp
index cadd844171745..2de0388060e32 100644
--- a/taichi/ui/backends/vulkan/app_context.cpp
+++ b/taichi/ui/backends/vulkan/app_context.cpp
@@ -97,6 +97,14 @@ void AppContext::cleanup() {
   }
 }
 
+bool AppContext::requires_export_sharing() const {
+  // only the cuda backends needs export_sharing to interop with vk
+  // with other backends (e.g. vulkan backend on mac), turning export_sharing to
+  // true leads to crashes
+  // TODO: investigate this, and think of a more universal solution.
+  return config.ti_arch == Arch::cuda;
+}
+
 GLFWwindow *AppContext::glfw_window() const {
   return glfw_window_;
 }
diff --git a/taichi/ui/backends/vulkan/app_context.h b/taichi/ui/backends/vulkan/app_context.h
index 2736f91c8f19b..aa5f3eed59bc9 100644
--- a/taichi/ui/backends/vulkan/app_context.h
+++ b/taichi/ui/backends/vulkan/app_context.h
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ class AppContext {
 
   taichi::lang::vulkan::VulkanDevice &device();
   const taichi::lang::vulkan::VulkanDevice &device() const;
+  bool requires_export_sharing() const;
 
   AppConfig config;
 
diff --git a/taichi/ui/backends/vulkan/renderable.cpp b/taichi/ui/backends/vulkan/renderable.cpp
index 68e8758b370ee..2876dd26c841c 100644
--- a/taichi/ui/backends/vulkan/renderable.cpp
+++ b/taichi/ui/backends/vulkan/renderable.cpp
@@ -144,7 +144,8 @@ void Renderable::create_graphics_pipeline() {
 void Renderable::create_vertex_buffer() {
   size_t buffer_size = sizeof(Vertex) * config_.max_vertices_count;
 
-  Device::AllocParams vb_params{buffer_size, false, false, true,
+  Device::AllocParams vb_params{buffer_size, false, false,
+                                app_context_->requires_export_sharing(),
                                 AllocUsage::Vertex};
   vertex_buffer_ = app_context_->device().allocate_memory(vb_params);
 
@@ -157,7 +158,8 @@ void Renderable::create_vertex_buffer() {
 void Renderable::create_index_buffer() {
   size_t buffer_size = sizeof(int) * config_.max_indices_count;
 
-  Device::AllocParams ib_params{buffer_size, false, false, true,
+  Device::AllocParams ib_params{buffer_size, false, false,
+                                app_context_->requires_export_sharing(),
                                 AllocUsage::Index};
   index_buffer_ = app_context_->device().allocate_memory(ib_params);
 
diff --git a/taichi/ui/backends/vulkan/renderables/set_image.cpp b/taichi/ui/backends/vulkan/renderables/set_image.cpp
index e97fccfcd9df5..501a94a46275e 100644
--- a/taichi/ui/backends/vulkan/renderables/set_image.cpp
+++ b/taichi/ui/backends/vulkan/renderables/set_image.cpp
@@ -128,8 +128,9 @@ void SetImage::create_texture() {
   cpu_staging_buffer_ =
       app_context_->device().allocate_memory(cpu_staging_buffer_params);
 
-  Device::AllocParams gpu_staging_buffer_params{image_size, false, false, true,
-                                                AllocUsage::Uniform};
+  Device::AllocParams gpu_staging_buffer_params{
+      image_size, false, false, app_context_->requires_export_sharing(),
+      AllocUsage::Uniform};
   gpu_staging_buffer_ =
       app_context_->device().allocate_memory(gpu_staging_buffer_params);
 }