diff --git a/include/nanogui/common.h b/include/nanogui/common.h
index 3e5375a314..0741b5aef6 100644
--- a/include/nanogui/common.h
+++ b/include/nanogui/common.h
@@ -797,7 +797,7 @@ class Color;
 namespace sample
 {
   using WindowHandle = void*;
-  WindowHandle NANOGUI_EXPORT create_window(int& w, int& h, const std::string& caption, bool resizable, bool fullscreen, bool header);
+  WindowHandle NANOGUI_EXPORT create_window(int& w, int& h, const std::string& caption, bool resizable, bool fullscreen, bool header = false);
   Vector2i NANOGUI_EXPORT get_window_pos(WindowHandle w);
   Vector2i NANOGUI_EXPORT get_cursor_pos();
   void NANOGUI_EXPORT set_window_topmost(WindowHandle w, bool top, bool always);
diff --git a/include/nanogui/layout.h b/include/nanogui/layout.h
index d8b1ad2137..160f424efb 100644
--- a/include/nanogui/layout.h
+++ b/include/nanogui/layout.h
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include <nanogui/object.h>
 #include <cstdio>
 #include <unordered_map>
+#include <stdexcept>
 
 NAMESPACE_BEGIN(nanogui)
 
diff --git a/include/nanogui/nanovg_vk.h b/include/nanogui/nanovg_vk.h
index b9d92272fc..c286970764 100644
--- a/include/nanogui/nanovg_vk.h
+++ b/include/nanogui/nanovg_vk.h
@@ -691,7 +691,7 @@ static VKNVGPipeline *vknvg_createPipeline(VKNVGcontext *vk, VKNVGCreatePipeline
   VkPipelineViewportStateCreateInfo vp = {VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_PIPELINE_VIEWPORT_STATE_CREATE_INFO};
   vp.viewportCount = 1;
   vp.scissorCount = 1;
-
+#define VK_DYNAMIC_STATE_RANGE_SIZE 2
   VkDynamicState dynamicStateEnables[VK_DYNAMIC_STATE_RANGE_SIZE] = {
       VK_DYNAMIC_STATE_VIEWPORT,
       VK_DYNAMIC_STATE_SCISSOR};
diff --git a/python/main.cpp b/python/main.cpp
index 34f9c06bb7..d6b2af9f92 100644
--- a/python/main.cpp
+++ b/python/main.cpp
@@ -130,7 +130,9 @@ PYBIND11_MODULE(nanogui, m) {
             handle->refresh = refresh;
 
                 handle->thread = std::thread([]{
-                    auto window = nanogui::sample::create_window(1600, 900, "NanoGUI Python", true, false);
+                    int w = 1600;
+                    int h = 900;
+                    auto window = nanogui::sample::create_window(w, h, "NanoGUI Python", true, false);
                     nanogui::sample::create_context();
 
                     Screen screen({ 1600, 900 }, "NanoGUI Python", false);
diff --git a/src/theme.cpp b/src/theme.cpp
index 39fcb1794a..400133d0d6 100644
--- a/src/theme.cpp
+++ b/src/theme.cpp
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include <nanogui/theme.h>
 #include <nanovg.h>
 #include <nanogui/entypo.h>
+#include <stdexcept>
 
 NAMESPACE_BEGIN(nanogui)
 
diff --git a/src/vulkan/vulkan_util.h b/src/vulkan/vulkan_util.h
index 820947d7c5..09b15799d1 100644
--- a/src/vulkan/vulkan_util.h
+++ b/src/vulkan/vulkan_util.h
@@ -173,6 +173,10 @@ static VkInstance createVkInstance(bool enable_debug_layer) {
     };
     inst_info.enabledLayerCount = sizeof(instance_validation_layers) / sizeof(instance_validation_layers[0]);
     inst_info.ppEnabledLayerNames = instance_validation_layers;
+
+    // validation layer with recent SDK not working
+    inst_info.enabledLayerCount = 0;
+    inst_info.ppEnabledLayerNames = nullptr;
   }
   VkInstance inst;
   VkResult res;