diff --git a/cli/src/main.rs b/cli/src/main.rs
index 707f95f065..efaf5959bc 100644
--- a/cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/cli/src/main.rs
@@ -317,12 +317,23 @@ fn run() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
         _ => return Err(CliError("Unknown input file extension").into()),
     };
 
+    // Decide which capabilities our output formats can support.
+    let validation_caps =
+        output_paths
+            .iter()
+            .fold(naga::valid::Capabilities::all(), |caps, path| {
+                use naga::valid::Capabilities as C;
+                let missing = match Path::new(path).extension().and_then(|ex| ex.to_str()) {
+                    Some("wgsl") => C::CLIP_DISTANCE | C::CULL_DISTANCE,
+                    Some("metal") => C::CULL_DISTANCE,
+                    _ => C::empty(),
+                };
+                caps & !missing
+            });
+
     // validate the IR
-    let info = match naga::valid::Validator::new(
-        params.validation_flags,
-        naga::valid::Capabilities::all(),
-    )
-    .validate(&module)
+    let info = match naga::valid::Validator::new(params.validation_flags, validation_caps)
+        .validate(&module)
     {
         Ok(info) => Some(info),
         Err(error) => {
diff --git a/src/valid/interface.rs b/src/valid/interface.rs
index 91c121dced..bee57e877b 100644
--- a/src/valid/interface.rs
+++ b/src/valid/interface.rs
@@ -135,6 +135,16 @@ impl VaryingContext<'_> {
                 }
                 self.built_ins.insert(canonical);
 
+                let required = match built_in {
+                    Bi::ClipDistance => Capabilities::CLIP_DISTANCE,
+                    Bi::CullDistance => Capabilities::CULL_DISTANCE,
+                    Bi::PrimitiveIndex => Capabilities::PRIMITIVE_INDEX,
+                    _ => Capabilities::empty(),
+                };
+                if !self.capabilities.contains(required) {
+                    return Err(VaryingError::UnsupportedCapability(required));
+                }
+
                 let width = 4;
                 let (visible, type_good) = match built_in {
                     Bi::BaseInstance | Bi::BaseVertex | Bi::InstanceIndex | Bi::VertexIndex => (
@@ -206,21 +216,14 @@ impl VaryingContext<'_> {
                                 width: crate::BOOL_WIDTH,
                             },
                     ),
-                    Bi::PrimitiveIndex => {
-                        if !self.capabilities.contains(Capabilities::PRIMITIVE_INDEX) {
-                            return Err(VaryingError::UnsupportedCapability(
-                                Capabilities::PRIMITIVE_INDEX,
-                            ));
-                        }
-                        (
-                            self.stage == St::Fragment && !self.output,
-                            *ty_inner
-                                == Ti::Scalar {
-                                    kind: Sk::Uint,
-                                    width,
-                                },
-                        )
-                    }
+                    Bi::PrimitiveIndex => (
+                        self.stage == St::Fragment && !self.output,
+                        *ty_inner
+                            == Ti::Scalar {
+                                kind: Sk::Uint,
+                                width,
+                            },
+                    ),
                     Bi::SampleIndex => (
                         self.stage == St::Fragment && !self.output,
                         *ty_inner
diff --git a/src/valid/mod.rs b/src/valid/mod.rs
index 29ef658db2..60178bb47e 100644
--- a/src/valid/mod.rs
+++ b/src/valid/mod.rs
@@ -82,11 +82,11 @@ bitflags::bitflags! {
     #[cfg_attr(feature = "serialize", derive(serde::Serialize))]
     #[cfg_attr(feature = "deserialize", derive(serde::Deserialize))]
     pub struct Capabilities: u8 {
-        /// Support for `AddressSpace:PushConstant`.
+        /// Support for [`AddressSpace:PushConstant`].
         const PUSH_CONSTANT = 0x1;
         /// Float values with width = 8.
         const FLOAT64 = 0x2;
-        /// Support for `Builtin:PrimitiveIndex`.
+        /// Support for [`Builtin:PrimitiveIndex`].
         const PRIMITIVE_INDEX = 0x4;
         /// Support for non-uniform indexing of sampled textures and storage buffer arrays.
         const SAMPLED_TEXTURE_AND_STORAGE_BUFFER_ARRAY_NON_UNIFORM_INDEXING = 0x8;
@@ -94,6 +94,10 @@ bitflags::bitflags! {
         const UNIFORM_BUFFER_AND_STORAGE_TEXTURE_ARRAY_NON_UNIFORM_INDEXING = 0x10;
         /// Support for non-uniform indexing of samplers.
         const SAMPLER_NON_UNIFORM_INDEXING = 0x20;
+        /// Support for [`Builtin::ClipDistance`].
+        const CLIP_DISTANCE = 0x40;
+        /// Support for [`Builtin::CullDistance`].
+        const CULL_DISTANCE = 0x80;
     }
 }