diff --git a/include/offline_sdf_renderer.h b/include/offline_sdf_renderer.h
index 3515c5e..b1ce280 100644
--- a/include/offline_sdf_renderer.h
+++ b/include/offline_sdf_renderer.h
@@ -60,9 +60,10 @@ class OfflineSDFRenderer : public SDFRenderer {
     void setupRenderContext();
     void createPipeline();
     void createCommandBuffers();
-    void destroyRenderContext();
-    void destroyPipeline();
-    void destroy();
+    void destroyDeviceObjects() noexcept;
+    void destroyRenderContextObjects() noexcept;
+    void destroyPipelineObjects() noexcept;
+    void destroy() noexcept;
 
     void recordCommandBuffer(uint32_t slotIndex, uint32_t currentFrame);
     [[nodiscard]] PPMDebugFrame debugReadbackOffscreenImage(const RingSlot &slot);
@@ -85,6 +86,7 @@ class OfflineSDFRenderer : public SDFRenderer {
 
     void startEncoding();
     void stopEncoding();
+    void stopEncodingNoexcept() noexcept;
     void enqueueEncode(uint32_t slotIndex, uint32_t frameIndex);
     void waitForSlotEncode(uint32_t slotIndex);
     void runEncoderLoop();
@@ -95,6 +97,7 @@ class OfflineSDFRenderer : public SDFRenderer {
     OfflineSDFRenderer(
         const std::string &fragShaderPath, bool useToyTemplate = false,
         OfflineRenderOptions options = {});
+    ~OfflineSDFRenderer() noexcept;
     void setup();
     void renderFrames();
 };
diff --git a/include/online_sdf_renderer.h b/include/online_sdf_renderer.h
index 0f37e8e..8441650 100644
--- a/include/online_sdf_renderer.h
+++ b/include/online_sdf_renderer.h
@@ -29,19 +29,19 @@ class OnlineSDFRenderer : public SDFRenderer {
   private:
     // GLFW Setup
     GLFWApplication app;
-    GLFWwindow *window;
+    GLFWwindow *window = nullptr;
 
     // Vulkan Setup
-    VkSurfaceKHR surface;
-    VkSurfaceFormatKHR swapchainFormat;
+    VkSurfaceKHR surface = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
+    VkSurfaceFormatKHR swapchainFormat{};
     vkutils::Semaphores imageAvailableSemaphores;
     vkutils::Semaphores renderFinishedSemaphores;
 
     // Shader Modules.
     // Full screen quad vert shader + frag shader
     VkSwapchainKHR swapchain = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
-    VkSurfaceCapabilitiesKHR surfaceCapabilities;
-    VkExtent2D swapchainSize;
+    VkSurfaceCapabilitiesKHR surfaceCapabilities{};
+    VkExtent2D swapchainSize{};
     vkutils::SwapchainImages swapchainImages;
     vkutils::SwapchainImageViews swapchainImageViews;
     vkutils::FrameBuffers frameBuffers;
@@ -61,9 +61,11 @@ class OnlineSDFRenderer : public SDFRenderer {
     void createPipeline();
     void tryRecreatePipeline();
     void calcTimestamps(uint32_t imageIndex);
-    void destroyRenderContext();
-    void destroyPipeline();
-    void destroy();
+    void destroyRenderContextOrThrow();
+    void destroyDeviceObjects() noexcept;
+    void destroyRenderContextObjects() noexcept;
+    void destroyPipelineObjects() noexcept;
+    void destroy() noexcept;
 
     [[nodiscard]] vkutils::PushConstants
     getPushConstants(uint32_t currentFrame) noexcept;
@@ -74,6 +76,7 @@ class OnlineSDFRenderer : public SDFRenderer {
     OnlineSDFRenderer(const std::string &fragShaderPath,
                       bool useToyTemplate = false,
                       OnlineRenderOptions options = {});
+    ~OnlineSDFRenderer() noexcept;
     void setup();
     void gameLoop();
 };
diff --git a/include/vkutils.h b/include/vkutils.h
index f3b778c..6a3c5ea 100644
--- a/include/vkutils.h
+++ b/include/vkutils.h
@@ -1438,6 +1438,7 @@ destroySwapchainImageViews(VkDevice device,
         vkDestroyImageView(device, swapchainImageViews.imageViews[i], nullptr);
         swapchainImageViews.imageViews[i] = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
     }
+    swapchainImageViews.count = 0;
 }
 
 static void destroyFrameBuffers(VkDevice device,
@@ -1446,6 +1447,7 @@ static void destroyFrameBuffers(VkDevice device,
         vkDestroyFramebuffer(device, frameBuffers.framebuffers[i], nullptr);
         frameBuffers.framebuffers[i] = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
     }
+    frameBuffers.count = 0;
 }
 
 static void destroyFences(VkDevice device, Fences &fences) noexcept {
@@ -1453,6 +1455,7 @@ static void destroyFences(VkDevice device, Fences &fences) noexcept {
         vkDestroyFence(device, fences.fences[i], nullptr);
         fences.fences[i] = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
     }
+    fences.count = 0;
 }
 
 static void destroySemaphores(VkDevice device,
@@ -1461,6 +1464,7 @@ static void destroySemaphores(VkDevice device,
         vkDestroySemaphore(device, semaphores.semaphores[i], nullptr);
         semaphores.semaphores[i] = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
     }
+    semaphores.count = 0;
 }
 
 } // namespace vkutils
diff --git a/src/offline_sdf_renderer.cpp b/src/offline_sdf_renderer.cpp
index 6d2949e..265bce2 100644
--- a/src/offline_sdf_renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/offline_sdf_renderer.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@ OfflineSDFRenderer::OfflineSDFRenderer(
       maxFrames(options.maxFrames),
       encodeSettings(std::move(options.encodeSettings)) {}
 
+OfflineSDFRenderer::~OfflineSDFRenderer() noexcept {
+    stopEncodingNoexcept();
+    destroy();
+}
+
 uint32_t OfflineSDFRenderer::validateRingSize(uint32_t value) {
     if (value == 0 || value > MAX_FRAME_SLOTS) {
         throw std::runtime_error("ringSize must be 1..MAX_FRAME_SLOTS");
@@ -358,7 +363,6 @@ void OfflineSDFRenderer::renderFrames() {
     stopEncoding();
 
     spdlog::info("Offline render done.");
-    destroy();
 }
 
 void OfflineSDFRenderer::startEncoding() {
@@ -458,6 +462,16 @@ void OfflineSDFRenderer::stopEncoding() {
     encoder.reset();
 }
 
+void OfflineSDFRenderer::stopEncodingNoexcept() noexcept {
+    try {
+        stopEncoding();
+    } catch (const std::exception &e) {
+        spdlog::error("stopEncoding failed during teardown: {}", e.what());
+    } catch (...) {
+        spdlog::error("stopEncoding failed during teardown: unknown error");
+    }
+}
+
 void OfflineSDFRenderer::enqueueEncode(uint32_t slotIndex,
                                        uint32_t frameIndex) {
     std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock(encodeMutex);
@@ -485,72 +499,52 @@ void OfflineSDFRenderer::waitForSlotEncode(uint32_t slotIndex) {
         throw std::runtime_error("FFmpeg encoder failed");
 }
 
-void OfflineSDFRenderer::destroyPipeline() {
+void OfflineSDFRenderer::destroyPipelineObjects() noexcept {
     vkDestroyPipeline(logicalDevice, pipeline, nullptr);
+    pipeline = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
     vkDestroyPipelineLayout(logicalDevice, pipelineLayout, nullptr);
+    pipelineLayout = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
     vkDestroyShaderModule(logicalDevice, fragShaderModule, nullptr);
+    fragShaderModule = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
 }
 
-void OfflineSDFRenderer::destroyRenderContext() {
-    VK_CHECK(vkDeviceWaitIdle(logicalDevice));
+void OfflineSDFRenderer::destroyRenderContextObjects() noexcept {
     for (size_t i = 0; i < ringSize; ++i) {
         RingSlot &slot = ringSlots[i];
-        if (slot.framebuffer != VK_NULL_HANDLE) {
-            vkDestroyFramebuffer(logicalDevice, slot.framebuffer, nullptr);
-            slot.framebuffer = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
-        }
-        if (slot.imageView != VK_NULL_HANDLE) {
-            vkDestroyImageView(logicalDevice, slot.imageView, nullptr);
-            slot.imageView = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
-        }
-        if (slot.image != VK_NULL_HANDLE) {
-            vkDestroyImage(logicalDevice, slot.image, nullptr);
-            slot.image = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
-        }
-        if (slot.imageMemory != VK_NULL_HANDLE) {
-            vkFreeMemory(logicalDevice, slot.imageMemory, nullptr);
-            slot.imageMemory = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
-        }
-        if (slot.stagingBuffer.buffer != VK_NULL_HANDLE ||
-            slot.stagingBuffer.memory != VK_NULL_HANDLE) {
-            if (slot.mappedData) {
-                vkUnmapMemory(logicalDevice, slot.stagingBuffer.memory);
-                slot.mappedData = nullptr;
-            }
-            vkutils::destroyReadbackBuffer(logicalDevice, slot.stagingBuffer);
+        vkDestroyFramebuffer(logicalDevice, slot.framebuffer, nullptr);
+        vkDestroyImageView(logicalDevice, slot.imageView, nullptr);
+        vkDestroyImage(logicalDevice, slot.image, nullptr);
+        vkFreeMemory(logicalDevice, slot.imageMemory, nullptr);
+
+        if (slot.mappedData) {
+            vkUnmapMemory(logicalDevice, slot.stagingBuffer.memory);
         }
-        slot.pendingReadback = false;
-        slot.pendingEncode = false;
+        vkutils::destroyReadbackBuffer(logicalDevice, slot.stagingBuffer);
     }
 }
 
-void OfflineSDFRenderer::destroy() {
-    VK_CHECK(vkDeviceWaitIdle(logicalDevice));
-    vkutils::destroyFences(logicalDevice, fences);
-    destroyPipeline();
-    destroyRenderContext();
-    if (renderPass != VK_NULL_HANDLE) {
-        vkDestroyRenderPass(logicalDevice, renderPass, nullptr);
-        renderPass = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
-    }
-    if (queryPool != VK_NULL_HANDLE) {
-        vkDestroyQueryPool(logicalDevice, queryPool, nullptr);
-        queryPool = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
-    }
-    if (vertShaderModule != VK_NULL_HANDLE) {
-        vkDestroyShaderModule(logicalDevice, vertShaderModule, nullptr);
-        vertShaderModule = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
-    }
-    if (commandPool != VK_NULL_HANDLE) {
-        vkDestroyCommandPool(logicalDevice, commandPool, nullptr);
-        commandPool = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
+void OfflineSDFRenderer::destroyDeviceObjects() noexcept {
+    const VkResult waitResult = vkDeviceWaitIdle(logicalDevice);
+    if (waitResult != VK_SUCCESS) {
+        spdlog::warn(
+            "vkDeviceWaitIdle failed during OfflineSDFRenderer teardown: {}",
+            static_cast<int>(waitResult));
     }
+    vkutils::destroyFences(logicalDevice, fences);
+    destroyPipelineObjects();
+    destroyRenderContextObjects();
+    vkDestroyRenderPass(logicalDevice, renderPass, nullptr);
+    vkDestroyQueryPool(logicalDevice, queryPool, nullptr);
+    vkDestroyShaderModule(logicalDevice, vertShaderModule, nullptr);
+    vkDestroyCommandPool(logicalDevice, commandPool, nullptr);
+}
+
+void OfflineSDFRenderer::destroy() noexcept {
     if (logicalDevice != VK_NULL_HANDLE) {
-        vkDestroyDevice(logicalDevice, nullptr);
-        logicalDevice = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
-    }
-    if (instance != VK_NULL_HANDLE) {
-        vkDestroyInstance(instance, nullptr);
-        instance = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
+        destroyDeviceObjects();
     }
+    vkDestroyDevice(logicalDevice, nullptr);
+
+    // Instance owns no other offline objects at this point.
+    vkDestroyInstance(instance, nullptr);
 }
diff --git a/src/online_sdf_renderer.cpp b/src/online_sdf_renderer.cpp
index 005b873..9b9f48e 100644
--- a/src/online_sdf_renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/online_sdf_renderer.cpp
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ OnlineSDFRenderer::OnlineSDFRenderer(
     : SDFRenderer(fragShaderPath, useToyTemplate, options.debugDumpPPMDir),
       options(std::move(options)) {}
 
+OnlineSDFRenderer::~OnlineSDFRenderer() noexcept { destroy(); }
+
 void OnlineSDFRenderer::setup() {
     glfwSetup();
     vulkanSetup();
@@ -122,7 +124,7 @@ void OnlineSDFRenderer::tryRecreatePipeline() {
     }
 
     VK_CHECK(vkDeviceWaitIdle(logicalDevice));
-    destroyPipeline();
+    destroyPipelineObjects();
     createPipelineLayoutCommon();
     fragShaderModule = vkutils::createShaderModule(logicalDevice, fragSpirv);
     pipeline = vkutils::createGraphicsPipeline(
@@ -135,17 +137,43 @@ void OnlineSDFRenderer::createCommandBuffers() {
                                                    swapchainImages.count);
 }
 
-void OnlineSDFRenderer::destroyPipeline() {
+void OnlineSDFRenderer::destroyPipelineObjects() noexcept {
     vkDestroyPipeline(logicalDevice, pipeline, nullptr);
+    pipeline = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
     vkDestroyPipelineLayout(logicalDevice, pipelineLayout, nullptr);
+    pipelineLayout = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
     vkDestroyShaderModule(logicalDevice, fragShaderModule, nullptr);
+    fragShaderModule = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
 }
 
-void OnlineSDFRenderer::destroyRenderContext() {
-    VK_CHECK(vkDeviceWaitIdle(logicalDevice));
-    VK_CHECK(vkResetCommandPool(logicalDevice, commandPool, 0));
+void OnlineSDFRenderer::destroyRenderContextObjects() noexcept {
     vkutils::destroyFrameBuffers(logicalDevice, frameBuffers);
     vkutils::destroySwapchainImageViews(logicalDevice, swapchainImageViews);
+}
+
+void OnlineSDFRenderer::destroyDeviceObjects() noexcept {
+    const VkResult waitResult = vkDeviceWaitIdle(logicalDevice);
+    if (waitResult != VK_SUCCESS) {
+        spdlog::warn("vkDeviceWaitIdle failed during OnlineSDFRenderer teardown: {}",
+                     static_cast<int>(waitResult));
+    }
+
+    vkutils::destroySemaphores(logicalDevice, imageAvailableSemaphores);
+    vkutils::destroySemaphores(logicalDevice, renderFinishedSemaphores);
+    vkutils::destroyFences(logicalDevice, fences);
+    destroyPipelineObjects();
+    vkDestroyShaderModule(logicalDevice, vertShaderModule, nullptr);
+    destroyRenderContextObjects();
+    vkDestroyRenderPass(logicalDevice, renderPass, nullptr);
+    vkDestroySwapchainKHR(logicalDevice, swapchain, nullptr);
+    vkDestroyQueryPool(logicalDevice, queryPool, nullptr);
+    vkDestroyCommandPool(logicalDevice, commandPool, nullptr);
+}
+
+void OnlineSDFRenderer::destroyRenderContextOrThrow() {
+    VK_CHECK(vkDeviceWaitIdle(logicalDevice));
+    VK_CHECK(vkResetCommandPool(logicalDevice, commandPool, 0));
+    destroyRenderContextObjects();
     // Swapchain gets destroyed after passing oldSwapchain to createSwapchain
 }
 
@@ -194,7 +222,7 @@ void OnlineSDFRenderer::gameLoop() {
         pipelineUpdated.store(true, std::memory_order_relaxed);
     });
     auto recreateSwapchain = [&]() {
-        destroyRenderContext();
+        destroyRenderContextOrThrow();
         setupRenderContext();
         app.framebufferResized = false;
         frameIndex = 0;
@@ -292,27 +320,21 @@ void OnlineSDFRenderer::gameLoop() {
 
     filewatcher->stopWatching();
     spdlog::info("Done!");
-    destroy();
 }
 
-void OnlineSDFRenderer::destroy() {
-    VK_CHECK(vkDeviceWaitIdle(logicalDevice));
-    vkutils::destroySemaphores(logicalDevice, imageAvailableSemaphores);
-    vkutils::destroySemaphores(logicalDevice, renderFinishedSemaphores);
-    vkutils::destroyFences(logicalDevice, fences);
-    vkDestroyPipeline(logicalDevice, pipeline, nullptr);
-    vkDestroyPipelineLayout(logicalDevice, pipelineLayout, nullptr);
-    vkDestroyShaderModule(logicalDevice, vertShaderModule, nullptr);
-    vkDestroyShaderModule(logicalDevice, fragShaderModule, nullptr);
-    vkutils::destroyFrameBuffers(logicalDevice, frameBuffers);
-    vkDestroyRenderPass(logicalDevice, renderPass, nullptr);
-    vkutils::destroySwapchainImageViews(logicalDevice, swapchainImageViews);
-    vkDestroySwapchainKHR(logicalDevice, swapchain, nullptr);
-    vkDestroyQueryPool(logicalDevice, queryPool, nullptr);
-    vkDestroyCommandPool(logicalDevice, commandPool, nullptr);
+void OnlineSDFRenderer::destroy() noexcept {
+    if (logicalDevice != VK_NULL_HANDLE) {
+        destroyDeviceObjects();
+    }
     vkDestroyDevice(logicalDevice, nullptr);
+
+    // The surface belongs to the instance, so destroy it first.
     vkDestroySurfaceKHR(instance, surface, nullptr);
     vkDestroyInstance(instance, nullptr);
-    glfwDestroyWindow(window);
-    glfwTerminate();
+
+    if (window != nullptr) {
+        // GLFW window teardown comes last after Vulkan is gone.
+        glfwDestroyWindow(window);
+        glfwTerminate();
+    }
 }