diff --git a/src/video_core/renderer_vulkan/vk_master_semaphore.cpp b/src/video_core/renderer_vulkan/vk_master_semaphore.cpp
index a82e2c73fa..13ecfd20a6 100644
--- a/src/video_core/renderer_vulkan/vk_master_semaphore.cpp
+++ b/src/video_core/renderer_vulkan/vk_master_semaphore.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright 2025 Eden Emulator Project
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright 2026 Eden Emulator Project
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
 
 // SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright 2020 yuzu Emulator Project
@@ -78,11 +78,16 @@ void MasterSemaphore::Refresh() {
 
 void MasterSemaphore::Wait(u64 tick) {
     if (!semaphore) {
-        // If we don't support timeline semaphores, wait for the value normally
-        std::unique_lock lk{free_mutex};
-        free_cv.wait(lk, [&] {
-            return gpu_tick.load(std::memory_order_acquire) >= tick;
-        });
+        // Fast check: already reached the requested tick?
+        if (gpu_tick.load(std::memory_order_acquire) >= tick) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        u64 last_tick = gpu_tick.load(std::memory_order_relaxed);
+        while (gpu_tick.load(std::memory_order_acquire) < tick) {
+            gpu_tick.wait(last_tick, std::memory_order_acquire);
+            last_tick = gpu_tick.load(std::memory_order_relaxed);
+        }
         return;
     }
 
@@ -218,32 +223,15 @@ void MasterSemaphore::WaitThread(std::stop_token token) {
             wait_queue.pop();
         }
 
-#ifdef ANDROID
-        VkResult status;
-        do {
-            status = fence.GetStatus();
-            if (status == VK_NOT_READY) {
-                std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::microseconds(100));
-            }
-        } while (status == VK_NOT_READY);
-
-        if (status == VK_SUCCESS) {
-            fence.Reset();
-        } else {
-            vk::Check(status);
-            continue;
-        }
-#else
         fence.Wait();
         fence.Reset();
-#endif
 
         {
             std::scoped_lock lock{free_mutex};
             free_queue.push_front(std::move(fence));
             gpu_tick.store(host_tick, std::memory_order_release);
         }
-        free_cv.notify_all();
+        gpu_tick.notify_one();
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/video_core/renderer_vulkan/vk_master_semaphore.h b/src/video_core/renderer_vulkan/vk_master_semaphore.h
index 7dfb93ffbf..f580c25d35 100644
--- a/src/video_core/renderer_vulkan/vk_master_semaphore.h
+++ b/src/video_core/renderer_vulkan/vk_master_semaphore.h
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright 2026 Eden Emulator Project
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
 // SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright 2020 yuzu Emulator Project
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
 
@@ -74,7 +77,6 @@ private:
     std::atomic<u64> current_tick{1}; ///< Current logical tick.
     std::mutex wait_mutex;
     std::mutex free_mutex;
-    std::condition_variable free_cv;
     std::condition_variable_any wait_cv;
     std::queue<Waitable> wait_queue;  ///< Queue for the fences to be waited on by the wait thread.
     std::deque<vk::Fence> free_queue; ///< Holds available fences for submission.