diff --git a/src/device.rs b/src/device.rs
index 37f8b5a3..21598a65 100644
--- a/src/device.rs
+++ b/src/device.rs
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ pub mod tlb;
 pub mod unmapped;
 pub mod vi;
 
-pub async fn run_game(
+pub fn run_game(
     device: &mut Device,
     rom_contents: &[u8],
     game_settings: ui::GameSettings,
@@ -76,7 +76,6 @@ pub async fn run_game(
     // must be after video init
     let (discord_watch_tx, discord_handle) = if ra_config.enabled && device.netplay.is_none() {
         retroachievements::load_game(rom_contents, rom_contents.len(), ra_config.rich_presence)
-            .await
     } else {
         (None, None)
     };
@@ -103,7 +102,7 @@ pub async fn run_game(
 
     cpu::run(device);
 
-    retroachievements::unload_game(discord_watch_tx, discord_handle).await;
+    retroachievements::unload_game(discord_watch_tx, discord_handle);
 
     ui::storage::write_saves(device);
     ui::input::close(&mut device.ui);
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 0ca1027c..cdd78d05 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ fn set_app_id() {
     }
 }
 
-pub async fn run(args: Args, arg_count: usize) -> std::io::Result<()> {
+pub fn run(args: Args, arg_count: usize) -> std::io::Result<()> {
     let dirs = ui::get_dirs();
 
     std::fs::create_dir_all(&dirs.config_dir)?;
@@ -228,7 +228,11 @@ pub async fn run(args: Args, arg_count: usize) -> std::io::Result<()> {
                 tx.send(false).unwrap();
             }
 
-            rx.await.unwrap();
+            let join_handle = std::thread::spawn(move || {
+                rx.blocking_recv().unwrap();
+            });
+            join_handle.join().unwrap();
+
             ra_config
         } else {
             retroachievements::RAConfig::default()
@@ -244,8 +248,7 @@ pub async fn run(args: Args, arg_count: usize) -> std::io::Result<()> {
                 load_savestate_slot: args.load_state,
             },
             ra_config,
-        )
-        .await;
+        );
 
         // on Android, the client is shut down in the app_window function
         #[cfg(not(target_os = "android"))]
@@ -266,7 +269,7 @@ pub async fn run(args: Args, arg_count: usize) -> std::io::Result<()> {
             }
         }
 
-        ui::usb::close(shutdown_tx, usb_handle).await;
+        ui::usb::close(shutdown_tx, usb_handle);
     } else if arg_count > 1 {
         let mut config = ui::config::Config::new();
 
@@ -330,7 +333,7 @@ pub async fn run(args: Args, arg_count: usize) -> std::io::Result<()> {
 
 #[cfg(target_os = "android")]
 #[unsafe(no_mangle)]
-#[tokio::main(worker_threads = 4)]
+#[tokio::main]
 async fn android_main(app: slint::android::AndroidApp) {
     slint::android::init_with_event_listener(app.clone(), move |event| match event {
         slint::android::android_activity::PollEvent::Main(main_event) => match main_event {
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 978f7cea..3a3e5222 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ static GLOBAL: mimalloc::MiMalloc = mimalloc::MiMalloc;
 
 use clap::Parser;
 
-#[tokio::main(worker_threads = 4)]
+#[tokio::main]
 async fn main() -> std::io::Result<()> {
     let args = gopher64::Args::parse();
-    gopher64::run(args, std::env::args().count()).await
+    gopher64::run(args, std::env::args().count())
 }
diff --git a/src/retroachievements.rs b/src/retroachievements.rs
index 3f6a59f1..0f225410 100644
--- a/src/retroachievements.rs
+++ b/src/retroachievements.rs
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ pub extern "C" fn rust_server_call(
     });
 }
 
-pub async fn load_game(
+pub fn load_game(
     rom: &[u8],
     rom_size: usize,
     discord_rich_presence: bool,
@@ -150,7 +150,10 @@ pub async fn load_game(
         let tx_ptr = Box::into_raw(Box::new(tx)) as *mut std::ffi::c_void;
         ra_load_game(rom.as_ptr(), rom_size, tx_ptr);
     };
-    rx.await.unwrap();
+    let join_handle = std::thread::spawn(move || {
+        rx.blocking_recv().unwrap();
+    });
+    join_handle.join().unwrap();
 
     let mut c_title = std::ptr::null();
     let mut c_image_url = std::ptr::null();
@@ -177,7 +180,7 @@ pub async fn load_game(
     }
 }
 
-pub async fn unload_game(
+pub fn unload_game(
     discord_watch_tx: Option<tokio::sync::watch::Sender<()>>,
     discord_handle: Option<tokio::task::JoinHandle<()>>,
 ) {
@@ -185,12 +188,14 @@ pub async fn unload_game(
         && let Some(discord_watch_tx) = discord_watch_tx
     {
         let _ = discord_watch_tx.send(());
-        if tokio::time::timeout(std::time::Duration::from_secs(1), &mut discord_handle)
-            .await
-            .is_err()
-        {
-            discord_handle.abort();
-        }
+        tokio::task::spawn(async move {
+            if tokio::time::timeout(std::time::Duration::from_secs(1), &mut discord_handle)
+                .await
+                .is_err()
+            {
+                discord_handle.abort();
+            }
+        });
     }
     unsafe { ra_unload_game() };
 }
diff --git a/src/ui/android.rs b/src/ui/android.rs
index 2c5a251e..e16803ed 100644
--- a/src/ui/android.rs
+++ b/src/ui/android.rs
@@ -158,14 +158,14 @@ fn argv_to_strings(argc: std::ffi::c_int, argv: *mut *mut std::ffi::c_char) -> V
 }
 
 #[unsafe(no_mangle)]
-#[tokio::main(worker_threads = 4)]
+#[tokio::main]
 pub async extern "C" fn gopher64_sdl_main(
     argc: std::ffi::c_int,
     argv: *mut *mut std::ffi::c_char,
 ) -> std::ffi::c_int {
     let raw = argv_to_strings(argc, argv);
     let args = Args::try_parse_from(raw).unwrap();
-    if let Err(err) = run(args, argc as usize).await {
+    if let Err(err) = run(args, argc as usize) {
         eprintln!("Error running game: {err:?}");
         return 1;
     }
diff --git a/src/ui/usb.rs b/src/ui/usb.rs
index 9644d1bd..352a6222 100644
--- a/src/ui/usb.rs
+++ b/src/ui/usb.rs
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ pub fn init() -> (
     )
 }
 
-pub async fn close(
+pub fn close(
     shutdown_tx: Option<tokio::sync::watch::Sender<()>>,
     usb_handle: Option<tokio::task::JoinHandle<()>>,
 ) {
@@ -182,12 +182,14 @@ pub async fn close(
         && let Some(shutdown_tx) = shutdown_tx
     {
         let _ = shutdown_tx.send(());
-        if tokio::time::timeout(std::time::Duration::from_secs(1), &mut handle)
-            .await
-            .is_err()
-        {
-            handle.abort();
-        }
+        tokio::task::spawn(async move {
+            if tokio::time::timeout(std::time::Duration::from_secs(1), &mut handle)
+                .await
+                .is_err()
+            {
+                handle.abort();
+            }
+        });
     }
 }