diff --git a/Core/System.cpp b/Core/System.cpp
index 285ce3a2a9..a073bb7b67 100644
--- a/Core/System.cpp
+++ b/Core/System.cpp
@@ -336,6 +336,9 @@ void PSP_RunLoopUntil(u64 globalticks) {
 	}
 
 	if (cpuThread != NULL) {
+		// Tell the gpu a new frame is about to begin, before we start the CPU.
+		gpu->SyncBeginFrame();
+
 		cpuThreadUntil = globalticks;
 		if (CPU_NextState(CPU_THREAD_RUNNING, CPU_THREAD_EXECUTE)) {
 			// The CPU doesn't actually respect cpuThreadUntil well, especially when skipping frames.
diff --git a/Core/ThreadEventQueue.h b/Core/ThreadEventQueue.h
index 110e63600c..1cfd805901 100644
--- a/Core/ThreadEventQueue.h
+++ b/Core/ThreadEventQueue.h
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 
 template <typename B, typename Event, typename EventType, EventType EVENT_INVALID, EventType EVENT_SYNC, EventType EVENT_FINISH>
 struct ThreadEventQueue : public B {
-	ThreadEventQueue() : threadEnabled_(false), eventsRunning_(false) {
+	ThreadEventQueue() : threadEnabled_(false), eventsRunning_(false), eventsHaveRun_(false) {
 	}
 
 	void SetThreadEnabled(bool threadEnabled) {
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ struct ThreadEventQueue : public B {
 	void RunEventsUntil(u64 globalticks) {
 		lock_guard guard(eventsLock_);
 		eventsRunning_ = true;
+		eventsHaveRun_ = true;
 
 		do {
 			for (Event ev = GetNextEvent(); EventType(ev) != EVENT_INVALID; ev = GetNextEvent()) {
@@ -107,6 +108,11 @@ struct ThreadEventQueue : public B {
 		eventsRunning_ = false;
 	}
 
+	void SyncBeginFrame() {
+		lock_guard guard(eventsLock_);
+		eventsHaveRun_ = false;
+	}
+
 	// Force ignores coreState.
 	void SyncThread(bool force = false) {
 		if (!threadEnabled_) {
@@ -117,8 +123,8 @@ struct ThreadEventQueue : public B {
 		// While processing the last event, HasEvents() will be false even while not done.
 		// So we schedule a nothing event and wait for that to finish.
 		ScheduleEvent(EVENT_SYNC);
-		while (HasEvents() && eventsRunning_ && (force || coreState == CORE_RUNNING)) {
-			eventsDrain_.wait_for(eventsLock_, 1);
+		while (HasEvents() && (eventsRunning_ || !eventsHaveRun_) && (force || coreState == CORE_RUNNING)) {
+			eventsDrain_.wait_for(eventsLock_, 1000);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -135,6 +141,7 @@ protected:
 private:
 	bool threadEnabled_;
 	bool eventsRunning_;
+	bool eventsHaveRun_;
 	std::deque<Event> events_;
 	recursive_mutex eventsLock_;
 	condition_variable eventsWait_;
diff --git a/GPU/GPUInterface.h b/GPU/GPUInterface.h
index 82f812ec4d..1e3e2e6796 100644
--- a/GPU/GPUInterface.h
+++ b/GPU/GPUInterface.h
@@ -231,6 +231,7 @@ public:
 	virtual void DeviceLost() = 0;
 	virtual void ReapplyGfxState() = 0;
 	virtual void SyncThread(bool force = false) = 0;
+	virtual void SyncBeginFrame() = 0;
 	virtual u64  GetTickEstimate() = 0;
 	virtual void DoState(PointerWrap &p) = 0;