diff --git a/GPU/Software/BinManager.cpp b/GPU/Software/BinManager.cpp
index ac13f62277..b5164318ae 100644
--- a/GPU/Software/BinManager.cpp
+++ b/GPU/Software/BinManager.cpp
@@ -673,6 +673,7 @@ void BinManager::DistributeItems() {
 void BinManager::DistributeItems(size_t end) {
 	undistributed_ = 0;
 
+	bool any = false;
 	while (distributePos_ != end) {
 		const size_t index = distributePos_;
 		const BinItem &item = queue_[index];
@@ -701,7 +702,10 @@ void BinManager::DistributeItems(size_t end) {
 			}
 		}
 		distributePos_ = index + 1 == QUEUED_PRIMS ? 0 : index + 1;
+		any = true;
 	}
+	if (any)
+		distributed_.store(distributed_.load(std::memory_order_relaxed) + 1, std::memory_order_release);
 }
 
 void BinManager::ResetTiles() {
@@ -784,17 +788,23 @@ void BinManager::MakeRoom() {
 // A drawing thread out of work stays a moment for more before its task ends: waking it again costs the
 // emulation thread a system call (about 15 us under WSL2, where lingering made God of War and Wipeout 4-8%
 // faster). Not while that thread waits for the drawing to finish.
+// It looks at the tiles again only when distributed_ says there's new work: reading their heads and tails over
+// and over took cache lines from the emulation thread, which writes the tails.
 void BinManager::LingerForWork(int start) {
 	double until = time_now_d() + LINGER_SECONDS;
 	while (!waitingForIdle_.load(std::memory_order_relaxed)) {
+		// Read before the look at the tiles, so work distributed during it isn't missed.
+		const uint32_t seen = distributed_.load(std::memory_order_acquire);
 		if (ProcessTiles(start)) {
 			until = time_now_d() + LINGER_SECONDS;
 			continue;
 		}
-		if (time_now_d() >= until)
-			break;
-		for (int i = 0; i < 64; ++i)
-			std::this_thread::yield();
+		while (distributed_.load(std::memory_order_acquire) == seen && !waitingForIdle_.load(std::memory_order_relaxed)) {
+			if (time_now_d() >= until)
+				return;
+			for (int i = 0; i < 64; ++i)
+				std::this_thread::yield();
+		}
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/GPU/Software/BinManager.h b/GPU/Software/BinManager.h
index 6cf2dfe277..0749026489 100644
--- a/GPU/Software/BinManager.h
+++ b/GPU/Software/BinManager.h
@@ -313,10 +313,11 @@ private:
 	int tilesX_ = TILES_X;
 	int tilesY_ = TILES_Y;
 	struct Tile {
-		// Indices into queue_, as a ring: head_ is how many have been drawn, tail_ how many were pushed.
-		std::atomic<uint32_t> head;
-		std::atomic<uint32_t> tail;
+		// Indices into queue_, as a ring: head_ is how many have been drawn, tail_ how many were pushed. The
+		// drawing threads write head and busy, this thread tail, so they're on separate cache lines.
+		alignas(64) std::atomic<uint32_t> head;
 		std::atomic<bool> busy;
+		alignas(64) std::atomic<uint32_t> tail;
 		uint16_t items[QUEUED_PRIMS];
 	};
 	Tile *tiles_ = nullptr;
@@ -325,6 +326,8 @@ private:
 	// The tiles given work since the last flush, for the threads to look through.
 	uint16_t activeTiles_[TILES_X * TILES_Y];
 	std::atomic<int> activeCount_{ 0 };
+	// Counts DistributeItems calls that gave the tiles work, for threads waiting for some (LingerForWork).
+	std::atomic<uint32_t> distributed_{ 0 };
 	// The emulation thread is waiting for the drawing threads to finish (LingerForWork).
 	std::atomic<bool> waitingForIdle_{ false };
 	bool tileActive_[TILES_X * TILES_Y]{};