diff --git a/src/core/kernel/exports/EmuKrnl.h b/src/core/kernel/exports/EmuKrnl.h
index 0b8a691d3..a86a8633f 100644
--- a/src/core/kernel/exports/EmuKrnl.h
+++ b/src/core/kernel/exports/EmuKrnl.h
@@ -52,8 +52,6 @@ xbox::PLIST_ENTRY RemoveTailList(xbox::PLIST_ENTRY pListHead);
 
 extern xbox::LAUNCH_DATA_PAGE DefaultLaunchDataPage;
 extern xbox::PKINTERRUPT EmuInterruptList[MAX_BUS_INTERRUPT_LEVEL + 1];
-inline std::condition_variable g_InterruptSignal;
-inline std::atomic_bool g_AnyInterruptAsserted = false;
 
 class HalSystemInterrupt {
 public:
@@ -64,8 +62,6 @@ public:
 		}
 
 		m_Asserted = state;
-		g_AnyInterruptAsserted = true;
-		g_InterruptSignal.notify_one();
 	};
 
 	void Enable() {
diff --git a/src/core/kernel/init/CxbxKrnl.cpp b/src/core/kernel/init/CxbxKrnl.cpp
index d0447f83b..ac40986b4 100644
--- a/src/core/kernel/init/CxbxKrnl.cpp
+++ b/src/core/kernel/init/CxbxKrnl.cpp
@@ -337,17 +337,14 @@ static xbox::void_xt NTAPI CxbxKrnlInterruptThread(xbox::PVOID param)
 	InitSoftwareInterrupts();
 #endif
 
-	std::mutex m;
-	std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock(m);
 	while (true) {
 		for (int i = 0; i < MAX_BUS_INTERRUPT_LEVEL; i++) {
 			// If the interrupt is pending and connected, process it
-			if (HalSystemInterrupts[i].IsPending() && EmuInterruptList[i] && EmuInterruptList[i]->Connected) {
+			if (g_bEnableAllInterrupts && HalSystemInterrupts[i].IsPending() && EmuInterruptList[i] && EmuInterruptList[i]->Connected) {
 				HalSystemInterrupts[i].Trigger(EmuInterruptList[i]);
 			}
 		}
-		g_InterruptSignal.wait(lock, []() { return g_AnyInterruptAsserted.load() && g_bEnableAllInterrupts.load(); });
-		g_AnyInterruptAsserted = false;
+		_mm_pause();
 	}
 
 	assert(0);