diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/AchievementManager.cpp b/Source/Core/Core/AchievementManager.cpp
index 788a394be4..b5eec09d47 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/AchievementManager.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/AchievementManager.cpp
@@ -196,7 +196,12 @@ bool AchievementManager::IsGameLoaded() const
 void AchievementManager::SetBackgroundExecutionAllowed(bool allowed)
 {
   m_background_execution_allowed = allowed;
-  if (allowed && Core::GetState(*AchievementManager::GetInstance().m_system) == Core::State::Paused)
+
+  Core::System* system = m_system.load(std::memory_order_acquire);
+  if (!system)
+    return;
+
+  if (allowed && Core::GetState(*system) == Core::State::Paused)
     DoIdle();
 }
 
@@ -271,7 +276,8 @@ void AchievementManager::DoFrame()
     std::lock_guard lg{m_lock};
     rc_client_do_frame(m_client);
   }
-  if (!m_system)
+  Core::System* system = m_system.load(std::memory_order_acquire);
+  if (!system)
     return;
   auto current_time = std::chrono::steady_clock::now();
   if (current_time - m_last_rp_time > std::chrono::seconds{10})
@@ -309,7 +315,8 @@ void AchievementManager::DoIdle()
       Common::SleepCurrentThread(1000);
       {
         std::lock_guard lg{m_lock};
-        if (!m_system || Core::GetState(*m_system) != Core::State::Paused)
+        Core::System* system = m_system.load(std::memory_order_acquire);
+        if (!system || Core::GetState(*system) != Core::State::Paused)
           return;
         if (!m_background_execution_allowed)
           return;
@@ -320,7 +327,7 @@ void AchievementManager::DoIdle()
       // needs to be on host or CPU thread to access memory.
       Core::QueueHostJob([this](Core::System& system) {
         std::lock_guard lg{m_lock};
-        if (!m_system || Core::GetState(*m_system) != Core::State::Paused)
+        if (Core::GetState(system) != Core::State::Paused)
           return;
         if (!m_background_execution_allowed)
           return;
@@ -559,7 +566,7 @@ void AchievementManager::CloseGame()
       m_queue.Cancel();
       m_image_queue.Cancel();
       rc_client_unload_game(m_client);
-      m_system = nullptr;
+      m_system.store(nullptr, std::memory_order_release);
       if (Config::Get(Config::RA_DISCORD_PRESENCE_ENABLED))
         Discord::UpdateDiscordPresence();
       INFO_LOG_FMT(ACHIEVEMENTS, "Game closed.");
@@ -819,7 +826,7 @@ void AchievementManager::LoadGameCallback(int result, const char* error_message,
   rc_client_set_read_memory_function(instance.m_client, MemoryPeeker);
   instance.m_display_welcome_message = true;
   instance.FetchGameBadges();
-  instance.m_system = &Core::System::GetInstance();
+  instance.m_system.store(&Core::System::GetInstance(), std::memory_order_release);
   instance.m_update_callback({.all = true});
   // Set this to a value that will immediately trigger RP
   instance.m_last_rp_time = std::chrono::steady_clock::now() - std::chrono::minutes{2};
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/AchievementManager.h b/Source/Core/Core/AchievementManager.h
index efddd003a9..66f4398441 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/AchievementManager.h
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/AchievementManager.h
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 #ifdef USE_RETRO_ACHIEVEMENTS
 #include <array>
+#include <atomic>
 #include <chrono>
 #include <ctime>
 #include <functional>
@@ -204,7 +205,7 @@ private:
 
   rc_runtime_t m_runtime{};
   rc_client_t* m_client{};
-  Core::System* m_system{};
+  std::atomic<Core::System*> m_system{};
   bool m_is_runtime_initialized = false;
   UpdateCallback m_update_callback = [](const UpdatedItems&) {};
   std::unique_ptr<DiscIO::Volume> m_loading_volume;