diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinQt2/GameList/GameTracker.cpp b/Source/Core/DolphinQt2/GameList/GameTracker.cpp
index 958236d227..4fbde454c1 100644
--- a/Source/Core/DolphinQt2/GameList/GameTracker.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/DolphinQt2/GameList/GameTracker.cpp
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ GameTracker::GameTracker(QObject* parent) : QFileSystemWatcher(parent)
 
 void GameTracker::LoadCache()
 {
-  std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lk(m_mutex);
   m_cache.Load();
+  m_cache_loaded_event.Set();
 }
 
 void GameTracker::Start()
@@ -67,12 +67,14 @@ void GameTracker::Start()
 
   m_initial_games_emitted = true;
 
-  std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lk(m_mutex);
-
   m_load_thread.EmplaceItem(Command{CommandType::Start, {}});
 
+  m_cache_loaded_event.Wait();
+
   m_cache.ForEach(
       [this](const std::shared_ptr<const UICommon::GameFile>& game) { emit GameLoaded(game); });
+
+  m_initial_games_emitted_event.Set();
 }
 
 void GameTracker::StartInternal()
@@ -92,7 +94,7 @@ void GameTracker::StartInternal()
   };
   auto emit_game_removed = [this](const std::string& path) { emit GameRemoved(path); };
 
-  std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lk(m_mutex);
+  m_initial_games_emitted_event.Wait();
 
   bool cache_updated = m_cache.Update(paths, emit_game_loaded, emit_game_removed);
   cache_updated |= m_cache.UpdateAdditionalMetadata(m_title_database, emit_game_loaded);
diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinQt2/GameList/GameTracker.h b/Source/Core/DolphinQt2/GameList/GameTracker.h
index cbe6c63cba..3f27475ebc 100644
--- a/Source/Core/DolphinQt2/GameList/GameTracker.h
+++ b/Source/Core/DolphinQt2/GameList/GameTracker.h
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <memory>
-#include <mutex>
 #include <string>
 
 #include <QFileSystemWatcher>
@@ -13,6 +12,7 @@
 #include <QSet>
 #include <QString>
 
+#include "Common/Event.h"
 #include "Common/WorkQueueThread.h"
 #include "Core/TitleDatabase.h"
 #include "UICommon/GameFile.h"
@@ -75,9 +75,10 @@ private:
   Common::WorkQueueThread<Command> m_load_thread;
   UICommon::GameFileCache m_cache;
   Core::TitleDatabase m_title_database;
-  std::mutex m_mutex;
-  bool m_started = false;
+  Common::Event m_cache_loaded_event;
+  Common::Event m_initial_games_emitted_event;
   bool m_initial_games_emitted = false;
+  bool m_started = false;
 };
 
 Q_DECLARE_METATYPE(std::shared_ptr<const UICommon::GameFile>)