diff --git a/pcsx2/MTGS.cpp b/pcsx2/MTGS.cpp
index 933f03236f..2ec51dc1fb 100644
--- a/pcsx2/MTGS.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/MTGS.cpp
@@ -110,9 +110,17 @@ void SysMtgsThread::ShutdownThread()
 
 void SysMtgsThread::ThreadEntryPoint()
 {
-	m_thread_handle = Threading::ThreadHandle::GetForCallingThread();
 	Threading::SetNameOfCurrentThread("GS");
 
+	if (GSinit() != 0)
+	{
+		Host::ReportErrorAsync("Error", "GSinit() failed.");
+		m_open_or_close_done.Post();
+		return;
+	}
+
+	m_thread_handle = Threading::ThreadHandle::GetForCallingThread();
+
 	for (;;)
 	{
 		// wait until we're actually asked to initialize (and config has been loaded, etc)
@@ -154,6 +162,8 @@ void SysMtgsThread::ThreadEntryPoint()
 		// we need to reset sem_event here, because MainLoop() kills it.
 		m_sem_event.Reset();
 	}
+
+	GSshutdown();
 }
 
 void SysMtgsThread::ResetGS()
diff --git a/pcsx2/VMManager.cpp b/pcsx2/VMManager.cpp
index a61e1bf448..82dd1fdf02 100644
--- a/pcsx2/VMManager.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/VMManager.cpp
@@ -647,19 +647,6 @@ bool VMManager::Initialize(const VMBootParameters& boot_params)
 	ScopedGuard close_cdvd = [] { DoCDVDclose(); };
 
 	Console.WriteLn("Opening GS...");
-
-	// TODO: Get rid of thread state nonsense and just make it a "normal" thread.
-	static bool gs_initialized = false;
-	if (!gs_initialized)
-	{
-		if (GSinit() != 0)
-		{
-			Console.WriteLn("Failed to initialize GS.");
-			return false;
-		}
-
-		gs_initialized = true;
-	}
 	if (!GetMTGS().WaitForOpen())
 	{
 		// we assume GS is going to report its own error
diff --git a/pcsx2/gui/SysCoreThread.cpp b/pcsx2/gui/SysCoreThread.cpp
index 7a9d4fbbec..35f441d1d6 100644
--- a/pcsx2/gui/SysCoreThread.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/gui/SysCoreThread.cpp
@@ -112,7 +112,6 @@ void SysCoreThread::OnSuspendInThread()
 
 void SysCoreThread::Start()
 {
-	GSinit();
 	SPU2init();
 	PADinit();
 	DEV9init();