diff --git a/Common/GPU/OpenGL/GLRenderManager.cpp b/Common/GPU/OpenGL/GLRenderManager.cpp
index b08c59a23a..9879b7b8c4 100644
--- a/Common/GPU/OpenGL/GLRenderManager.cpp
+++ b/Common/GPU/OpenGL/GLRenderManager.cpp
@@ -183,6 +183,16 @@ void GLRenderManager::StopThread() {
 	}
 }
 
+void GLRenderManager::StartThread() {
+	// There's not really a lot to do here anymore.
+	INFO_LOG(G3D, "GLRenderManager::StartThread()");
+	if (!runCompileThread_) {
+		runCompileThread_ = true;
+	} else {
+		INFO_LOG(G3D, "GL submission thread was already running.");
+	}
+}
+
 std::string GLRenderManager::GetGpuProfileString() const {
 	int curFrame = curFrame_;
 	const GLQueueProfileContext &profile = frameData_[curFrame].profile;
diff --git a/Common/GPU/OpenGL/GLRenderManager.h b/Common/GPU/OpenGL/GLRenderManager.h
index 4c7e1a5509..558fd37879 100644
--- a/Common/GPU/OpenGL/GLRenderManager.h
+++ b/Common/GPU/OpenGL/GLRenderManager.h
@@ -834,6 +834,7 @@ public:
 		}
 	}
 
+	void StartThread();  // Currently only used on iOS, since we fully recreate the context on Android
 	void StopThread();
 
 	bool SawOutOfMemory() {
@@ -873,6 +874,7 @@ private:
 	FastVec<GLRInitStep> initSteps_;
 
 	// Execution time state
+	// TODO: Rename this, as we don't actually use a compile thread on OpenGL.
 	bool runCompileThread_ = true;
 
 	// Thread is managed elsewhere, and should call ThreadFrame.
diff --git a/ios/ViewController.mm b/ios/ViewController.mm
index fcf29ec9ef..890ef4d3ae 100644
--- a/ios/ViewController.mm
+++ b/ios/ViewController.mm
@@ -73,6 +73,10 @@ public:
 		renderManager_->ThreadEnd();
 	}
 
+	void StartThread() {
+		renderManager_->StartThread();
+	}
+
 	void StopThread() override {
 		renderManager_->StopThread();
 	}
@@ -153,7 +157,6 @@ void GLRenderLoop(IOSGLESContext *graphicsContext) {
 	SetCurrentThreadName("EmuThreadGL");
 	renderLoopRunning = true;
 
-	// graphicsContext->StartThread();
 	NativeInitGraphics(graphicsContext);
 
 	INFO_LOG(SYSTEM, "Emulation thread starting\n");
@@ -185,6 +188,8 @@ void GLRenderLoop(IOSGLESContext *graphicsContext) {
 	_dbg_assert_(!renderLoopRunning);
 	_dbg_assert_(!exitRenderLoop);
 
+	graphicsContext->StartThread();
+
 	g_renderLoopThread = std::thread(GLRenderLoop, graphicsContext);
 	return true;
 }
@@ -196,6 +201,10 @@ void GLRenderLoop(IOSGLESContext *graphicsContext) {
 	}
 	_assert_(g_renderLoopThread.joinable());
 	exitRenderLoop = true;
+	graphicsContext->StopThread();
+	while (graphicsContext->ThreadFrame()) {
+		continue;
+	}
 	g_renderLoopThread.join();
 	_assert_(!g_renderLoopThread.joinable());
 }
@@ -310,9 +319,14 @@ void GLRenderLoop(IOSGLESContext *graphicsContext) {
 	self.gameController = nil;
 
 	graphicsContext->StopThread();
+	// Skipping GL calls here because the old context is lost.
+	while (graphicsContext->ThreadFrame()) {
+		continue;
+	}
 	graphicsContext->Shutdown();
 	delete graphicsContext;
 	graphicsContext = nullptr;
+	INFO_LOG(SYSTEM, "Done shutting down GL");
 }
 
 - (void)dealloc