diff --git a/cheevos/cheevos.c b/cheevos/cheevos.c
index 08e8478f3b6..3e8d53dab25 100644
--- a/cheevos/cheevos.c
+++ b/cheevos/cheevos.c
@@ -2463,15 +2463,15 @@ static void rcheevos_client_load_game_callback(int result,
    }
 
 #ifdef HAVE_THREADS
-   if (!task_is_on_main_thread())
+   if (!video_driver_is_threaded() && !task_is_on_main_thread())
    {
       /* have to "schedule" this. game image should not be loaded on background thread */
       rcheevos_locals.queued_command = CMD_CHEEVOS_NON_COMMAND;
       rcheevos_locals.game_placard_requested = true;
    }
    else
-      rcheevos_show_game_placard();
 #endif
+      rcheevos_show_game_placard();
 
    rcheevos_finalize_game_load(client);
 
diff --git a/cheevos/cheevos_menu.c b/cheevos/cheevos_menu.c
index 4ff901ef4ce..42a8d8e7a14 100644
--- a/cheevos/cheevos_menu.c
+++ b/cheevos/cheevos_menu.c
@@ -475,12 +475,15 @@ uintptr_t rcheevos_get_badge_texture(const char* badge, bool locked, bool downlo
    if (!badge || !badge[0])
       return 0;
 
-   /* OpenGL driver crashes if gfx_display_reset_textures_list is called on a background thread */
-   if (!task_is_on_main_thread())
-   {
-      CHEEVOS_ERR(RCHEEVOS_TAG "attempt to load badge %s from background thread", badge);
-      retro_assert(task_is_on_main_thread());
-   }
+#ifdef HAVE_THREADS
+   /* The OpenGL driver crashes if gfx_display_reset_textures_list is not called on the video thread.
+    * If threaded video is enabled, it'll automatically dispatch the request to the video thread.
+    * If threaded video is not enabled, just return null. The video thread should assume the image
+    * wasn't downloaded and check again in a few frames.
+    */
+   if (!video_driver_is_threaded() && !task_is_on_main_thread())
+      return 0;
+#endif
 
    snprintf(badge_file, sizeof(badge_file), "%s%s%s", badge,
       locked ? "_lock" : "", FILE_PATH_PNG_EXTENSION);
diff --git a/gfx/video_thread_wrapper.c b/gfx/video_thread_wrapper.c
index 6b81fbee07e..ad369cd2e1b 100644
--- a/gfx/video_thread_wrapper.c
+++ b/gfx/video_thread_wrapper.c
@@ -1432,6 +1432,11 @@ unsigned video_thread_texture_load(void *data, custom_command_method_t func)
    if (!thr)
       return 0;
 
+   /* if we're already on the video thread, just call the function, otherwise
+    * we may deadlock with ourself waiting for the packet to be processed. */
+   if (sthread_get_thread_id(thr->thread) == sthread_get_current_thread_id())
+      return func(data);
+
    pkt.type                       = CMD_CUSTOM_COMMAND;
    pkt.data.custom_command.method = func;
    pkt.data.custom_command.data   = data;