diff --git a/src/gpu/metal/SDL_gpu_metal.m b/src/gpu/metal/SDL_gpu_metal.m
index 1b69546c7f..c064b21f93 100644
--- a/src/gpu/metal/SDL_gpu_metal.m
+++ b/src/gpu/metal/SDL_gpu_metal.m
@@ -430,6 +430,7 @@ static MTLDepthClipMode SDLToMetal_DepthClipMode(
 // Structs
 
 typedef struct MetalRenderer MetalRenderer;
+typedef struct MetalCommandBuffer MetalCommandBuffer;
 
 typedef struct MetalTexture
 {
@@ -453,7 +454,8 @@ typedef struct MetalTextureContainer
 
 typedef struct MetalFence
 {
-    SDL_AtomicInt complete;
+    // can be NULL if the command buffer was recycled
+    MetalCommandBuffer *commandBuffer;
     SDL_AtomicInt referenceCount;
 } MetalFence;
 
@@ -2093,7 +2095,6 @@ static Uint8 METAL_INTERNAL_CreateFence(
     MetalFence *fence;
 
     fence = SDL_calloc(1, sizeof(MetalFence));
-    SDL_SetAtomicInt(&fence->complete, 0);
     SDL_SetAtomicInt(&fence->referenceCount, 0);
 
     // Add it to the available pool
@@ -2136,7 +2137,7 @@ static bool METAL_INTERNAL_AcquireFence(
 
     // Associate the fence with the command buffer
     commandBuffer->fence = fence;
-    SDL_SetAtomicInt(&fence->complete, 0); // FIXME: Is this right?
+    fence->commandBuffer = commandBuffer;
     (void)SDL_AtomicIncRef(&commandBuffer->fence->referenceCount);
 
     return true;
@@ -3517,6 +3518,8 @@ static void METAL_INTERNAL_CleanCommandBuffer(
         METAL_ReleaseFence(
             (SDL_GPURenderer *)renderer,
             (SDL_GPUFence *)commandBuffer->fence);
+    } else {
+        commandBuffer->fence->commandBuffer = NULL;
     }
 
     // Return command buffer to pool
@@ -3583,6 +3586,16 @@ static void METAL_INTERNAL_PerformPendingDestroys(
 }
 
 // Fences
+static bool METAL_INTERNAL_IsFenceBusy(
+        MetalFence *fence
+) {
+    if (!fence->commandBuffer) {
+        return false; // command buffer was recycled
+    }
+
+    MTLCommandBufferStatus status = fence->commandBuffer->handle.status;
+    return status == MTLCommandBufferStatusCommitted || status == MTLCommandBufferStatusScheduled;
+}
 
 static bool METAL_WaitForFences(
     SDL_GPURenderer *driverData,
@@ -3592,24 +3605,29 @@ static bool METAL_WaitForFences(
 {
     @autoreleasepool {
         MetalRenderer *renderer = (MetalRenderer *)driverData;
-        bool waiting;
 
         if (waitAll) {
             for (Uint32 i = 0; i < numFences; i += 1) {
-                while (!SDL_GetAtomicInt(&((MetalFence *)fences[i])->complete)) {
-                    // Spin!
+                MetalFence *fence = (MetalFence *)fences[i];
+                if (METAL_INTERNAL_IsFenceBusy(fence)) {
+                    [fence->commandBuffer->handle waitUntilCompleted];
                 }
             }
         } else {
-            waiting = 1;
-            while (waiting) {
-                for (Uint32 i = 0; i < numFences; i += 1) {
-                    if (SDL_GetAtomicInt(&((MetalFence *)fences[i])->complete) > 0) {
-                        waiting = 0;
-                        break;
-                    }
-                }
+            dispatch_semaphore_t semaphore = dispatch_semaphore_create(0);
+            for (Uint32 i = 0; i < numFences; i += 1) {
+                MetalFence *fence = (MetalFence *)fences[i];
+                // command buffer has completed and been recycled
+                if(!fence->commandBuffer)
+                    return true;
+
+                // even if it's completed, the handle will call back straight away
+                [fence->commandBuffer->handle addCompletedHandler:^(id<MTLCommandBuffer> buffer) {
+                    dispatch_semaphore_signal(semaphore);
+                }];
             }
+
+            dispatch_semaphore_wait(semaphore, DISPATCH_TIME_FOREVER);
         }
 
         METAL_INTERNAL_PerformPendingDestroys(renderer);
@@ -3623,7 +3641,7 @@ static bool METAL_QueryFence(
     SDL_GPUFence *fence)
 {
     MetalFence *metalFence = (MetalFence *)fence;
-    return SDL_GetAtomicInt(&metalFence->complete) == 1;
+    return METAL_INTERNAL_IsFenceBusy(metalFence);
 }
 
 // Window and Swapchain Management
@@ -4086,11 +4104,6 @@ static bool METAL_Submit(
             windowData->frameCounter = (windowData->frameCounter + 1) % renderer->allowedFramesInFlight;
         }
 
-        // Notify the fence when the command buffer has completed
-        [metalCommandBuffer->handle addCompletedHandler:^(id<MTLCommandBuffer> buffer) {
-          SDL_AtomicIncRef(&metalCommandBuffer->fence->complete);
-        }];
-
         // Submit the command buffer
         [metalCommandBuffer->handle commit];
         metalCommandBuffer->handle = nil;
@@ -4108,7 +4121,8 @@ static bool METAL_Submit(
 
         // Check if we can perform any cleanups
         for (Sint32 i = renderer->submittedCommandBufferCount - 1; i >= 0; i -= 1) {
-            if (SDL_GetAtomicInt(&renderer->submittedCommandBuffers[i]->fence->complete)) {
+
+            if (!METAL_INTERNAL_IsFenceBusy(renderer->submittedCommandBuffers[i]->fence)) {
                 METAL_INTERNAL_CleanCommandBuffer(
                     renderer,
                     renderer->submittedCommandBuffers[i],
@@ -4161,9 +4175,8 @@ static bool METAL_Wait(
          * Sort of equivalent to vkDeviceWaitIdle.
          */
         for (Uint32 i = 0; i < renderer->submittedCommandBufferCount; i += 1) {
-            while (!SDL_GetAtomicInt(&renderer->submittedCommandBuffers[i]->fence->complete)) {
-                // Spin!
-            }
+            SDL_GPUFence *opaqueFence = (SDL_GPUFence *)renderer->submittedCommandBuffers[i]->fence;
+            METAL_WaitForFences(driverData, true, &opaqueFence, 1);
         }
 
         SDL_LockMutex(renderer->submitLock);