diff --git a/src/xrt/compositor/vk_native/comp_vk_native_compositor.c b/src/xrt/compositor/vk_native/comp_vk_native_compositor.c
index 1b58a99f1..f058bd204 100644
--- a/src/xrt/compositor/vk_native/comp_vk_native_compositor.c
+++ b/src/xrt/compositor/vk_native/comp_vk_native_compositor.c
@@ -606,6 +606,41 @@ vk_comp(struct xrt_compositor *xc)
 	return (struct comp_vk_native_compositor *)xc;
 }
 
+/*
+ * If the renderer signaled a frame-done semaphore on its most recent draw()
+ * submit and no consumer has taken it yet this frame, wire it into the given
+ * VkSubmitInfo so this submit waits on it instead of the caller issuing a
+ * vkQueueWaitIdle between submits. The semaphore handle and wait-stage mask
+ * are written to the caller-owned storage (must outlive vkQueueSubmit).
+ *
+ * When the renderer didn't submit this frame (zero-copy path) or a prior
+ * caller already consumed it, leaves waitSemaphoreCount at 0 — safe no-op.
+ */
+static inline void
+vk_native_wire_renderer_wait(struct comp_vk_native_compositor *c,
+                              VkSubmitInfo *si,
+                              VkSemaphore *out_sem_storage,
+                              VkPipelineStageFlags *out_stage_storage)
+{
+	uint64_t sem_u64 = comp_vk_native_renderer_take_frame_done_semaphore(c->renderer);
+	if (sem_u64 == 0) {
+		return;
+	}
+	*out_sem_storage = (VkSemaphore)(uintptr_t)sem_u64;
+	// Renderer's atlas is read by every downstream pre-DP / DP / fallback
+	// path either as a sampled texture (FRAGMENT_SHADER), a copy/blit
+	// source (TRANSFER), or sampled into a render pass (COLOR_ATTACHMENT
+	// indirectly). Waiting at the union of those stages is correct and
+	// only costs scheduling — not a CPU stall.
+	*out_stage_storage =
+	    VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_TRANSFER_BIT |
+	    VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_FRAGMENT_SHADER_BIT |
+	    VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_COLOR_ATTACHMENT_OUTPUT_BIT;
+	si->waitSemaphoreCount = 1;
+	si->pWaitSemaphores = out_sem_storage;
+	si->pWaitDstStageMask = out_stage_storage;
+}
+
 /*
  *
  * xrt_compositor member functions
@@ -2185,6 +2220,9 @@ vk_compositor_layer_commit(struct xrt_compositor *xc, xrt_graphics_sync_handle_t
 				    .commandBufferCount = 1,
 				    .pCommandBuffers = &cmd,
 				};
+				VkSemaphore pre_wait_sem = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
+				VkPipelineStageFlags pre_wait_stage = 0;
+				vk_native_wire_renderer_wait(c, &pre_si, &pre_wait_sem, &pre_wait_stage);
 				res = vk->vkQueueSubmit(vk->main_queue->queue, 1, &pre_si, VK_NULL_HANDLE);
 				if (res == VK_SUCCESS) {
 					vk->vkQueueWaitIdle(vk->main_queue->queue);
@@ -2220,6 +2258,9 @@ vk_compositor_layer_commit(struct xrt_compositor *xc, xrt_graphics_sync_handle_t
 				    .commandBufferCount = 1,
 				    .pCommandBuffers = &cmd,
 				};
+				VkSemaphore post_wait_sem = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
+				VkPipelineStageFlags post_wait_stage = 0;
+				vk_native_wire_renderer_wait(c, &submit_info, &post_wait_sem, &post_wait_stage);
 				res = vk->vkQueueSubmit(vk->main_queue->queue, 1, &submit_info, VK_NULL_HANDLE);
 				if (res == VK_SUCCESS) {
 					vk->vkQueueWaitIdle(vk->main_queue->queue);
@@ -2244,6 +2285,9 @@ vk_compositor_layer_commit(struct xrt_compositor *xc, xrt_graphics_sync_handle_t
 			    .commandBufferCount = 1,
 			    .pCommandBuffers = &cmd,
 			};
+			VkSemaphore fb_wait_sem = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
+			VkPipelineStageFlags fb_wait_stage = 0;
+			vk_native_wire_renderer_wait(c, &submit_info, &fb_wait_sem, &fb_wait_stage);
 			res = vk->vkQueueSubmit(vk->main_queue->queue, 1, &submit_info, VK_NULL_HANDLE);
 			if (res == VK_SUCCESS) {
 				vk->vkQueueWaitIdle(vk->main_queue->queue);
@@ -2388,6 +2432,9 @@ vk_compositor_layer_commit(struct xrt_compositor *xc, xrt_graphics_sync_handle_t
 					    .commandBufferCount = 1,
 					    .pCommandBuffers = &cmd,
 					};
+					VkSemaphore tgt_pre_wait_sem = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
+					VkPipelineStageFlags tgt_pre_wait_stage = 0;
+					vk_native_wire_renderer_wait(c, &pre_si, &tgt_pre_wait_sem, &tgt_pre_wait_stage);
 					res = vk->vkQueueSubmit(vk->main_queue->queue, 1, &pre_si, VK_NULL_HANDLE);
 					if (res == VK_SUCCESS) {
 						vk->vkQueueWaitIdle(vk->main_queue->queue);
@@ -2467,6 +2514,9 @@ vk_compositor_layer_commit(struct xrt_compositor *xc, xrt_graphics_sync_handle_t
 			    .commandBufferCount = 1,
 			    .pCommandBuffers = &cmd,
 			};
+			VkSemaphore tgt_wait_sem = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
+			VkPipelineStageFlags tgt_wait_stage = 0;
+			vk_native_wire_renderer_wait(c, &submit_info, &tgt_wait_sem, &tgt_wait_stage);
 
 			res = vk->vkQueueSubmit(vk->main_queue->queue, 1, &submit_info, VK_NULL_HANDLE);
 			if (res == VK_SUCCESS) {
diff --git a/src/xrt/compositor/vk_native/comp_vk_native_renderer.c b/src/xrt/compositor/vk_native/comp_vk_native_renderer.c
index 82cbc245f..03e792e83 100644
--- a/src/xrt/compositor/vk_native/comp_vk_native_renderer.c
+++ b/src/xrt/compositor/vk_native/comp_vk_native_renderer.c
@@ -75,6 +75,27 @@ struct comp_vk_native_renderer
 	//! When true, clear the atlas to alpha=0 (transparent) instead of
 	//! opaque black, so app alpha<1 regions survive to the present (issue #392).
 	bool transparent_background;
+
+	//! Binary semaphore signaled at end of draw()'s queue submit so the
+	//! compositor's downstream pre-DP submit can chain without a CPU
+	//! waitIdle between them. Single-use per draw — take_frame_done_semaphore()
+	//! returns this handle and clears @ref signal_pending so subsequent
+	//! submits in the same frame don't double-wait.
+	VkSemaphore frame_done_sem;
+
+	//! Fence signaled alongside @ref frame_done_sem. Waited at the start of
+	//! the next draw() to enforce CPU-side back-pressure and to know when
+	//! @ref pending_cmd is safe to free.
+	VkFence frame_done_fence;
+
+	//! Cmd buffer in flight from the previous draw(). NULL on first call.
+	//! Freed at the start of the next draw() once @ref frame_done_fence
+	//! signals, or at destroy() time after vkDeviceWaitIdle.
+	VkCommandBuffer pending_cmd;
+
+	//! True after draw() signals @ref frame_done_sem and until a downstream
+	//! submit takes it via take_frame_done_semaphore().
+	bool signal_pending;
 };
 
 static void
@@ -234,6 +255,35 @@ comp_vk_native_renderer_create(struct comp_vk_native_compositor *c,
 		return xret;
 	}
 
+	// Per-frame sync primitives for the combined-submit chain
+	// (renderer.draw() signals → compositor's pre-DP submit waits, no
+	// vkQueueWaitIdle between them). The fence starts signaled so the
+	// first draw() can free a (non-existent) previous cmd buffer and
+	// vkResetFences without an initial wait stall.
+	VkSemaphoreCreateInfo sem_ci = {.sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_SEMAPHORE_CREATE_INFO};
+	res = vk->vkCreateSemaphore(vk->device, &sem_ci, NULL, &r->frame_done_sem);
+	if (res != VK_SUCCESS) {
+		U_LOG_E("Failed to create renderer frame-done semaphore: %d", res);
+		destroy_atlas_resources(r);
+		vk->vkDestroyCommandPool(vk->device, r->cmd_pool, NULL);
+		free(r);
+		return XRT_ERROR_VULKAN;
+	}
+
+	VkFenceCreateInfo fence_ci = {
+	    .sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_FENCE_CREATE_INFO,
+	    .flags = VK_FENCE_CREATE_SIGNALED_BIT,
+	};
+	res = vk->vkCreateFence(vk->device, &fence_ci, NULL, &r->frame_done_fence);
+	if (res != VK_SUCCESS) {
+		U_LOG_E("Failed to create renderer frame-done fence: %d", res);
+		vk->vkDestroySemaphore(vk->device, r->frame_done_sem, NULL);
+		destroy_atlas_resources(r);
+		vk->vkDestroyCommandPool(vk->device, r->cmd_pool, NULL);
+		free(r);
+		return XRT_ERROR_VULKAN;
+	}
+
 	*out_renderer = r;
 	return XRT_SUCCESS;
 }
@@ -250,6 +300,18 @@ comp_vk_native_renderer_destroy(struct comp_vk_native_renderer **renderer_ptr)
 
 	vk->vkDeviceWaitIdle(vk->device);
 
+	if (r->pending_cmd != VK_NULL_HANDLE) {
+		vk->vkFreeCommandBuffers(vk->device, r->cmd_pool, 1, &r->pending_cmd);
+		r->pending_cmd = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
+	}
+
+	if (r->frame_done_fence != VK_NULL_HANDLE) {
+		vk->vkDestroyFence(vk->device, r->frame_done_fence, NULL);
+	}
+	if (r->frame_done_sem != VK_NULL_HANDLE) {
+		vk->vkDestroySemaphore(vk->device, r->frame_done_sem, NULL);
+	}
+
 	destroy_atlas_resources(r);
 
 	if (r->cmd_pool != VK_NULL_HANDLE) {
@@ -306,6 +368,46 @@ comp_vk_native_renderer_draw(struct comp_vk_native_renderer *r,
 	(void)left_eye;
 	(void)right_eye;
 
+	// Wait for the previous frame's submit to finish so we can safely
+	// free its cmd buffer and (later) reuse the per-frame fence. Fence
+	// starts signaled at create time so the first call returns
+	// immediately. We DON'T reset the fence here — that's deferred
+	// until just before the main vkQueueSubmit so any early-return
+	// failure (cmd-buffer alloc fails, drain fails, etc.) leaves the
+	// fence in its signaled state. Otherwise the next draw() would
+	// vkWaitForFences forever on a fence nothing ever signals.
+	vk->vkWaitForFences(vk->device, 1, &r->frame_done_fence, VK_TRUE, UINT64_MAX);
+
+	if (r->pending_cmd != VK_NULL_HANDLE) {
+		vk->vkFreeCommandBuffers(vk->device, r->cmd_pool, 1, &r->pending_cmd);
+		r->pending_cmd = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
+	}
+
+	// Defensive: if the previous frame's frame-done semaphore was
+	// signaled but never consumed by a downstream submit (e.g. that
+	// submit failed, or resize() drained the GPU without going through
+	// the compositor's frame loop), drain it now via a no-op
+	// wait-submit so we don't double-signal a binary semaphore on the
+	// vkQueueSubmit below — that's undefined behavior per Vulkan spec.
+	// Only clear signal_pending if the drain actually went through;
+	// otherwise the next signaling submit would risk the double-signal UB.
+	if (r->signal_pending) {
+		VkPipelineStageFlags drain_stage = VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_TOP_OF_PIPE_BIT;
+		VkSubmitInfo drain = {
+		    .sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_SUBMIT_INFO,
+		    .waitSemaphoreCount = 1,
+		    .pWaitSemaphores = &r->frame_done_sem,
+		    .pWaitDstStageMask = &drain_stage,
+		};
+		VkResult drain_res = vk->vkQueueSubmit(vk->main_queue->queue, 1, &drain, VK_NULL_HANDLE);
+		if (drain_res == VK_SUCCESS) {
+			r->signal_pending = false;
+		} else {
+			U_LOG_E("Failed to drain stuck frame-done semaphore: %d", drain_res);
+			return XRT_ERROR_VULKAN;
+		}
+	}
+
 	VkCommandBufferAllocateInfo alloc_info = {
 	    .sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_COMMAND_BUFFER_ALLOCATE_INFO,
 	    .commandPool = r->cmd_pool,
@@ -460,21 +562,38 @@ comp_vk_native_renderer_draw(struct comp_vk_native_renderer *r,
 
 	vk->vkEndCommandBuffer(cmd);
 
+	// Signal the frame-done semaphore on submit so the compositor's
+	// pre-DP submit (which reads from atlas_image) can chain after us
+	// without a CPU vkQueueWaitIdle. The fence catches the same event
+	// CPU-side so the next draw() can safely free this cmd buffer.
+	//
+	// Reset the fence here (not at the top of draw) so any early-return
+	// failure above leaves the fence in its previous signaled state
+	// rather than deadlocking the next draw() on a fence nothing signals.
+	vk->vkResetFences(vk->device, 1, &r->frame_done_fence);
+
 	VkSubmitInfo submit_info = {
 	    .sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_SUBMIT_INFO,
 	    .commandBufferCount = 1,
 	    .pCommandBuffers = &cmd,
+	    .signalSemaphoreCount = 1,
+	    .pSignalSemaphores = &r->frame_done_sem,
 	};
 
-	res = vk->vkQueueSubmit(vk->main_queue->queue, 1, &submit_info, VK_NULL_HANDLE);
+	res = vk->vkQueueSubmit(vk->main_queue->queue, 1, &submit_info, r->frame_done_fence);
 	if (res != VK_SUCCESS) {
 		U_LOG_E("Failed to submit renderer commands: %d", res);
 		vk->vkFreeCommandBuffers(vk->device, r->cmd_pool, 1, &cmd);
+		// Re-signal the fence with a no-op submit so the next draw()
+		// doesn't deadlock waiting on a fence that vkQueueSubmit
+		// refused to associate with a batch.
+		VkSubmitInfo signal_only = {.sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_SUBMIT_INFO};
+		vk->vkQueueSubmit(vk->main_queue->queue, 1, &signal_only, r->frame_done_fence);
 		return XRT_ERROR_VULKAN;
 	}
 
-	vk->vkQueueWaitIdle(vk->main_queue->queue);
-	vk->vkFreeCommandBuffers(vk->device, r->cmd_pool, 1, &cmd);
+	r->pending_cmd = cmd;
+	r->signal_pending = true;
 
 	return XRT_SUCCESS;
 }
@@ -700,3 +819,13 @@ comp_vk_native_renderer_set_transparent(struct comp_vk_native_renderer *r, bool
 {
 	r->transparent_background = transparent_background;
 }
+
+uint64_t
+comp_vk_native_renderer_take_frame_done_semaphore(struct comp_vk_native_renderer *r)
+{
+	if (!r->signal_pending) {
+		return 0;
+	}
+	r->signal_pending = false;
+	return (uint64_t)(uintptr_t)r->frame_done_sem;
+}
diff --git a/src/xrt/compositor/vk_native/comp_vk_native_renderer.h b/src/xrt/compositor/vk_native/comp_vk_native_renderer.h
index 51d6efcd6..628b07ef1 100644
--- a/src/xrt/compositor/vk_native/comp_vk_native_renderer.h
+++ b/src/xrt/compositor/vk_native/comp_vk_native_renderer.h
@@ -251,6 +251,27 @@ void
 comp_vk_native_renderer_set_transparent(struct comp_vk_native_renderer *renderer,
                                          bool transparent_background);
 
+/*!
+ * Take ownership of the binary semaphore signaled by the most recent
+ * @ref comp_vk_native_renderer_draw submit. The compositor passes this
+ * as a wait semaphore on its downstream pre-DP submit, replacing the
+ * previous vkQueueWaitIdle between renderer and compositor submits.
+ *
+ * Returns VK_NULL_HANDLE (cast to uint64_t) when there is no pending
+ * signal — e.g. on the zero-copy path where draw() was skipped, or when
+ * a previous caller in the same frame already consumed it.
+ *
+ * Single-consumer per draw() call. Caller is responsible for waiting on
+ * the returned handle at an appropriate pipeline stage.
+ *
+ * @param renderer The renderer.
+ * @return VkSemaphore as uint64_t, or 0 (VK_NULL_HANDLE) when none pending.
+ *
+ * @ingroup comp_vk_native
+ */
+uint64_t
+comp_vk_native_renderer_take_frame_done_semaphore(struct comp_vk_native_renderer *renderer);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif