diff --git a/src/gpu/vulkan/SDL_gpu_vulkan.c b/src/gpu/vulkan/SDL_gpu_vulkan.c
index 7eabee8d14..66f486fa6d 100644
--- a/src/gpu/vulkan/SDL_gpu_vulkan.c
+++ b/src/gpu/vulkan/SDL_gpu_vulkan.c
@@ -1108,6 +1108,7 @@ typedef struct VulkanCommandBuffer
     VulkanFenceHandle *inFlightFence;
     bool autoReleaseFence;
 
+    bool swapchainRequested;
     bool isDefrag; // Whether this CB was created for defragging
 } VulkanCommandBuffer;
 
@@ -9934,6 +9935,9 @@ static bool VULKAN_INTERNAL_AcquireSwapchainTexture(
         SET_STRING_ERROR_AND_RETURN("Cannot acquire a swapchain texture from an unclaimed window!", false);
     }
 
+    // The command buffer is flagged for cleanup when the swapchain is requested as a cleanup timing mechanism
+    vulkanCommandBuffer->swapchainRequested = true;
+
     if (window->flags & SDL_WINDOW_HIDDEN) {
         // Edge case, texture is filled in with NULL but not an error
         return true;
@@ -10392,6 +10396,7 @@ static void VULKAN_INTERNAL_CleanCommandBuffer(
     commandBuffer->presentDataCount = 0;
     commandBuffer->waitSemaphoreCount = 0;
     commandBuffer->signalSemaphoreCount = 0;
+    commandBuffer->swapchainRequested = false;
 
     // Reset defrag state
 
@@ -10548,7 +10553,7 @@ static bool VULKAN_Submit(
     VulkanTextureSubresource *swapchainTextureSubresource;
     VulkanMemorySubAllocator *allocator;
     bool performCleanups =
-        (renderer->claimedWindowCount > 0 && vulkanCommandBuffer->presentDataCount > 0) ||
+        (renderer->claimedWindowCount > 0 && vulkanCommandBuffer->swapchainRequested) ||
         renderer->claimedWindowCount == 0;
 
     SDL_LockMutex(renderer->submitLock);