diff --git a/runloop_data.c b/runloop_data.c
index 7df020fa17..ddcce64272 100644
--- a/runloop_data.c
+++ b/runloop_data.c
@@ -158,8 +158,12 @@ static void data_thread_loop(void *data)
 
       data_runloop_iterate(true);
 
-      while (runloop->thread_sleeping)
-         scond_wait(runloop->cond, runloop->lock);
+      if (!rarch_main_data_active())
+      {
+         runloop->thread_sleeping = true;
+         while(runloop->thread_sleeping)
+            scond_wait(runloop->cond, runloop->lock);
+      }
 
       slock_unlock(runloop->lock);
 
@@ -218,8 +222,7 @@ void rarch_main_data_iterate(void)
    {
       if (!g_data_runloop.thread_inited)
          rarch_main_data_thread_init();
-
-      if (rarch_main_data_active())
+      else if (g_data_runloop.thread_sleeping)
       {
          slock_lock(g_data_runloop.cond_lock);
          g_data_runloop.thread_sleeping = false;