diff --git a/src/allocator.rs b/src/allocator.rs
index 6354bdb7..f836a471 100644
--- a/src/allocator.rs
+++ b/src/allocator.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ use {
 
 #[derive(Debug, Error)]
 #[error(transparent)]
-pub struct AllocatorError(#[from] pub Box<dyn Error>);
+pub struct AllocatorError(#[from] pub Box<dyn Error + Send>);
 
 bitflags! {
     BufferUsage: u32;
diff --git a/src/cpu_worker.rs b/src/cpu_worker.rs
index d3d6adca..3875401f 100644
--- a/src/cpu_worker.rs
+++ b/src/cpu_worker.rs
@@ -290,7 +290,6 @@ impl CpuWorker {
         })
     }
 
-    #[expect(dead_code)]
     pub fn submit(&self, job: Box<dyn CpuJob>) -> PendingJob {
         let mut job = NonNull::from(Box::leak(job));
         let id = self.data.next.next();
diff --git a/src/gfx_api.rs b/src/gfx_api.rs
index a3556206..5ca68519 100644
--- a/src/gfx_api.rs
+++ b/src/gfx_api.rs
@@ -642,7 +642,7 @@ pub struct GfxFormat {
 
 #[derive(Error)]
 #[error(transparent)]
-pub struct GfxError(pub Box<dyn Error>);
+pub struct GfxError(pub Box<dyn Error + Send>);
 
 impl Debug for GfxError {
     fn fmt(&self, f: &mut Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
diff --git a/src/gfx_apis/vulkan/allocator.rs b/src/gfx_apis/vulkan/allocator.rs
index 4f2568e4..77ffced0 100644
--- a/src/gfx_apis/vulkan/allocator.rs
+++ b/src/gfx_apis/vulkan/allocator.rs
@@ -1,26 +1,55 @@
 use {
     crate::{
-        gfx_apis::vulkan::{device::VulkanDevice, instance::API_VERSION, VulkanError},
+        cpu_worker::{AsyncCpuWork, CpuJob, CpuWork, CpuWorker},
+        gfx_apis::vulkan::{
+            device::VulkanDevice, instance::API_VERSION, renderer::VulkanRenderer, VulkanError,
+        },
         utils::{numcell::NumCell, ptr_ext::MutPtrExt},
     },
-    ash::vk::{DeviceMemory, DeviceSize, MemoryRequirements},
+    ash::{
+        vk::{DeviceMemory, DeviceSize, MemoryRequirements},
+        Device,
+    },
     gpu_alloc::{Config, GpuAllocator, MemoryBlock, MemoryPropertyFlags, Request, UsageFlags},
     gpu_alloc_ash::AshMemoryDevice,
+    parking_lot::Mutex,
     std::{
         cell::{Cell, UnsafeCell},
         rc::Rc,
+        sync::Arc,
     },
 };
 
-pub struct VulkanAllocator {
-    pub(super) device: Rc<VulkanDevice>,
-    pub(super) non_coherent_atom_mask: u64,
+pub struct SyncAllocatorStorage {
+    allocator: Arc<Mutex<GpuAllocator<DeviceMemory>>>,
+    device: Rc<VulkanDevice>,
+}
+
+pub struct UnsyncAllocatorStorage {
     allocator: UnsafeCell<GpuAllocator<DeviceMemory>>,
+    device: Rc<VulkanDevice>,
+}
+
+pub struct VulkanAllocatorType<T> {
+    storage: T,
+    non_coherent_atom_mask: u64,
     total: NumCell<u64>,
 }
 
+pub type VulkanAllocator = VulkanAllocatorType<UnsyncAllocatorStorage>;
+pub type VulkanThreadedAllocator = VulkanAllocatorType<SyncAllocatorStorage>;
+
+enum AllocatorType {
+    Local(Rc<VulkanAllocator>),
+    Threaded {
+        allocator: Rc<VulkanThreadedAllocator>,
+        renderer: Rc<VulkanRenderer>,
+        cpu: Rc<CpuWorker>,
+    },
+}
+
 pub struct VulkanAllocation {
-    pub(super) allocator: Rc<VulkanAllocator>,
+    allocator: AllocatorType,
     pub(super) memory: DeviceMemory,
     pub(super) offset: DeviceSize,
     pub(super) mem: Option<*mut u8>,
@@ -29,26 +58,65 @@ pub struct VulkanAllocation {
     block: Cell<Option<MemoryBlock<DeviceMemory>>>,
 }
 
+impl VulkanAllocation {
+    unsafe fn free_locally<T>(
+        &self,
+        allocator: &VulkanAllocatorType<T>,
+        device: &VulkanDevice,
+        gpu: &mut GpuAllocator<DeviceMemory>,
+    ) {
+        allocator.total.fetch_sub(self.size);
+        let block = self.block.take().unwrap();
+        do_free(gpu, &device.device, block, self.mem);
+    }
+}
+
 impl Drop for VulkanAllocation {
     fn drop(&mut self) {
         unsafe {
-            self.allocator.total.fetch_sub(self.size);
-            let mut block = self.block.take().unwrap();
-            if let Some(_ptr) = self.mem {
-                // log::info!("free = {:?} - {:?} ({})", ptr, ptr.add(block.size() as usize), block.size());
-                block.unmap(AshMemoryDevice::wrap(&self.allocator.device.device));
+            match &self.allocator {
+                AllocatorType::Local(a) => self.free_locally(a, &a.storage.device, a.allocator()),
+                AllocatorType::Threaded {
+                    allocator,
+                    renderer,
+                    cpu,
+                } => {
+                    if renderer.defunct.get() {
+                        self.free_locally(
+                            allocator,
+                            &allocator.storage.device,
+                            &mut allocator.storage.allocator.lock(),
+                        );
+                    } else {
+                        let id = renderer.allocate_point();
+                        let job = FreeJob {
+                            id,
+                            renderer: renderer.clone(),
+                            allocator: allocator.clone(),
+                            size: self.size,
+                            work: FreeWork {
+                                device: allocator.storage.device.device.clone(),
+                                allocator: allocator.storage.allocator.clone(),
+                                allocation: Some(UnsafeAllocation {
+                                    block: self.block.take().unwrap(),
+                                    ptr: self.mem,
+                                }),
+                            },
+                        };
+                        let pending = cpu.submit(Box::new(job));
+                        renderer.pending_cpu_jobs.set(id, pending);
+                    }
+                }
             }
-            self.allocator
-                .allocator
-                .get()
-                .deref_mut()
-                .dealloc(AshMemoryDevice::wrap(&self.allocator.device.device), block);
         }
     }
 }
 
 impl VulkanDevice {
-    pub fn create_allocator(self: &Rc<Self>) -> Result<Rc<VulkanAllocator>, VulkanError> {
+    fn create_allocator_<T>(
+        self: &Rc<Self>,
+        map: impl FnOnce(GpuAllocator<DeviceMemory>) -> T,
+    ) -> Result<Rc<VulkanAllocatorType<T>>, VulkanError> {
         let config = Config::i_am_prototyping();
         let props = unsafe {
             gpu_alloc_ash::device_properties(
@@ -61,53 +129,40 @@ impl VulkanDevice {
         props.buffer_device_address = false;
         let non_coherent_atom_size = props.non_coherent_atom_size;
         let allocator = GpuAllocator::new(config, props);
-        Ok(Rc::new(VulkanAllocator {
-            device: self.clone(),
+        Ok(Rc::new(VulkanAllocatorType {
             non_coherent_atom_mask: non_coherent_atom_size - 1,
-            allocator: UnsafeCell::new(allocator),
+            storage: map(allocator),
             total: Default::default(),
         }))
     }
-}
 
-impl VulkanAllocator {
-    fn allocator(&self) -> &mut GpuAllocator<DeviceMemory> {
-        unsafe { self.allocator.get().deref_mut() }
+    pub fn create_allocator(self: &Rc<Self>) -> Result<Rc<VulkanAllocator>, VulkanError> {
+        self.create_allocator_(|a| UnsyncAllocatorStorage {
+            allocator: UnsafeCell::new(a),
+            device: self.clone(),
+        })
     }
 
-    pub fn alloc(
+    pub fn create_threaded_allocator(
         self: &Rc<Self>,
-        req: &MemoryRequirements,
-        usage: UsageFlags,
-        map: bool,
-    ) -> Result<VulkanAllocation, VulkanError> {
-        let request = Request {
-            size: req.size,
-            align_mask: req.alignment - 1,
-            usage,
-            memory_types: req.memory_type_bits,
-        };
-        let block = unsafe {
-            self.allocator()
-                .alloc(AshMemoryDevice::wrap(&self.device.device), request)
-        };
-        let mut block = block.map_err(VulkanError::AllocateMemory2)?;
-        let ptr = match map {
-            true => {
-                let ptr = unsafe {
-                    block.map(
-                        AshMemoryDevice::wrap(&self.device.device),
-                        0,
-                        block.size() as usize,
-                    )
-                };
-                Some(ptr.map_err(VulkanError::MapMemory)?.as_ptr())
-            }
-            false => None,
-        };
+    ) -> Result<Rc<VulkanThreadedAllocator>, VulkanError> {
+        self.create_allocator_(|a| SyncAllocatorStorage {
+            allocator: Arc::new(Mutex::new(a)),
+            device: self.clone(),
+        })
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T> VulkanAllocatorType<T> {
+    fn commit_allocation(
+        self: &Rc<Self>,
+        ua: UnsafeAllocation,
+        allocator: AllocatorType,
+    ) -> VulkanAllocation {
+        let UnsafeAllocation { block, ptr } = ua;
         self.total.fetch_add(block.size());
-        Ok(VulkanAllocation {
-            allocator: self.clone(),
+        VulkanAllocation {
+            allocator,
             memory: *block.memory(),
             offset: block.offset(),
             mem: ptr,
@@ -117,17 +172,218 @@ impl VulkanAllocator {
                 false => Some(self.non_coherent_atom_mask),
             },
             block: Cell::new(Some(block)),
-        })
-    }
-}
-
-impl Drop for VulkanAllocator {
-    fn drop(&mut self) {
-        unsafe {
-            self.allocator
-                .get()
-                .deref_mut()
-                .cleanup(AshMemoryDevice::wrap(&self.device.device));
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl VulkanAllocator {
+    fn allocator(&self) -> &mut GpuAllocator<DeviceMemory> {
+        unsafe { self.storage.allocator.get().deref_mut() }
+    }
+
+    pub fn alloc(
+        self: &Rc<Self>,
+        req: &MemoryRequirements,
+        usage: UsageFlags,
+        map: bool,
+    ) -> Result<VulkanAllocation, VulkanError> {
+        let ua = do_alloc(
+            self.allocator(),
+            &self.storage.device.device,
+            req,
+            usage,
+            map,
+        )?;
+        Ok(self.commit_allocation(ua, AllocatorType::Local(self.clone())))
+    }
+}
+
+impl VulkanThreadedAllocator {
+    #[expect(dead_code)]
+    pub fn async_alloc(
+        self: &Rc<Self>,
+        renderer: &Rc<VulkanRenderer>,
+        cpu: &Rc<CpuWorker>,
+        req: MemoryRequirements,
+        usage: UsageFlags,
+        map: bool,
+        cb: impl FnOnce(Result<VulkanAllocation, VulkanError>) + 'static,
+    ) -> Result<(), VulkanError> {
+        renderer.check_defunct()?;
+        let id = renderer.allocate_point();
+        let job = AllocJob {
+            id,
+            renderer: renderer.clone(),
+            cpu: cpu.clone(),
+            allocator: self.clone(),
+            cb: Some(cb),
+            work: AllocWork {
+                req,
+                usage,
+                map,
+                device: self.storage.device.device.clone(),
+                allocator: self.storage.allocator.clone(),
+                res: None,
+            },
+        };
+        let pending = cpu.submit(Box::new(job));
+        renderer.pending_cpu_jobs.set(id, pending);
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
+struct AllocJob<T> {
+    id: u64,
+    renderer: Rc<VulkanRenderer>,
+    cpu: Rc<CpuWorker>,
+    allocator: Rc<VulkanThreadedAllocator>,
+    cb: Option<T>,
+    work: AllocWork,
+}
+
+struct AllocWork {
+    req: MemoryRequirements,
+    usage: UsageFlags,
+    map: bool,
+    device: Arc<Device>,
+    allocator: Arc<Mutex<GpuAllocator<DeviceMemory>>>,
+    res: Option<Result<UnsafeAllocation, VulkanError>>,
+}
+
+impl CpuWork for AllocWork {
+    fn run(&mut self) -> Option<Box<dyn AsyncCpuWork>> {
+        let r = do_alloc(
+            &mut self.allocator.lock(),
+            &self.device,
+            &self.req,
+            self.usage,
+            self.map,
+        );
+        self.res = Some(r);
+        None
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T> CpuJob for AllocJob<T>
+where
+    T: FnOnce(Result<VulkanAllocation, VulkanError>),
+{
+    fn work(&mut self) -> &mut dyn CpuWork {
+        &mut self.work
+    }
+
+    fn completed(mut self: Box<Self>) {
+        self.renderer.pending_cpu_jobs.remove(&self.id);
+        let res = self.work.res.take().unwrap().map(|ua| {
+            self.allocator.commit_allocation(
+                ua,
+                AllocatorType::Threaded {
+                    allocator: self.allocator.clone(),
+                    renderer: self.renderer.clone(),
+                    cpu: self.cpu.clone(),
+                },
+            )
+        });
+        self.cb.take().unwrap()(res);
+    }
+}
+
+struct FreeJob {
+    id: u64,
+    renderer: Rc<VulkanRenderer>,
+    allocator: Rc<VulkanThreadedAllocator>,
+    size: u64,
+    work: FreeWork,
+}
+
+struct FreeWork {
+    device: Arc<Device>,
+    allocator: Arc<Mutex<GpuAllocator<DeviceMemory>>>,
+    allocation: Option<UnsafeAllocation>,
+}
+
+impl CpuWork for FreeWork {
+    fn run(&mut self) -> Option<Box<dyn AsyncCpuWork>> {
+        let ua = self.allocation.take().unwrap();
+        unsafe {
+            do_free(&mut self.allocator.lock(), &self.device, ua.block, ua.ptr);
+        }
+        None
+    }
+}
+
+impl CpuJob for FreeJob {
+    fn work(&mut self) -> &mut dyn CpuWork {
+        &mut self.work
+    }
+
+    fn completed(self: Box<Self>) {
+        self.renderer.pending_cpu_jobs.remove(&self.id);
+        self.allocator.total.fetch_sub(self.size);
+    }
+}
+
+pub struct UnsafeAllocation {
+    block: MemoryBlock<DeviceMemory>,
+    ptr: Option<*mut u8>,
+}
+
+unsafe impl Send for UnsafeAllocation {}
+
+fn do_alloc(
+    allocator: &mut GpuAllocator<DeviceMemory>,
+    device: &Device,
+    req: &MemoryRequirements,
+    usage: UsageFlags,
+    map: bool,
+) -> Result<UnsafeAllocation, VulkanError> {
+    let request = Request {
+        size: req.size,
+        align_mask: req.alignment - 1,
+        usage,
+        memory_types: req.memory_type_bits,
+    };
+    let device = AshMemoryDevice::wrap(device);
+    let block = unsafe { allocator.alloc(device, request) };
+    let mut block = block.map_err(VulkanError::AllocateMemory2)?;
+    let ptr = match map {
+        true => {
+            let ptr = unsafe { block.map(device, 0, block.size() as usize) };
+            Some(ptr.map_err(VulkanError::MapMemory)?.as_ptr())
+        }
+        false => None,
+    };
+    Ok(UnsafeAllocation { block, ptr })
+}
+
+unsafe fn do_free(
+    gpu: &mut GpuAllocator<DeviceMemory>,
+    device: &Device,
+    mut block: MemoryBlock<DeviceMemory>,
+    ptr: Option<*mut u8>,
+) {
+    let device = AshMemoryDevice::wrap(device);
+    if let Some(_ptr) = ptr {
+        // log::info!("free = {:?} - {:?} ({})", ptr, ptr.add(block.size() as usize), block.size());
+        block.unmap(device);
+    }
+    gpu.dealloc(device, block);
+}
+
+impl Drop for UnsyncAllocatorStorage {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        let device = AshMemoryDevice::wrap(&self.device.device);
+        unsafe {
+            self.allocator.get_mut().cleanup(device);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl Drop for SyncAllocatorStorage {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        let device = AshMemoryDevice::wrap(&self.device.device);
+        unsafe {
+            self.allocator.lock().cleanup(device);
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/gfx_apis/vulkan/device.rs b/src/gfx_apis/vulkan/device.rs
index 00f3b67b..8792a8ac 100644
--- a/src/gfx_apis/vulkan/device.rs
+++ b/src/gfx_apis/vulkan/device.rs
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ use {
     std::{
         ffi::{CStr, CString},
         rc::Rc,
+        sync::Arc,
     },
     uapi::Ustr,
 };
@@ -52,7 +53,7 @@ pub struct VulkanDevice {
     pub(super) gbm: Rc<GbmDevice>,
     pub(super) sync_ctx: Rc<SyncObjCtx>,
     pub(super) instance: Rc<VulkanInstance>,
-    pub(super) device: Device,
+    pub(super) device: Arc<Device>,
     pub(super) external_memory_fd: external_memory_fd::Device,
     pub(super) external_semaphore_fd: external_semaphore_fd::Device,
     pub(super) external_fence_fd: external_fence_fd::Device,
@@ -292,7 +293,7 @@ impl VulkanInstance {
             sync_ctx: Rc::new(SyncObjCtx::new(gbm.drm.fd())),
             gbm: Rc::new(gbm),
             instance: self.clone(),
-            device,
+            device: Arc::new(device),
             external_memory_fd,
             external_semaphore_fd,
             external_fence_fd,
diff --git a/src/gfx_apis/vulkan/renderer.rs b/src/gfx_apis/vulkan/renderer.rs
index 6613b9ae..05982da7 100644
--- a/src/gfx_apis/vulkan/renderer.rs
+++ b/src/gfx_apis/vulkan/renderer.rs
@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
 use {
     crate::{
         async_engine::{AsyncEngine, SpawnedFuture},
+        cpu_worker::PendingJob,
         format::{Format, XRGB8888},
         gfx_api::{
             AcquireSync, BufferResv, BufferResvUser, GfxApiOpt, GfxFormat, GfxFramebuffer,
             GfxTexture, GfxWriteModifier, ReleaseSync, SyncFile,
         },
         gfx_apis::vulkan::{
-            allocator::VulkanAllocator,
+            allocator::{VulkanAllocator, VulkanThreadedAllocator},
             command::{VulkanCommandBuffer, VulkanCommandPool},
             descriptor::VulkanDescriptorSetLayout,
             device::VulkanDevice,
@@ -79,6 +80,9 @@ pub struct VulkanRenderer {
     pub(super) tex_frag_mult_alpha_shader: Rc<VulkanShader>,
     pub(super) tex_descriptor_set_layout: Rc<VulkanDescriptorSetLayout>,
     pub(super) defunct: Cell<bool>,
+    pub(super) pending_cpu_jobs: CopyHashMap<u64, PendingJob>,
+    #[expect(dead_code)]
+    pub(super) shm_allocator: Rc<VulkanThreadedAllocator>,
 }
 
 pub(super) struct UsedTexture {
@@ -173,6 +177,7 @@ impl VulkanDevice {
             })
             .collect();
         let allocator = self.create_allocator()?;
+        let shm_allocator = self.create_threaded_allocator()?;
         let render = Rc::new(VulkanRenderer {
             formats: Rc::new(formats),
             device: self.clone(),
@@ -197,6 +202,8 @@ impl VulkanDevice {
             tex_frag_mult_alpha_shader,
             tex_descriptor_set_layout,
             defunct: Cell::new(false),
+            pending_cpu_jobs: Default::default(),
+            shm_allocator,
         });
         render.get_or_create_pipelines(XRGB8888.vk_format)?;
         Ok(render)