diff --git a/src/gallium/auxiliary/util/u_queue.c b/src/gallium/auxiliary/util/u_queue.c
index de0422a0c13..775cb73de43 100644
--- a/src/gallium/auxiliary/util/u_queue.c
+++ b/src/gallium/auxiliary/util/u_queue.c
@@ -71,17 +71,25 @@ static PIPE_THREAD_ROUTINE(util_queue_thread_func, input)
    while (1) {
       struct util_queue_job job;
 
-      pipe_semaphore_wait(&queue->queued);
-      if (queue->kill_threads)
-         break;
-
       pipe_mutex_lock(queue->lock);
+      assert(queue->num_queued >= 0 && queue->num_queued <= queue->max_jobs);
+
+      /* wait if the queue is empty */
+      while (!queue->kill_threads && queue->num_queued == 0)
+         pipe_condvar_wait(queue->has_queued_cond, queue->lock);
+
+      if (queue->kill_threads) {
+         pipe_mutex_unlock(queue->lock);
+         break;
+      }
+
       job = queue->jobs[queue->read_idx];
       queue->jobs[queue->read_idx].job = NULL;
       queue->read_idx = (queue->read_idx + 1) % queue->max_jobs;
-      pipe_mutex_unlock(queue->lock);
 
-      pipe_semaphore_signal(&queue->has_space);
+      queue->num_queued--;
+      pipe_condvar_signal(queue->has_space_cond);
+      pipe_mutex_unlock(queue->lock);
 
       if (job.job) {
          queue->execute_job(job.job, thread_index);
@@ -122,8 +130,10 @@ util_queue_init(struct util_queue *queue,
 
    queue->execute_job = execute_job;
    pipe_mutex_init(queue->lock);
-   pipe_semaphore_init(&queue->has_space, max_jobs);
-   pipe_semaphore_init(&queue->queued, 0);
+
+   queue->num_queued = 0;
+   pipe_condvar_init(queue->has_queued_cond);
+   pipe_condvar_init(queue->has_space_cond);
 
    queue->threads = (pipe_thread*)CALLOC(num_threads, sizeof(pipe_thread));
    if (!queue->threads)
@@ -156,8 +166,8 @@ fail:
    FREE(queue->threads);
 
    if (queue->jobs) {
-      pipe_semaphore_destroy(&queue->has_space);
-      pipe_semaphore_destroy(&queue->queued);
+      pipe_condvar_destroy(queue->has_space_cond);
+      pipe_condvar_destroy(queue->has_queued_cond);
       pipe_mutex_destroy(queue->lock);
       FREE(queue->jobs);
    }
@@ -172,17 +182,16 @@ util_queue_destroy(struct util_queue *queue)
    unsigned i;
 
    /* Signal all threads to terminate. */
-   pipe_mutex_lock(queue->queued.mutex);
+   pipe_mutex_lock(queue->lock);
    queue->kill_threads = 1;
-   queue->queued.counter = queue->num_threads;
-   pipe_condvar_broadcast(queue->queued.cond);
-   pipe_mutex_unlock(queue->queued.mutex);
+   pipe_condvar_broadcast(queue->has_queued_cond);
+   pipe_mutex_unlock(queue->lock);
 
    for (i = 0; i < queue->num_threads; i++)
       pipe_thread_wait(queue->threads[i]);
 
-   pipe_semaphore_destroy(&queue->has_space);
-   pipe_semaphore_destroy(&queue->queued);
+   pipe_condvar_destroy(queue->has_space_cond);
+   pipe_condvar_destroy(queue->has_queued_cond);
    pipe_mutex_destroy(queue->lock);
    FREE(queue->jobs);
    FREE(queue->threads);
@@ -214,15 +223,20 @@ util_queue_add_job(struct util_queue *queue,
    assert(fence->signalled);
    fence->signalled = false;
 
-   /* if the queue is full, wait until there is space */
-   pipe_semaphore_wait(&queue->has_space);
-
    pipe_mutex_lock(queue->lock);
+   assert(queue->num_queued >= 0 && queue->num_queued <= queue->max_jobs);
+
+   /* if the queue is full, wait until there is space */
+   while (queue->num_queued == queue->max_jobs)
+      pipe_condvar_wait(queue->has_space_cond, queue->lock);
+
    ptr = &queue->jobs[queue->write_idx];
    assert(ptr->job == NULL);
    ptr->job = job;
    ptr->fence = fence;
    queue->write_idx = (queue->write_idx + 1) % queue->max_jobs;
+
+   queue->num_queued++;
+   pipe_condvar_signal(queue->has_queued_cond);
    pipe_mutex_unlock(queue->lock);
-   pipe_semaphore_signal(&queue->queued);
 }
diff --git a/src/gallium/auxiliary/util/u_queue.h b/src/gallium/auxiliary/util/u_queue.h
index f005ad5ef4c..750327e0279 100644
--- a/src/gallium/auxiliary/util/u_queue.h
+++ b/src/gallium/auxiliary/util/u_queue.h
@@ -53,9 +53,10 @@ struct util_queue_job {
 struct util_queue {
    const char *name;
    pipe_mutex lock;
-   pipe_semaphore has_space;
-   pipe_semaphore queued;
+   pipe_condvar has_queued_cond;
+   pipe_condvar has_space_cond;
    pipe_thread *threads;
+   int num_queued;
    unsigned num_threads;
    int kill_threads;
    int max_jobs;