diff --git a/ext/native/thin3d/VulkanQueueRunner.cpp b/ext/native/thin3d/VulkanQueueRunner.cpp
index 6623112428..c1dadb9c44 100644
--- a/ext/native/thin3d/VulkanQueueRunner.cpp
+++ b/ext/native/thin3d/VulkanQueueRunner.cpp
@@ -364,6 +364,7 @@ void VulkanQueueRunner::RunSteps(VkCommandBuffer cmd, std::vector<VKRStep *> &st
 
 		if (steps.size() > 1 && steps[j]->stepType == VKRStepType::RENDER &&
 			steps[j]->render.numDraws == 0 &&
+			steps[j]->render.numReads == 0 &&
 			steps[j]->render.color == VKRRenderPassAction::CLEAR &&
 			steps[j]->render.stencil == VKRRenderPassAction::CLEAR &&
 			steps[j]->render.depth == VKRRenderPassAction::CLEAR) {
@@ -391,6 +392,7 @@ void VulkanQueueRunner::RunSteps(VkCommandBuffer cmd, std::vector<VKRStep *> &st
 					steps[i]->copy.src == steps[j]->render.framebuffer) {
 					// Can't eliminate the clear if a game copies from it before it's
 					// rendered to. However this should be rare.
+					// TODO: This should never happen when we check numReads now.
 					break;
 				}
 			}
diff --git a/ext/native/thin3d/VulkanQueueRunner.h b/ext/native/thin3d/VulkanQueueRunner.h
index 3ff8e161ea..5acfb22d6b 100644
--- a/ext/native/thin3d/VulkanQueueRunner.h
+++ b/ext/native/thin3d/VulkanQueueRunner.h
@@ -122,6 +122,8 @@ struct VKRStep {
 			float clearDepth;
 			int clearStencil;
 			int numDraws;
+			// Downloads and textures from this pass.
+			int numReads;
 			VkImageLayout finalColorLayout;
 		} render;
 		struct {
diff --git a/ext/native/thin3d/VulkanRenderManager.cpp b/ext/native/thin3d/VulkanRenderManager.cpp
index a7cec21ed8..325d0f6851 100644
--- a/ext/native/thin3d/VulkanRenderManager.cpp
+++ b/ext/native/thin3d/VulkanRenderManager.cpp
@@ -422,6 +422,7 @@ void VulkanRenderManager::BindFramebufferAsRenderTarget(VKRFramebuffer *fb, VKRR
 	step->render.clearDepth = clearDepth;
 	step->render.clearStencil = clearStencil;
 	step->render.numDraws = 0;
+	step->render.numReads = 0;
 	step->render.finalColorLayout = !fb ? VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_COLOR_ATTACHMENT_OPTIMAL : VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_UNDEFINED;
 	steps_.push_back(step);
 
@@ -431,6 +432,13 @@ void VulkanRenderManager::BindFramebufferAsRenderTarget(VKRFramebuffer *fb, VKRR
 }
 
 bool VulkanRenderManager::CopyFramebufferToMemorySync(VKRFramebuffer *src, int aspectBits, int x, int y, int w, int h, Draw::DataFormat destFormat, uint8_t *pixels, int pixelStride) {
+	for (int i = (int)steps_.size() - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
+		if (steps_[i]->stepType == VKRStepType::RENDER && steps_[i]->render.framebuffer == src) {
+			steps_[i]->render.numReads++;
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+
 	VKRStep *step = new VKRStep{ VKRStepType::READBACK };
 	step->readback.aspectMask = aspectBits;
 	step->readback.src = src;
@@ -720,6 +728,7 @@ void VulkanRenderManager::CopyFramebuffer(VKRFramebuffer *src, VkRect2D srcRect,
 			if (steps_[i]->render.finalColorLayout == VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_UNDEFINED) {
 				steps_[i]->render.finalColorLayout = VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_TRANSFER_SRC_OPTIMAL;
 			}
+			steps_[i]->render.numReads++;
 			break;
 		}
 	}
@@ -762,6 +771,13 @@ void VulkanRenderManager::BlitFramebuffer(VKRFramebuffer *src, VkRect2D srcRect,
 	_dbg_assert_msg_(G3D, dstRect.extent.width > 0, "blit dstwidth == 0");
 	_dbg_assert_msg_(G3D, dstRect.extent.height > 0, "blit dstheight == 0");
 
+	for (int i = (int)steps_.size() - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
+		if (steps_[i]->stepType == VKRStepType::RENDER && steps_[i]->render.framebuffer == src) {
+			steps_[i]->render.numReads++;
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+
 	VKRStep *step = new VKRStep{ VKRStepType::BLIT };
 
 	step->blit.aspectMask = aspectMask;
@@ -784,6 +800,7 @@ VkImageView VulkanRenderManager::BindFramebufferAsTexture(VKRFramebuffer *fb, in
 			if (steps_[i]->render.finalColorLayout == VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_UNDEFINED) {
 				steps_[i]->render.finalColorLayout = VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_SHADER_READ_ONLY_OPTIMAL;
 			}
+			steps_[i]->render.numReads++;
 			break;
 		}
 	}