diff --git a/Source/Core/Common/CMakeLists.txt b/Source/Core/Common/CMakeLists.txt
index 608e2f270a..e778a755c8 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Common/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/Source/Core/Common/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ add_library(common
   SocketContext.h
   SpanUtils.h
   SPSCQueue.h
+  StdJThread.h
   StringLiteral.h
   StringUtil.cpp
   StringUtil.h
diff --git a/Source/Core/Common/StdJThread.h b/Source/Core/Common/StdJThread.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d0c203556b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Source/Core/Common/StdJThread.h
@@ -0,0 +1,164 @@
+// Copyright 2025 Dolphin Emulator Project
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
+
+#pragma once
+
+// This header provides a basic implementation of jthread in the StdCompat namespace
+// It pulls the stdlib provided std::jthread into the StdCompat namespace when available.
+
+// TODO: Eliminate this when we can rely on std::jthread being in the stdlib.
+// Clang libc++ provides P0660R10 in version 18 (with -fexperimental-library) or version 20.
+// GCC libstdc++ provides it in version 10.
+
+#include <thread>
+
+#if defined(__cpp_lib_jthread) && __cpp_lib_jthread >= 201911L
+namespace StdCompat
+{
+using std::jthread;
+using std::stop_source;
+using std::stop_token;
+}  // namespace StdCompat
+#else
+#include <atomic>
+#include <memory>
+
+#include "Common/TypeUtils.h"
+
+namespace StdCompat
+{
+class stop_source;
+
+class stop_token
+{
+  friend stop_source;
+
+public:
+  stop_token() = default;
+
+  bool stop_requested() const
+  {
+    return stop_possible() && m_stop_state->stop_requested_flag.test();
+  }
+
+  bool stop_possible() const { return m_stop_state != nullptr; }
+
+  void swap(stop_token& other) { m_stop_state.swap(other.m_stop_state); }
+
+  friend bool operator==(const stop_token&, const stop_token&) = default;
+
+private:
+  struct StopState
+  {
+    std::atomic_flag stop_requested_flag = false;
+  };
+
+  explicit stop_token(std::shared_ptr<StopState> stop_state) : m_stop_state{std::move(stop_state)}
+  {
+  }
+
+  std::shared_ptr<StopState> m_stop_state;
+};
+
+struct nostopstate_t
+{
+  explicit nostopstate_t() = default;
+};
+inline constexpr nostopstate_t nostopstate{};
+
+class stop_source
+{
+public:
+  stop_source() : m_stop_token{std::make_shared<stop_token::StopState>()} {}
+  explicit stop_source(nostopstate_t) {}
+
+  stop_source(const stop_source&) = default;
+  stop_source(stop_source&&) = default;
+
+  stop_source& operator=(const stop_source&) = default;
+  stop_source& operator=(stop_source&&) = default;
+
+  ~stop_source() = default;
+
+  bool request_stop()
+  {
+    return m_stop_token.stop_possible() &&
+           !m_stop_token.m_stop_state->stop_requested_flag.test_and_set();
+  }
+
+  void swap(stop_source& other) { m_stop_token.swap(other.m_stop_token); }
+
+  stop_token get_token() const { return m_stop_token; }
+
+  bool stop_requested() const { return m_stop_token.stop_requested(); }
+  bool stop_possible() const { return m_stop_token.stop_possible(); }
+
+  friend bool operator==(const stop_source&, const stop_source&) = default;
+
+private:
+  stop_token m_stop_token;
+};
+
+class jthread
+{
+public:
+  using native_handle_type = std::thread::native_handle_type;
+
+  jthread() : m_stop_source(nostopstate) {}
+
+  template <typename F, typename... Args>
+  explicit jthread(F&& f, Args&&... args)
+  {
+    if constexpr (std::is_invocable_v<std::decay_t<F>, stop_token, std::decay_t<Args>...>)
+    {
+      m_thread = std::thread{std::forward<F>(f), get_stop_token(), std::forward<Args>(args)...};
+    }
+    else if constexpr (std::is_invocable_v<std::decay_t<F>, std::decay_t<Args>...>)
+    {
+      m_thread = std::thread{std::forward<F>(f), std::forward<Args>(args)...};
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      static_assert(Common::DependentFalse<F>(),
+                    "thread function is not invocable with provided arguments.");
+    }
+  }
+
+  jthread(jthread&& other) = default;
+  jthread& operator=(jthread&& other) = default;
+
+  jthread(const jthread&) = delete;
+  jthread& operator=(const jthread&) = delete;
+
+  ~jthread()
+  {
+    if (joinable())
+    {
+      request_stop();
+      join();
+    }
+  }
+
+  bool joinable() const { return m_thread.joinable(); }
+  auto get_id() const { return m_thread.get_id(); };
+  auto native_handle() { return m_thread.native_handle(); }
+  static auto hardware_concurrency() { return std::thread::hardware_concurrency(); }
+
+  void join() { m_thread.join(); }
+  void detach() { m_thread.detach(); }
+  void swap(jthread& other)
+  {
+    m_thread.swap(other.m_thread);
+    m_stop_source.swap(other.m_stop_source);
+  }
+
+  stop_source get_stop_source() { return m_stop_source; }
+  stop_token get_stop_token() const { return m_stop_source.get_token(); }
+  bool request_stop() { return m_stop_source.request_stop(); }
+
+private:
+  std::thread m_thread;
+  stop_source m_stop_source;
+};
+}  // namespace StdCompat
+#endif
diff --git a/Source/Core/Common/TypeUtils.h b/Source/Core/Common/TypeUtils.h
index 714f5a718d..8079abf4da 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Common/TypeUtils.h
+++ b/Source/Core/Common/TypeUtils.h
@@ -82,4 +82,15 @@ static_assert(!IsNOf<int, 1, int, int>::value);
 static_assert(IsNOf<int, 2, int, int>::value);
 static_assert(IsNOf<int, 2, int, short>::value);  // Type conversions ARE allowed
 static_assert(!IsNOf<int, 2, int, char*>::value);
+
+template <typename... T>
+struct DependentFalse : std::false_type
+{
+};
+
+template <typename... T>
+struct DependentTrue : std::true_type
+{
+};
+
 }  // namespace Common
diff --git a/Source/Core/Common/WorkQueueThread.h b/Source/Core/Common/WorkQueueThread.h
index be723299b2..a9fe55b45f 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Common/WorkQueueThread.h
+++ b/Source/Core/Common/WorkQueueThread.h
@@ -4,169 +4,167 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <atomic>
-#include <condition_variable>
 #include <functional>
-#include <queue>
+#include <mutex>
 #include <string>
-#include <string_view>
-#include <thread>
 
+#include "Common/Event.h"
+#include "Common/SPSCQueue.h"
+#include "Common/StdJThread.h"
 #include "Common/Thread.h"
 
 // A thread that executes the given function for every item placed into its queue.
 
 namespace Common
 {
-template <typename T>
-class WorkQueueThread
+namespace detail
+{
+template <typename T, bool IsSingleProducer>
+class WorkQueueThreadBase final
 {
 public:
-  WorkQueueThread() = default;
-  WorkQueueThread(const std::string_view name, std::function<void(T)> function)
+  WorkQueueThreadBase() = default;
+  WorkQueueThreadBase(std::string name, std::function<void(T)> function)
   {
-    Reset(name, std::move(function));
+    Reset(std::move(name), std::move(function));
   }
-  ~WorkQueueThread() { Shutdown(); }
+  ~WorkQueueThreadBase() { Shutdown(); }
 
   // Shuts the current work thread down (if any) and starts a new thread with the given function
   // Note: Some consumers of this API push items to the queue before starting the thread.
-  void Reset(const std::string_view name, std::function<void(T)> function)
+  void Reset(std::string name, std::function<void(T)> function)
   {
+    auto lg = GetLockGuard();
     Shutdown();
-    std::lock_guard lg(m_lock);
-    m_thread_name = name;
-    m_shutdown = false;
-    m_function = std::move(function);
-    m_thread = std::thread(&WorkQueueThread::ThreadLoop, this);
+    m_thread = StdCompat::jthread(std::bind_front(&WorkQueueThreadBase::ThreadLoop, this),
+                                  std::move(name), std::move(function));
   }
 
   // Adds an item to the work queue
   template <typename... Args>
   void EmplaceItem(Args&&... args)
   {
-    std::lock_guard lg(m_lock);
-    if (m_shutdown)
-      return;
-
-    m_items.emplace(std::forward<Args>(args)...);
-    m_idle = false;
-    m_worker_cond_var.notify_one();
+    auto lg = GetLockGuard();
+    m_items.Emplace(std::forward<Args>(args)...);
+    m_event.Set();
   }
+  void Push(T&& item) { EmplaceItem(std::move(item)); }
+  void Push(const T& item) { EmplaceItem(item); }
 
-  // Adds an item to the work queue
-  void Push(T&& item)
-  {
-    std::lock_guard lg(m_lock);
-    if (m_shutdown)
-      return;
-
-    m_items.push(std::move(item));
-    m_idle = false;
-    m_worker_cond_var.notify_one();
-  }
-
-  // Adds an item to the work queue
-  void Push(const T& item)
-  {
-    std::lock_guard lg(m_lock);
-    if (m_shutdown)
-      return;
-
-    m_items.push(item);
-    m_idle = false;
-    m_worker_cond_var.notify_one();
-  }
-
-  // Empties the queue
-  // If the worker polls IsCanceling(), it can abort it's work when Cancelling
+  // Empties the queue, skipping all work.
+  // Blocks until the current work is cancelled.
   void Cancel()
   {
-    std::unique_lock lg(m_lock);
-    if (m_shutdown)
-      return;
-
-    m_cancelling = true;
-    m_items = std::queue<T>();
-    m_worker_cond_var.notify_one();
+    auto lg = GetLockGuard();
+    if (IsRunning())
+    {
+      m_skip_work.store(true, std::memory_order_relaxed);
+      WaitForCompletion();
+      m_skip_work.store(false, std::memory_order_relaxed);
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      m_items.Clear();
+    }
   }
 
-  // Tells the worker to shut down when it's queue is empty
-  // Blocks until the worker thread exits.
-  // If cancel is true, will Cancel before before telling the worker to exit
-  // Otherwise, all currently queued items will complete before the worker exits
-  void Shutdown(bool cancel = false)
+  // Tells the worker thread to stop when its queue is empty.
+  // Blocks until the worker thread exits. Does nothing if thread isn't running.
+  void Shutdown() { StopThread(true); }
+
+  // Tells the worker thread to stop immediately, potentially leaving work in the queue.
+  // Blocks until the worker thread exits. Does nothing if thread isn't running.
+  void Stop() { StopThread(false); }
+
+  // Stops the worker thread ASAP and empties the queue.
+  void StopAndCancel()
   {
-    {
-      std::unique_lock lg(m_lock);
-      if (m_shutdown || !m_thread.joinable())
-        return;
-
-      if (cancel)
-      {
-        m_cancelling = true;
-        m_items = std::queue<T>();
-      }
-
-      m_shutdown = true;
-      m_worker_cond_var.notify_one();
-    }
-
-    m_thread.join();
+    auto lg = GetLockGuard();
+    Stop();
+    Cancel();
   }
 
   // Blocks until all items in the queue have been processed (or cancelled)
+  // Does nothing if thread isn't running.
   void WaitForCompletion()
   {
-    std::unique_lock lg(m_lock);
-    // don't check m_shutdown, because it gets set to request a shutdown, and we want to wait until
-    // after the shutdown completes.
-    // We also check m_cancelling, because we want to ensure the worker acknowledges our cancel.
-    if (m_idle && !m_cancelling.load())
-      return;
-
-    m_wait_cond_var.wait(lg, [&] { return m_idle && !m_cancelling; });
+    auto lg = GetLockGuard();
+    if (IsRunning())
+      m_items.WaitForEmpty();
   }
 
-  // If the worker polls IsCanceling(), it can abort its work when Cancelling
-  bool IsCancelling() const { return m_cancelling.load(); }
-
 private:
-  void ThreadLoop()
+  void StopThread(bool wait_for_completion)
   {
-    Common::SetCurrentThreadName(m_thread_name.c_str());
+    auto lg = GetLockGuard();
 
-    while (true)
+    if (wait_for_completion)
+      WaitForCompletion();
+
+    if (m_thread.request_stop())
     {
-      std::unique_lock lg(m_lock);
-      while (m_items.empty())
-      {
-        m_idle = true;
-        m_cancelling = false;
-        m_wait_cond_var.notify_all();
-        if (m_shutdown)
-          return;
-
-        m_worker_cond_var.wait(
-            lg, [&] { return !m_items.empty() || m_shutdown || m_cancelling.load(); });
-      }
-      T item{std::move(m_items.front())};
-      m_items.pop();
-      lg.unlock();
-
-      m_function(std::move(item));
+      m_event.Set();
+      m_thread.join();
     }
   }
 
-  std::function<void(T)> m_function;
-  std::string m_thread_name;
-  std::thread m_thread;
-  std::mutex m_lock;
-  std::queue<T> m_items;
-  std::condition_variable m_wait_cond_var;
-  std::condition_variable m_worker_cond_var;
-  std::atomic<bool> m_cancelling = false;
-  bool m_idle = true;
-  bool m_shutdown = false;
+  auto GetLockGuard()
+  {
+    struct DummyLockGuard
+    {
+      // Silences unused variable warning.
+      ~DummyLockGuard() {}
+    };
+
+    if constexpr (IsSingleProducer)
+      return DummyLockGuard{};
+    else
+      return std::lock_guard(m_mutex);
+  }
+
+  bool IsRunning() { return m_thread.joinable(); }
+
+  void ThreadLoop(const StdCompat::stop_token& stoken, const std::string& thread_name,
+                  const std::function<void(T)>& function)
+  {
+    Common::SetCurrentThreadName(thread_name.c_str());
+
+    while (!stoken.stop_requested())
+    {
+      if (m_items.Empty())
+      {
+        m_event.Wait();
+        continue;
+      }
+
+      if (m_skip_work.load(std::memory_order_relaxed))
+      {
+        m_items.Clear();
+        continue;
+      }
+
+      function(std::move(m_items.Front()));
+      m_items.Pop();
+    }
+  }
+
+  StdCompat::jthread m_thread;
+  Common::WaitableSPSCQueue<T> m_items;
+  Common::Event m_event;
+  std::atomic_bool m_skip_work = false;
+
+  using ProducerMutex = std::conditional_t<IsSingleProducer, std::nullptr_t, std::recursive_mutex>;
+  ProducerMutex m_mutex;
 };
+}  // namespace detail
+
+// Multiple threads may use the public interface.
+template <typename T>
+using WorkQueueThread = detail::WorkQueueThreadBase<T, false>;
+
+// A "Single Producer" WorkQueueThread.
+// It uses no mutex but only one thread can safely manipulate the queue.
+template <typename T>
+using WorkQueueThreadSP = detail::WorkQueueThreadBase<T, true>;
 
 }  // namespace Common
diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinLib.props b/Source/Core/DolphinLib.props
index 67e3a15f4c..71d495cc98 100644
--- a/Source/Core/DolphinLib.props
+++ b/Source/Core/DolphinLib.props
@@ -158,6 +158,7 @@
     <ClInclude Include="Common\SocketContext.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="Common\SpanUtils.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="Common\SPSCQueue.h" />
+    <ClInclude Include="Common\StdJThread.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="Common\StringLiteral.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="Common\StringUtil.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="Common\Swap.h" />
diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/GameList/GameTracker.cpp b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/GameList/GameTracker.cpp
index 6031d37a32..f145045ed5 100644
--- a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/GameList/GameTracker.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/GameList/GameTracker.cpp
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ GameTracker::GameTracker(QObject* parent) : QFileSystemWatcher(parent)
 
   connect(qApp, &QApplication::aboutToQuit, this, [this] {
     m_processing_halted = true;
-    m_load_thread.Shutdown(true);
+    m_load_thread.StopAndCancel();
   });
   connect(this, &QFileSystemWatcher::directoryChanged, this, &GameTracker::UpdateDirectory);
   connect(this, &QFileSystemWatcher::fileChanged, this, &GameTracker::UpdateFile);
diff --git a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/Assets/CustomAssetLoader.cpp b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/Assets/CustomAssetLoader.cpp
index 119d7444ea..e70faa8359 100644
--- a/Source/Core/VideoCommon/Assets/CustomAssetLoader.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/VideoCommon/Assets/CustomAssetLoader.cpp
@@ -69,9 +69,9 @@ void CustomAssetLoader::Init()
   });
 }
 
-void CustomAssetLoader ::Shutdown()
+void CustomAssetLoader::Shutdown()
 {
-  m_asset_load_thread.Shutdown(true);
+  m_asset_load_thread.StopAndCancel();
 
   m_asset_monitor_thread_shutdown.Set();
   m_asset_monitor_thread.join();
diff --git a/Source/UnitTests/Common/CMakeLists.txt b/Source/UnitTests/Common/CMakeLists.txt
index e509f160f2..3b0ffe79e6 100644
--- a/Source/UnitTests/Common/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/Source/UnitTests/Common/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ add_dolphin_test(SettingsHandlerTest SettingsHandlerTest.cpp)
 add_dolphin_test(SPSCQueueTest SPSCQueueTest.cpp)
 add_dolphin_test(StringUtilTest StringUtilTest.cpp)
 add_dolphin_test(SwapTest SwapTest.cpp)
+add_dolphin_test(WorkQueueThreadTest WorkQueueThreadTest.cpp)
 
 if (_M_X86_64)
   add_dolphin_test(x64EmitterTest x64EmitterTest.cpp)
diff --git a/Source/UnitTests/Common/WorkQueueThreadTest.cpp b/Source/UnitTests/Common/WorkQueueThreadTest.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a4bfc654f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Source/UnitTests/Common/WorkQueueThreadTest.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+// Copyright 2025 Dolphin Emulator Project
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
+
+#include <gtest/gtest.h>
+
+#include "Common/WorkQueueThread.h"
+
+TEST(WorkQueueThread, Simple)
+{
+  Common::WorkQueueThreadSP<int> worker;
+
+  constexpr int BIG_VAL = 1000;
+
+  int x = 0;
+  const auto func = [&](int value) { x = value; };
+
+  worker.Push(1);
+  worker.WaitForCompletion();
+  // Still zero because it's not running.
+  EXPECT_EQ(x, 0);
+
+  // Does nothing if not running.
+  worker.Shutdown();
+
+  worker.Reset("test worker", func);
+  worker.WaitForCompletion();
+  // Items pushed before Reset are processed.
+  EXPECT_EQ(x, 1);
+
+  worker.Shutdown();
+  worker.Push(0);
+  worker.WaitForCompletion();
+  // Still 1 because it's no longer running.
+  EXPECT_EQ(x, 1);
+
+  worker.Cancel();
+  worker.Reset("test worker", func);
+  worker.WaitForCompletion();
+  // Still 1 because the work was canceled.
+  EXPECT_EQ(x, 1);
+
+  for (int i = 0; i != BIG_VAL; ++i)
+    worker.Push(i);
+  worker.Cancel();
+  // Could be any one of the pushed values.
+  EXPECT_LT(x, BIG_VAL);
+  GTEST_LOG_(INFO) << "Canceled work after item " << x;
+
+  worker.Push(2);
+  worker.WaitForCompletion();
+  // Still running after cancelation.
+  EXPECT_EQ(x, 2);
+}
diff --git a/Source/UnitTests/UnitTests.vcxproj b/Source/UnitTests/UnitTests.vcxproj
index 45702ed7fd..b5e5256915 100644
--- a/Source/UnitTests/UnitTests.vcxproj
+++ b/Source/UnitTests/UnitTests.vcxproj
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@
     <ClCompile Include="Common\SPSCQueueTest.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="Common\StringUtilTest.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="Common\SwapTest.cpp" />
+    <ClCompile Include="Common\WorkQueueThreadTest.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="Core\CoreTimingTest.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="Core\DSP\DSPAcceleratorTest.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="Core\DSP\DSPAssemblyTest.cpp" />
@@ -118,4 +119,4 @@
     <!--This is only executed via msbuild, VS test runner automatically does this-->
     <Exec Command="$(TargetPath)" />
   </Target>
-</Project>
\ No newline at end of file
+</Project>