diff --git a/runtime/src/gpu_vk_renderer.c b/runtime/src/gpu_vk_renderer.c
index 6ad261f3..0faa63c6 100644
--- a/runtime/src/gpu_vk_renderer.c
+++ b/runtime/src/gpu_vk_renderer.c
@@ -688,6 +688,20 @@ static void img_barrier(VkCommandBuffer cb, VkImage img,
     p_vkCmdPipelineBarrier(cb, src_stage, dst_stage, 0, 0, NULL, 0, NULL, 1, &b);
 }
 
+/* Clear a swapchain image (TRANSFER_DST_OPTIMAL) to opaque black, then order
+ * that clear before the next transfer write to the same image. Validation
+ * reported SYNC-HAZARD-WRITE-AFTER-WRITE for clear -> blit without a barrier;
+ * on RDNA3 the clear overlapped the blit and tiles of the frame (24-bit FMV
+ * via vk_renderer_present_cpu) came out black. */
+static void sc_clear_black(VkCommandBuffer cb, VkImage sc) {
+    VkClearColorValue black = {{0, 0, 0, 1}};
+    VkImageSubresourceRange rng = { VK_IMAGE_ASPECT_COLOR_BIT, 0, 1, 0, 1 };
+    p_vkCmdClearColorImage(cb, sc, VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_TRANSFER_DST_OPTIMAL, &black, 1, &rng);
+    img_barrier(cb, sc, VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_TRANSFER_DST_OPTIMAL, VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_TRANSFER_DST_OPTIMAL,
+                VK_ACCESS_TRANSFER_WRITE_BIT, VK_ACCESS_TRANSFER_WRITE_BIT,
+                VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_TRANSFER_BIT, VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_TRANSFER_BIT);
+}
+
 /* Map a layout to its (access mask, pipeline stage) for barriers. */
 static void layout_access(VkImageLayout l, VkAccessFlags *acc, VkPipelineStageFlags *stage) {
     switch (l) {
@@ -1935,11 +1949,9 @@ int vk_renderer_present_vram(int disp_x, int disp_y, int w, int h,
 
     img_barrier(cb, sc, VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_UNDEFINED, VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_TRANSFER_DST_OPTIMAL,
                 0, VK_ACCESS_TRANSFER_WRITE_BIT,
-                VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_TOP_OF_PIPE_BIT, VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_TRANSFER_BIT);
+                VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_TRANSFER_BIT, VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_TRANSFER_BIT);
     /* clear the swapchain (letterbox bars) to black */
-    VkClearColorValue black = {{0,0,0,1}};
-    VkImageSubresourceRange rng = { VK_IMAGE_ASPECT_COLOR_BIT, 0, 1, 0, 1 };
-    p_vkCmdClearColorImage(cb, sc, VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_TRANSFER_DST_OPTIMAL, &black, 1, &rng);
+    sc_clear_black(cb, sc);
 
     VkImageBlit blit = {0};
     blit.srcSubresource.aspectMask = VK_IMAGE_ASPECT_COLOR_BIT;
@@ -1968,10 +1980,8 @@ void vk_renderer_present_blank(void) {
     if (!acquire_present(&sc, &cb, &idx, &fr)) return;
     img_barrier(cb, sc, VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_UNDEFINED, VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_TRANSFER_DST_OPTIMAL,
                 0, VK_ACCESS_TRANSFER_WRITE_BIT,
-                VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_TOP_OF_PIPE_BIT, VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_TRANSFER_BIT);
-    VkClearColorValue black = {{0,0,0,1}};
-    VkImageSubresourceRange rng = { VK_IMAGE_ASPECT_COLOR_BIT, 0, 1, 0, 1 };
-    p_vkCmdClearColorImage(cb, sc, VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_TRANSFER_DST_OPTIMAL, &black, 1, &rng);
+                VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_TRANSFER_BIT, VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_TRANSFER_BIT);
+    sc_clear_black(cb, sc);
     finish_present(cb, sc, idx, fr);
     perf_snapshot_present();
 }
@@ -2042,10 +2052,8 @@ void vk_renderer_present_cpu(const uint32_t *pixels, int src_w, int src_h,
 
     img_barrier(cb, sc, VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_UNDEFINED, VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_TRANSFER_DST_OPTIMAL,
                 0, VK_ACCESS_TRANSFER_WRITE_BIT,
-                VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_TOP_OF_PIPE_BIT, VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_TRANSFER_BIT);
-    VkClearColorValue black = {{0,0,0,1}};
-    VkImageSubresourceRange rng = { VK_IMAGE_ASPECT_COLOR_BIT, 0, 1, 0, 1 };
-    p_vkCmdClearColorImage(cb, sc, VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_TRANSFER_DST_OPTIMAL, &black, 1, &rng);
+                VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_TRANSFER_BIT, VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_TRANSFER_BIT);
+    sc_clear_black(cb, sc);
 
     VkOffset3D dst[2];
     letterbox((int)s_sc_extent.width, (int)s_sc_extent.height, force_4_3 ? 4 : s_aspect_num, force_4_3 ? 3 : s_aspect_den, dst);
@@ -2111,10 +2119,8 @@ int vk_renderer_present_wide(int disp_x, int disp_y, int disp_h, int linear) {
 
     img_barrier(cb, sc, VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_UNDEFINED, VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_TRANSFER_DST_OPTIMAL,
                 0, VK_ACCESS_TRANSFER_WRITE_BIT,
-                VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_TOP_OF_PIPE_BIT, VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_TRANSFER_BIT);
-    VkClearColorValue black = {{0, 0, 0, 1}};
-    VkImageSubresourceRange rng = { VK_IMAGE_ASPECT_COLOR_BIT, 0, 1, 0, 1 };
-    p_vkCmdClearColorImage(cb, sc, VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_TRANSFER_DST_OPTIMAL, &black, 1, &rng);
+                VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_TRANSFER_BIT, VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_TRANSFER_BIT);
+    sc_clear_black(cb, sc);
 
     img_to(cb, s_wide_img[i], &s_wide_layout[i], VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_TRANSFER_SRC_OPTIMAL);