diff --git a/runtime/src/gpu_gl_renderer.c b/runtime/src/gpu_gl_renderer.c
index b35c7e77..c375e9ec 100644
--- a/runtime/src/gpu_gl_renderer.c
+++ b/runtime/src/gpu_gl_renderer.c
@@ -6351,14 +6351,12 @@ int gl_renderer_get_swap_interval(void) {
 
 static void pass_resources_release(void);
 
-#ifndef PSX_NO_DEBUG_TOOLS
 static void present_image_ring_gl_forget(void);
-#endif
 void gl_renderer_shutdown(void) {
-#ifndef PSX_NO_DEBUG_TOOLS
+    gl_renderer_render_thread_stop();   /* drains; the context comes back to this thread */
+    /* After the worker has stopped (it presents, and captures, on its own
+     * thread) and before the context dies: forget the ring's GL names. */
     present_image_ring_gl_forget();
-#endif
-    gl_renderer_render_thread_stop();   /* the context comes back to this thread */
     s_native_surface_enabled=s_native_surface_pending=0;
     gl_renderer_clear_hd_texture_cache();
     pass_resources_release();
@@ -9078,7 +9076,9 @@ static int      s_pir_disabled;
 /* The GL objects belong to the context: a renderer restart (lobby rematch,
  * in-game menu -> match) makes new ones, so forget the old names. Reading
  * back into a stale pack-buffer name reads into client memory instead. */
+static int s_pir_forget_rth_on = -1;  /* tests: was a render thread still running? */
 static void present_image_ring_gl_forget(void) {
+    s_pir_forget_rth_on = s_rth_on;
     s_pir_fbo = s_pir_tex = 0;
     s_pir_pbo[0] = s_pir_pbo[1] = 0;
     s_pir_pending[0] = s_pir_pending[1] = 0;
@@ -9152,6 +9152,9 @@ static void present_image_ring_capture_gl(void) {
     s_pir_w = tw;
 }
 #endif
+#ifdef PSX_NO_DEBUG_TOOLS
+static void present_image_ring_gl_forget(void) {}  /* no ring in this build */
+#endif
 
 /* Host overlays (OSD text, volume bar, rewind strip, savestate menu) are
  * rasterized by the emulation thread. A recorded present carries a copy taken
diff --git a/runtime/tests/test_gl_present_ring_restart.c b/runtime/tests/test_gl_present_ring_restart.c
index 46923d68..71b1eca3 100644
--- a/runtime/tests/test_gl_present_ring_restart.c
+++ b/runtime/tests/test_gl_present_ring_restart.c
@@ -58,6 +58,16 @@ static SDL_Window *open_ctx(void) {
     return win;
 }
 
+static void check_forgotten(const char* when) {
+    char l[160];
+    snprintf(l, sizeof l, "%s: ring names forgotten at shutdown", when);
+    check(s_pir_fbo == 0 && s_pir_tex == 0 && s_pir_pbo[0] == 0 && s_pir_pbo[1] == 0, l);
+    snprintf(l, sizeof l, "%s: no readback pending across contexts", when);
+    check(s_pir_pending[0] == 0 && s_pir_pending[1] == 0, l);
+    snprintf(l, sizeof l, "%s: forgotten after the render thread stopped", when);
+    check(s_pir_forget_rth_on == 0, l);
+}
+
 int main(void) {
     if (SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_VIDEO) != 0) { fprintf(stderr, "SKIP no video\n"); return 77; }
     SDL_GL_SetAttribute(SDL_GL_CONTEXT_MAJOR_VERSION, 3);
@@ -67,20 +77,46 @@ int main(void) {
     SDL_GL_SetAttribute(SDL_GL_CONTEXT_FLAGS, SDL_GL_CONTEXT_FORWARD_COMPATIBLE_FLAG);
 #endif
     for (int i = 0; i < SW * SH; i++) src[i] = 0xFF336699u;
+
+    /* 1. Direct presents (no render thread), then shutdown. */
     SDL_Window *win = open_ctx();
     if (!win) { fprintf(stderr, "SKIP no GL context\n"); return 77; }
     for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) gl_renderer_present(src, SW, SH, 0, 0, 0);
     check(s_pir_fbo != 0 && s_pir_pbo[0] != 0, "ring objects made in the first context");
     gl_renderer_shutdown();
-    /* The context and its objects are gone: no name may survive. A stale
-     * pack-buffer name made the next readback write through a null client
-     * pointer (glReadPixels crash after a lobby rematch). */
-    check(s_pir_fbo == 0 && s_pir_tex == 0 && s_pir_pbo[0] == 0 && s_pir_pbo[1] == 0,
-          "ring names forgotten at shutdown");
-    check(s_pir_pending[0] == 0 && s_pir_pending[1] == 0, "no readback pending across contexts");
+    /* A stale pack-buffer name made the next readback write through a null
+     * client pointer (glReadPixels crash after a lobby rematch). */
+    check_forgotten("direct");
     SDL_DestroyWindow(win);
+
+    /* 2. Render thread: presents (and ring captures) run on the worker.
+     * Queued frames are drained before the check, and shutdown must stop
+     * the worker before the names are forgotten. */
     win = open_ctx();
     if (!win) { fprintf(stderr, "SKIP no second GL context\n"); return 77; }
+    if (gl_renderer_render_thread_start(2) == 1) {
+        for (int i = 0; i < 6; i++) {
+            gl_renderer_present(src, SW, SH, 0, 0, 0);
+            gl_renderer_render_thread_frame_boundary();
+        }
+        gl_renderer_render_thread_sync("ring test drain");
+        check(s_pir_fbo != 0 && s_pir_pbo[0] != 0, "ring objects made by the render thread");
+        for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {  /* leave presents queued at shutdown */
+            gl_renderer_present(src, SW, SH, 0, 0, 0);
+            gl_renderer_render_thread_frame_boundary();
+        }
+        gl_renderer_shutdown();
+        check(!gl_renderer_render_thread_active(), "render thread stopped by shutdown");
+        check_forgotten("render thread");
+    } else {
+        printf("render thread not eligible here: threaded case skipped\n");
+        gl_renderer_shutdown();
+    }
+    SDL_DestroyWindow(win);
+
+    /* 3. A fresh context rebuilds live objects. */
+    win = open_ctx();
+    if (!win) { fprintf(stderr, "SKIP no third GL context\n"); return 77; }
     for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) gl_renderer_present(src, SW, SH, 0, 0, 0);
     check(s_pir_fbo != 0 && s_pir_pbo[0] != 0, "ring rebuilt in the new context");
     check(glIsTexture(s_pir_tex) == GL_TRUE, "ring texture is a live object of the new context");