diff --git a/render.c b/render.c
index 5332be89..d745975f 100644
--- a/render.c
+++ b/render.c
@@ -858,7 +858,6 @@ render_worker_thread(void *_ctx)
     sem_t *start = &term->render.workers.start;
     sem_t *done = &term->render.workers.done;
     mtx_t *lock = &term->render.workers.lock;
-    cnd_t *cond = &term->render.workers.cond;
 
     while (true) {
         sem_wait(start);
@@ -868,8 +867,7 @@ render_worker_thread(void *_ctx)
 
         while (!frame_done) {
             mtx_lock(lock);
-            while (tll_length(term->render.workers.queue) == 0)
-                cnd_wait(cond, lock);
+            assert(tll_length(term->render.workers.queue) > 0);
 
             int row_no = tll_pop_front(term->render.workers.queue);
             mtx_unlock(lock);
@@ -1416,6 +1414,8 @@ grid_render(struct terminal *term)
 
     if (term->render.workers.count > 0) {
 
+        mtx_lock(&term->render.workers.lock);
+
         term->render.workers.buf = buf;
         for (size_t i = 0; i < term->render.workers.count; i++)
             sem_post(&term->render.workers.start);
@@ -1428,11 +1428,7 @@ grid_render(struct terminal *term)
             if (!row->dirty)
                 continue;
 
-            mtx_lock(&term->render.workers.lock);
             tll_push_back(term->render.workers.queue, r);
-            cnd_signal(&term->render.workers.cond);
-            mtx_unlock(&term->render.workers.lock);
-
             row->dirty = false;
 
             wl_surface_damage_buffer(
@@ -1441,10 +1437,8 @@ grid_render(struct terminal *term)
                 term->width - term->margins.left - term->margins.right, term->cell_height);
         }
 
-        mtx_lock(&term->render.workers.lock);
         for (size_t i = 0; i < term->render.workers.count; i++)
             tll_push_back(term->render.workers.queue, -1);
-        cnd_broadcast(&term->render.workers.cond);
         mtx_unlock(&term->render.workers.lock);
 
         for (size_t i = 0; i < term->render.workers.count; i++)
diff --git a/terminal.c b/terminal.c
index a97685c6..3a679b5d 100644
--- a/terminal.c
+++ b/terminal.c
@@ -507,13 +507,6 @@ initialize_render_workers(struct terminal *term)
         goto err_sem_destroy;
     }
 
-    if ((err = cnd_init(&term->render.workers.cond)) != thrd_success) {
-        LOG_ERR(
-            "failed to instantiate render worker condition variable: %s (%d)",
-            thrd_err_as_string(err), err);
-        goto err_sem_destroy;
-    }
-
     term->render.workers.threads = calloc(
         term->render.workers.count, sizeof(term->render.workers.threads[0]));
 
@@ -1165,7 +1158,6 @@ term_destroy(struct terminal *term)
             sem_post(&term->render.workers.start);
             tll_push_back(term->render.workers.queue, -2);
         }
-        cnd_broadcast(&term->render.workers.cond);
     }
     mtx_unlock(&term->render.workers.lock);
 
@@ -1198,7 +1190,6 @@ term_destroy(struct terminal *term)
         }
     }
     free(term->render.workers.threads);
-    cnd_destroy(&term->render.workers.cond);
     mtx_destroy(&term->render.workers.lock);
     sem_destroy(&term->render.workers.start);
     sem_destroy(&term->render.workers.done);
diff --git a/terminal.h b/terminal.h
index 1c040b00..1193a680 100644
--- a/terminal.h
+++ b/terminal.h
@@ -369,7 +369,6 @@ struct terminal {
             size_t count;
             sem_t start;
             sem_t done;
-            cnd_t cond;
             mtx_t lock;
             tll(int) queue;
             thrd_t *threads;