diff --git a/spa/include/spa/support/loop.h b/spa/include/spa/support/loop.h
index f0e6df8d4..7dc55f3ae 100644
--- a/spa/include/spa/support/loop.h
+++ b/spa/include/spa/support/loop.h
@@ -94,8 +94,7 @@ struct spa_loop_methods {
 			struct spa_source *source);
 
 	/** Invoke a function in the context of this loop.
-	 * May be called from the loop's thread, but otherwise
-	 * can only be called by a single thread at a time.
+	 * May be called from any thread and multiple threads at the same time.
 	 * If called from the loop's thread, all callbacks previously queued with
 	 * invoke() will be run synchronously, which might cause unexpected
 	 * reentrancy problems.
diff --git a/spa/plugins/support/loop.c b/spa/plugins/support/loop.c
index ead18328b..b71a56782 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/support/loop.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/support/loop.c
@@ -223,22 +223,6 @@ static void flush_all_queues(struct impl *impl)
 	pthread_mutex_unlock(&impl->queue_lock);
 }
 
-static int
-loop_queue_invoke_inthread(struct queue *queue,
-		spa_invoke_func_t func,
-		uint32_t seq,
-		const void *data,
-		size_t size,
-		bool block,
-		void *user_data)
-{
-	/* we should probably have a second ringbuffer for the in-thread pending
-	 * callbacks. A recursive callback when flushing will insert itself
-	 * before this one. */
-	flush_all_queues(queue->impl);
-	return func ? func(&queue->impl->loop, true, seq, data, size, user_data) : 0;
-}
-
 static int
 loop_queue_invoke(void *object,
 	    spa_invoke_func_t func,
@@ -256,12 +240,9 @@ loop_queue_invoke(void *object,
 	uint32_t avail, idx, offset, l0;
 	size_t need;
 	uint64_t nsec;
+	bool in_thread;
 
-	/* the ringbuffer can only be written to from one thread, if we are
-	 * in the same thread as the loop, don't write into the ringbuffer
-	 * but try to emit the calback right away after flushing what we have */
-	if (impl->thread == 0 || pthread_equal(impl->thread, pthread_self()))
-		return loop_queue_invoke_inthread(queue, func, seq, data, size, block, user_data);
+	in_thread = (impl->thread == 0 || pthread_equal(impl->thread, pthread_self()));
 
 retry:
 	filled = spa_ringbuffer_get_write_index(&queue->buffer, &idx);
@@ -281,7 +262,7 @@ retry:
 	item->func = func;
 	item->seq = seq;
 	item->size = size;
-	item->block = block;
+	item->block = in_thread ? false : block;
 	item->user_data = user_data;
 	item->res = 0;
 	item->item_size = SPA_ROUND_UP_N(sizeof(struct invoke_item) + size, ITEM_ALIGN);
@@ -311,26 +292,31 @@ retry:
 
 	spa_ringbuffer_write_update(&queue->buffer, idx + item->item_size);
 
-	loop_signal_event(impl, impl->wakeup);
-
-	if (block) {
-		uint64_t count = 1;
-
-		spa_loop_control_hook_before(&impl->hooks_list);
-
-		if ((res = spa_system_eventfd_read(impl->system, queue->ack_fd, &count)) < 0)
-			spa_log_warn(impl->log, "%p: failed to read event fd:%d: %s",
-					queue, queue->ack_fd, spa_strerror(res));
-
-		spa_loop_control_hook_after(&impl->hooks_list);
-
+	if (in_thread) {
+		flush_all_queues(impl);
 		res = item->res;
-	}
-	else {
-		if (seq != SPA_ID_INVALID)
-			res = SPA_RESULT_RETURN_ASYNC(seq);
-		else
-			res = 0;
+	} else {
+		loop_signal_event(impl, impl->wakeup);
+
+		if (block) {
+			uint64_t count = 1;
+
+			spa_loop_control_hook_before(&impl->hooks_list);
+
+			if ((res = spa_system_eventfd_read(impl->system, queue->ack_fd, &count)) < 0)
+				spa_log_warn(impl->log, "%p: failed to read event fd:%d: %s",
+						queue, queue->ack_fd, spa_strerror(res));
+
+			spa_loop_control_hook_after(&impl->hooks_list);
+
+			res = item->res;
+		}
+		else {
+			if (seq != SPA_ID_INVALID)
+				res = SPA_RESULT_RETURN_ASYNC(seq);
+			else
+				res = 0;
+		}
 	}
 	return res;