diff --git a/src/sna/sna_display.c b/src/sna/sna_display.c
index 9c24ea68..706a7eb4 100644
--- a/src/sna/sna_display.c
+++ b/src/sna/sna_display.c
@@ -1117,8 +1117,12 @@ static bool wait_for_shadow(struct sna *sna,
 	damage = sna->mode.shadow_damage;
 	sna->mode.shadow_damage = NULL;
 
-	while (sna->mode.flip_active && sna_mode_has_pending_events(sna))
-		sna_mode_wakeup(sna);
+	if (sna->mode.flip_active) {
+		/* raw cmd to avoid setting wedged in the middle of an op */
+		drmIoctl(sna->kgem.fd, DRM_IOCTL_I915_GEM_THROTTLE, 0);
+		while (sna->mode.flip_active && sna_mode_has_pending_events(sna))
+			sna_mode_wakeup(sna);
+	}
 
 	bo = sna->mode.shadow;
 	if (sna->mode.flip_active) {