diff --git a/dali/core/exec/tasking/scheduler.cc b/dali/core/exec/tasking/scheduler.cc
index 2c225d0e22..de12a3adae 100644
--- a/dali/core/exec/tasking/scheduler.cc
+++ b/dali/core/exec/tasking/scheduler.cc
@@ -38,7 +38,11 @@ bool Scheduler::AcquireAllAndMoveToReady(SharedTask &task) noexcept {
   task->preconditions_.clear();
   task->state_ = TaskState::Ready;
   pending_.Remove(task);
-  ready_.push(std::move(task));
+  {
+    std::lock_guard lock(queue_lock_);
+    ready_.push(std::move(task));
+  }
+  queue_sem_.release();
   return true;
 }
 
@@ -46,7 +50,6 @@ void Scheduler::Notify(Waitable *w) {
   bool is_completion_event = dynamic_cast<CompletionEvent *>(w) != nullptr;
   bool is_task = is_completion_event && dynamic_cast<Task *>(w);
 
-  int new_ready = 0;
   {
     std::lock_guard g(mtx_);
     if (is_task)
@@ -88,22 +91,19 @@ void Scheduler::Notify(Waitable *w) {
         if (task->Ready()) {
           pending_.Remove(task);
           task->state_ = TaskState::Ready;
-          ready_.push(std::move(task));
-          new_ready++;
+          {
+            std::lock_guard lock(queue_lock_);
+            ready_.push(std::move(task));
+          }
+          queue_sem_.release();
           // OK, the task is ready, we're done with it
           continue;
         }
       }
 
-      if (AcquireAllAndMoveToReady(task))
-        new_ready++;
+      AcquireAllAndMoveToReady(task);
     }
   }
-
-  if (new_ready == 1)
-    this->task_ready_.notify_one();
-  else if (new_ready > 1)
-    this->task_ready_.notify_all();
 }
 
 }  // namespace dali::tasking
diff --git a/include/dali/core/exec/tasking/executor.h b/include/dali/core/exec/tasking/executor.h
index 4079840a49..d113dea760 100644
--- a/include/dali/core/exec/tasking/executor.h
+++ b/include/dali/core/exec/tasking/executor.h
@@ -70,6 +70,10 @@ class Executor : public Scheduler {
   }
 
  private:
+  int NumThreads() const override {
+    return num_threads_;
+  }
+
   bool started_ = false;
 
   void RunWorker() {
diff --git a/include/dali/core/exec/tasking/scheduler.h b/include/dali/core/exec/tasking/scheduler.h
index c81d7f9b1d..cbe6b46f94 100644
--- a/include/dali/core/exec/tasking/scheduler.h
+++ b/include/dali/core/exec/tasking/scheduler.h
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
 #include "dali/core/api_helper.h"
 #include "dali/core/exec/tasking/task.h"
 #include "dali/core/exec/tasking/sync.h"
+#include "dali/core/semaphore.h"
+#include "dali/core/spinlock.h"
 
 namespace dali::tasking {
 
@@ -178,12 +180,14 @@ class Scheduler {
   };
 
  public:
+  virtual ~Scheduler() = default;
+
   /** Removes a ready task with the highest priorty or waits for one to appear or
    *  for a shutdown notification.
    */
   SharedTask Pop() {
-    std::unique_lock lock(mtx_);
-    task_ready_.wait(lock, [&]() { return !ready_.empty() || shutdown_requested_; });
+    queue_sem_.acquire();
+    std::lock_guard lock(queue_lock_);
     if (ready_.empty()) {
       assert(shutdown_requested_);
       return nullptr;
@@ -234,9 +238,10 @@ class Scheduler {
   /** Makes all Pop functions return with an error value. */
   void Shutdown() {
     std::lock_guard g(mtx_);
+    std::lock_guard lock(queue_lock_);
     shutdown_requested_ = true;
-    task_ready_.notify_all();
     task_done_.notify_all();
+    queue_sem_.release(NumThreads());
   }
 
   /** Checks whether a shutdown was requested. */
@@ -245,10 +250,12 @@ class Scheduler {
   }
 
  private:
+  virtual int NumThreads() const { return 1; }
+
   /** Moves the task to the ready queue if all of its preconditions can be acquired.
    *
    * This function atomically checks that all preconditions can be met and if so, acquires them.
-   * If the preconditions where met, the task is moved from the pending list to the ready queue.
+   * If the preconditions were met, the task is moved from the pending list to the ready queue.
    */
   bool DLL_PUBLIC AcquireAllAndMoveToReady(SharedTask &task) noexcept;
 
@@ -258,11 +265,11 @@ class Scheduler {
     if (task->Ready()) {  // if the task has no preconditions...
       {
         // ...then we add it directly to the ready queue.
-        std::lock_guard lock(mtx_);
+        std::lock_guard lock(queue_lock_);
         task->state_ = TaskState::Ready;
         ready_.push(task);
       }
-      task_ready_.notify_one();
+      queue_sem_.release();
     } else {
       // Otherwise, the task is added to the pending list
       bool ready = false;
@@ -276,17 +283,17 @@ class Scheduler {
         }
         pending_.PushFront(task);
         // ...and we check whether its preconditions are, in fact, met.
-        ready = AcquireAllAndMoveToReady(task);
+        AcquireAllAndMoveToReady(task);
       }
-      if (ready)
-        task_ready_.notify_one();
     }
   }
 
   friend class Task;
 
+  counting_semaphore queue_sem_{0};
+  spinlock queue_lock_;
   std::mutex mtx_;
-  std::condition_variable task_ready_, task_done_;
+  std::condition_variable task_done_;
 
   detail::TaskList pending_;
   std::priority_queue<SharedTask, std::vector<SharedTask>, TaskPriorityLess> ready_;