diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/GameList/GameTracker.cpp b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/GameList/GameTracker.cpp
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 #include "DolphinQt/GameList/GameTracker.h"
 
+#include <QApplication>
 #include <QDir>
 #include <QDirIterator>
 #include <QFile>
@@ -15,7 +16,6 @@
 #include "DiscIO/DirectoryBlob.h"
 
 #include "DolphinQt/QtUtils/QueueOnObject.h"
-#include "DolphinQt/QtUtils/RunOnObject.h"
 
 #include "DolphinQt/Settings.h"
 
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@ GameTracker::GameTracker(QObject* parent) : QFileSystemWatcher(parent)
   qRegisterMetaType<std::shared_ptr<const UICommon::GameFile>>();
   qRegisterMetaType<std::string>();
 
+  connect(qApp, &QApplication::aboutToQuit, this, [this] {
+    m_processing_halted = true;
+    m_load_thread.Cancel();
+  });
   connect(this, &QFileSystemWatcher::directoryChanged, this, &GameTracker::UpdateDirectory);
   connect(this, &QFileSystemWatcher::fileChanged, this, &GameTracker::UpdateFile);
   connect(&Settings::Instance(), &Settings::AutoRefreshToggled, this, [] {
@@ -74,27 +78,24 @@ GameTracker::GameTracker(QObject* parent) : QFileSystemWatcher(parent)
       break;
     case CommandType::UpdateMetadata:
       m_cache.UpdateAdditionalMetadata(
-          [this](const std::shared_ptr<const UICommon::GameFile>& game) {
-            emit GameUpdated(game);
-          });
+          [this](const std::shared_ptr<const UICommon::GameFile>& game) { emit GameUpdated(game); },
+          m_processing_halted);
       QueueOnObject(this, [] { Settings::Instance().NotifyMetadataRefreshComplete(); });
       break;
+    case CommandType::ResumeProcessing:
+      m_processing_halted = false;
+      break;
     case CommandType::PurgeCache:
       m_cache.Clear(UICommon::GameFileCache::DeleteOnDisk::Yes);
       break;
     case CommandType::BeginRefresh:
-      if (m_busy_count++ == 0)
-      {
-        for (auto& file : m_tracked_files.keys())
-          emit GameRemoved(file.toStdString());
-        m_tracked_files.clear();
-      }
+      QueueOnObject(this, [] { Settings::Instance().NotifyRefreshGameListStarted(); });
+      for (auto& file : m_tracked_files.keys())
+        emit GameRemoved(file.toStdString());
+      m_tracked_files.clear();
       break;
     case CommandType::EndRefresh:
-      if (--m_busy_count == 0)
-      {
-        QueueOnObject(this, [] { Settings::Instance().NotifyRefreshGameListComplete(); });
-      }
+      QueueOnObject(this, [] { Settings::Instance().NotifyRefreshGameListComplete(); });
       break;
     }
   });
@@ -134,6 +135,8 @@ void GameTracker::StartInternal()
 
   m_started = true;
 
+  QueueOnObject(this, [] { Settings::Instance().NotifyRefreshGameListStarted(); });
+
   std::vector<std::string> paths;
   paths.reserve(m_tracked_files.size());
   for (const QString& path : m_tracked_files.keys())
@@ -149,18 +152,20 @@ void GameTracker::StartInternal()
 
   m_initial_games_emitted_event.Wait();
 
-  bool cache_updated = m_cache.Update(paths, emit_game_loaded, emit_game_removed);
-  cache_updated |= m_cache.UpdateAdditionalMetadata(emit_game_updated);
+  bool cache_updated =
+      m_cache.Update(paths, emit_game_loaded, emit_game_removed, m_processing_halted);
+  cache_updated |= m_cache.UpdateAdditionalMetadata(emit_game_updated, m_processing_halted);
   if (cache_updated)
     m_cache.Save();
 
   QueueOnObject(this, [] { Settings::Instance().NotifyMetadataRefreshComplete(); });
+  QueueOnObject(this, [] { Settings::Instance().NotifyRefreshGameListComplete(); });
 }
 
 bool GameTracker::AddPath(const QString& dir)
 {
   if (Settings::Instance().IsAutoRefreshEnabled())
-    RunOnObject(this, [this, dir] { return addPath(dir); });
+    QueueOnObject(this, [this, dir] { return addPath(dir); });
 
   m_tracked_paths.push_back(dir);
 
@@ -170,7 +175,7 @@ bool GameTracker::AddPath(const QString& dir)
 bool GameTracker::RemovePath(const QString& dir)
 {
   if (Settings::Instance().IsAutoRefreshEnabled())
-    RunOnObject(this, [this, dir] { return removePath(dir); });
+    QueueOnObject(this, [this, dir] { return removePath(dir); });
 
   const auto index = m_tracked_paths.indexOf(dir);
 
@@ -194,6 +199,16 @@ void GameTracker::RemoveDirectory(const QString& dir)
 
 void GameTracker::RefreshAll()
 {
+  m_processing_halted = true;
+  m_load_thread.Clear();
+  m_load_thread.EmplaceItem(Command{CommandType::ResumeProcessing, {}});
+
+  if (m_needs_purge)
+  {
+    m_load_thread.EmplaceItem(Command{CommandType::PurgeCache, {}});
+    m_needs_purge = false;
+  }
+
   m_load_thread.EmplaceItem(Command{CommandType::BeginRefresh});
 
   for (const QString& dir : Settings::Instance().GetPaths())
@@ -255,7 +270,7 @@ void GameTracker::RemoveDirectoryInternal(const QString& dir)
 void GameTracker::UpdateDirectoryInternal(const QString& dir)
 {
   auto it = GetIterator(dir);
-  while (it->hasNext())
+  while (it->hasNext() && !m_processing_halted)
   {
     QString path = QFileInfo(it->next()).canonicalFilePath();
 
@@ -275,6 +290,9 @@ void GameTracker::UpdateDirectoryInternal(const QString& dir)
 
   for (const auto& missing : FindMissingFiles(dir))
   {
+    if (m_processing_halted)
+      break;
+
     auto& tracked_file = m_tracked_files[missing];
 
     tracked_file.remove(dir);
@@ -345,6 +363,6 @@ void GameTracker::LoadGame(const QString& path)
 
 void GameTracker::PurgeCache()
 {
-  m_load_thread.EmplaceItem(Command{CommandType::PurgeCache, {}});
-  RefreshAll();
+  m_needs_purge = true;
+  Settings::Instance().RefreshGameList();
 }
diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/GameList/GameTracker.h b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/GameList/GameTracker.h
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
+#include <atomic>
 #include <memory>
 #include <string>
 
@@ -72,6 +73,7 @@ class GameTracker final : public QFileSystemWatcher
     UpdateDirectory,
     UpdateFile,
     UpdateMetadata,
+    ResumeProcessing,
     PurgeCache,
     BeginRefresh,
     EndRefresh,
@@ -92,8 +94,8 @@ class GameTracker final : public QFileSystemWatcher
   Common::Event m_initial_games_emitted_event;
   bool m_initial_games_emitted = false;
   bool m_started = false;
-  // Count of currently running refresh jobs
-  u32 m_busy_count = 0;
+  bool m_needs_purge = false;
+  std::atomic_bool m_processing_halted = false;
 };
 
 Q_DECLARE_METATYPE(std::shared_ptr<const UICommon::GameFile>)

diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/MainWindow.cpp b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/MainWindow.cpp
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ void MainWindow::CreateComponents()
   m_watch_widget = new WatchWidget(this);
   m_breakpoint_widget = new BreakpointWidget(this);
   m_code_widget = new CodeWidget(this);
-  m_cheats_manager = new CheatsManager(this);
+  m_cheats_manager = new CheatsManager(m_game_list->GetGameListModel(), this);
 
   const auto request_watch = [this](QString name, u32 addr) {
     m_watch_widget->AddWatch(name, addr);
@@ -1276,8 +1276,9 @@ void MainWindow::BootWiiSystemMenu()
 
 void MainWindow::NetPlayInit()
 {
-  m_netplay_setup_dialog = new NetPlaySetupDialog(this);
-  m_netplay_dialog = new NetPlayDialog;
+  const auto& game_list_model = m_game_list->GetGameListModel();
+  m_netplay_setup_dialog = new NetPlaySetupDialog(game_list_model, this);
+  m_netplay_dialog = new NetPlayDialog(game_list_model);
 #ifdef USE_DISCORD_PRESENCE
   m_netplay_discord = new DiscordHandler(this);
 #endif

diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/MenuBar.cpp b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/MenuBar.cpp
@@ -506,7 +506,13 @@ void MenuBar::AddViewMenu()
   AddShowRegionsMenu(view_menu);
 
   view_menu->addSeparator();
-  view_menu->addAction(tr("Purge Game List Cache"), this, &MenuBar::PurgeGameListCache);
+  QAction* const purge_action =
+      view_menu->addAction(tr("Purge Game List Cache"), this, &MenuBar::PurgeGameListCache);
+  purge_action->setEnabled(false);
+  connect(&Settings::Instance(), &Settings::GameListRefreshRequested, purge_action,
+          [purge_action] { purge_action->setEnabled(false); });
+  connect(&Settings::Instance(), &Settings::GameListRefreshStarted, purge_action,
+          [purge_action] { purge_action->setEnabled(true); });
   view_menu->addSeparator();
   view_menu->addAction(tr("Search"), this, &MenuBar::ShowSearch, QKeySequence::Find);
 }

diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/NetPlay/GameListDialog.cpp b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/NetPlay/GameListDialog.cpp
@@ -10,11 +10,10 @@
 #include <QListWidget>
 #include <QVBoxLayout>
 
-#include "DolphinQt/GameList/GameListModel.h"
-#include "DolphinQt/Settings.h"
 #include "UICommon/GameFile.h"
 
-GameListDialog::GameListDialog(QWidget* parent) : QDialog(parent)
+GameListDialog::GameListDialog(const GameListModel& game_list_model, QWidget* parent)
+    : QDialog(parent), m_game_list_model(game_list_model)
 {
   setWindowFlags(windowFlags() & ~Qt::WindowContextHelpButtonHint);
   setWindowTitle(tr("Select a game"));
@@ -47,16 +46,14 @@ void GameListDialog::ConnectWidgets()
 
 void GameListDialog::PopulateGameList()
 {
-  auto* game_list_model = Settings::Instance().GetGameListModel();
-
   m_game_list->clear();
 
-  for (int i = 0; i < game_list_model->rowCount(QModelIndex()); i++)
+  for (int i = 0; i < m_game_list_model.rowCount(QModelIndex()); i++)
   {
-    std::shared_ptr<const UICommon::GameFile> game = game_list_model->GetGameFile(i);
+    std::shared_ptr<const UICommon::GameFile> game = m_game_list_model.GetGameFile(i);
 
     auto* item =
-        new QListWidgetItem(QString::fromStdString(game_list_model->GetNetPlayName(*game)));
+        new QListWidgetItem(QString::fromStdString(m_game_list_model.GetNetPlayName(*game)));
     item->setData(Qt::UserRole, QVariant::fromValue(std::move(game)));
     m_game_list->addItem(item);
   }

diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/NetPlay/GameListDialog.h b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/NetPlay/GameListDialog.h
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@
 
 #include <QDialog>
 
-class GameListModel;
+#include "DolphinQt/GameList/GameListModel.h"
+
 class QVBoxLayout;
 class QListWidget;
 class QDialogButtonBox;
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@ class GameListDialog : public QDialog
 {
   Q_OBJECT
 public:
-  explicit GameListDialog(QWidget* parent);
+  explicit GameListDialog(const GameListModel& game_list_model, QWidget* parent);
 
   int exec() override;
   const UICommon::GameFile& GetSelectedGame() const;
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@ class GameListDialog : public QDialog
   void ConnectWidgets();
   void PopulateGameList();
 
+  const GameListModel& m_game_list_model;
   QVBoxLayout* m_main_layout;
   QListWidget* m_game_list;
   QDialogButtonBox* m_button_box;

diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/NetPlay/NetPlayDialog.cpp b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/NetPlay/NetPlayDialog.cpp
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@
 #include "Core/NetPlayServer.h"
 #include "Core/SyncIdentifier.h"
 
-#include "DolphinQt/GameList/GameListModel.h"
 #include "DolphinQt/NetPlay/ChunkedProgressDialog.h"
 #include "DolphinQt/NetPlay/GameListDialog.h"
 #include "DolphinQt/NetPlay/MD5Dialog.h"
@@ -60,8 +59,8 @@
 #include "VideoCommon/RenderBase.h"
 #include "VideoCommon/VideoConfig.h"
 
-NetPlayDialog::NetPlayDialog(QWidget* parent)
-    : QDialog(parent), m_game_list_model(Settings::Instance().GetGameListModel())
+NetPlayDialog::NetPlayDialog(const GameListModel& game_list_model, QWidget* parent)
+    : QDialog(parent), m_game_list_model(game_list_model)
 {
   setWindowFlags(windowFlags() & ~Qt::WindowContextHelpButtonHint);
 
@@ -158,7 +157,7 @@ void NetPlayDialog::CreateMainLayout()
     Settings::Instance().GetNetPlayServer()->ComputeMD5(m_current_game_identifier);
   });
   m_md5_menu->addAction(tr("Other game..."), this, [this] {
-    GameListDialog gld(this);
+    GameListDialog gld(m_game_list_model, this);
 
     if (gld.exec() != QDialog::Accepted)
       return;
@@ -322,13 +321,13 @@ void NetPlayDialog::ConnectWidgets()
   connect(m_quit_button, &QPushButton::clicked, this, &NetPlayDialog::reject);
 
   connect(m_game_button, &QPushButton::clicked, [this] {
-    GameListDialog gld(this);
+    GameListDialog gld(m_game_list_model, this);
     if (gld.exec() == QDialog::Accepted)
     {
       Settings& settings = Settings::Instance();
 
       const UICommon::GameFile& game = gld.GetSelectedGame();
-      const std::string netplay_name = settings.GetGameListModel()->GetNetPlayName(game);
+      const std::string netplay_name = m_game_list_model.GetNetPlayName(game);
 
       settings.GetNetPlayServer()->ChangeGame(game.GetSyncIdentifier(), netplay_name);
       Settings::GetQSettings().setValue(QStringLiteral("netplay/hostgame"),
@@ -1048,9 +1047,9 @@ NetPlayDialog::FindGameFile(const NetPlay::SyncIdentifier& sync_identifier,
 
   std::optional<std::shared_ptr<const UICommon::GameFile>> game_file =
       RunOnObject(this, [this, &sync_identifier, found] {
-        for (int i = 0; i < m_game_list_model->rowCount(QModelIndex()); i++)
+        for (int i = 0; i < m_game_list_model.rowCount(QModelIndex()); i++)
         {
-          auto game_file = m_game_list_model->GetGameFile(i);
+          auto game_file = m_game_list_model.GetGameFile(i);
           *found = std::min(*found, game_file->CompareSyncIdentifier(sync_identifier));
           if (*found == NetPlay::SyncIdentifierComparison::SameGame)
             return game_file;

diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/NetPlay/NetPlayDialog.h b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/NetPlay/NetPlayDialog.h
@@ -9,11 +9,11 @@
 
 #include "Common/Lazy.h"
 #include "Core/NetPlayClient.h"
+#include "DolphinQt/GameList/GameListModel.h"
 #include "VideoCommon/OnScreenDisplay.h"
 
 class ChunkedProgressDialog;
 class MD5Dialog;
-class GameListModel;
 class PadMappingDialog;
 class QCheckBox;
 class QComboBox;
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ class NetPlayDialog : public QDialog, public NetPlay::NetPlayUI
 {
   Q_OBJECT
 public:
-  explicit NetPlayDialog(QWidget* parent = nullptr);
+  explicit NetPlayDialog(const GameListModel& game_list_model, QWidget* parent = nullptr);
   ~NetPlayDialog();
 
   void show(std::string nickname, bool use_traversal);
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ class NetPlayDialog : public QDialog, public NetPlay::NetPlayUI
   std::string m_current_game_name;
   Common::Lazy<std::string> m_external_ip_address;
   std::string m_nickname;
-  GameListModel* m_game_list_model = nullptr;
+  const GameListModel& m_game_list_model;
   bool m_use_traversal = false;
   bool m_is_copy_button_retry = false;
   bool m_got_stop_request = true;

diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/NetPlay/NetPlaySetupDialog.cpp b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/NetPlay/NetPlaySetupDialog.cpp
@@ -21,16 +21,15 @@
 #include "Core/Config/NetplaySettings.h"
 #include "Core/NetPlayProto.h"
 
-#include "DolphinQt/GameList/GameListModel.h"
 #include "DolphinQt/QtUtils/ModalMessageBox.h"
 #include "DolphinQt/QtUtils/UTF8CodePointCountValidator.h"
 #include "DolphinQt/Settings.h"
 
 #include "UICommon/GameFile.h"
 #include "UICommon/NetPlayIndex.h"
 
-NetPlaySetupDialog::NetPlaySetupDialog(QWidget* parent)
-    : QDialog(parent), m_game_list_model(Settings::Instance().GetGameListModel())
+NetPlaySetupDialog::NetPlaySetupDialog(const GameListModel& game_list_model, QWidget* parent)
+    : QDialog(parent), m_game_list_model(game_list_model)
 {
   setWindowTitle(tr("NetPlay Setup"));
   setWindowFlags(windowFlags() & ~Qt::WindowContextHelpButtonHint);
@@ -359,12 +358,12 @@ void NetPlaySetupDialog::PopulateGameList()
   QSignalBlocker blocker(m_host_games);
 
   m_host_games->clear();
-  for (int i = 0; i < m_game_list_model->rowCount(QModelIndex()); i++)
+  for (int i = 0; i < m_game_list_model.rowCount(QModelIndex()); i++)
   {
-    std::shared_ptr<const UICommon::GameFile> game = m_game_list_model->GetGameFile(i);
+    std::shared_ptr<const UICommon::GameFile> game = m_game_list_model.GetGameFile(i);
 
     auto* item =
-        new QListWidgetItem(QString::fromStdString(m_game_list_model->GetNetPlayName(*game)));
+        new QListWidgetItem(QString::fromStdString(m_game_list_model.GetNetPlayName(*game)));
     item->setData(Qt::UserRole, QVariant::fromValue(std::move(game)));
     m_host_games->addItem(item);
   }

diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/NetPlay/NetPlaySetupDialog.h b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/NetPlay/NetPlaySetupDialog.h
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@
 
 #include <QDialog>
 
-class GameListModel;
+#include "DolphinQt/GameList/GameListModel.h"
+
 class QCheckBox;
 class QComboBox;
 class QDialogButtonBox;
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ class NetPlaySetupDialog : public QDialog
 {
   Q_OBJECT
 public:
-  explicit NetPlaySetupDialog(QWidget* parent);
+  explicit NetPlaySetupDialog(const GameListModel& game_list_model, QWidget* parent);
 
   void accept() override;
   void show();
@@ -79,5 +80,5 @@ class NetPlaySetupDialog : public QDialog
   QCheckBox* m_host_upnp;
 #endif
 
-  GameListModel* m_game_list_model;
+  const GameListModel& m_game_list_model;
 };
diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/Settings.cpp b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/Settings.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@
 #include "Core/NetPlayClient.h"
 #include "Core/NetPlayServer.h"
 
-#include "DolphinQt/GameList/GameListModel.h"
 #include "DolphinQt/QtUtils/QueueOnObject.h"
 
 #include "InputCommon/ControllerInterface/ControllerInterface.h"
@@ -148,6 +147,11 @@ void Settings::RefreshGameList()
   emit GameListRefreshRequested();
 }
 
+void Settings::NotifyRefreshGameListStarted()
+{
+  emit GameListRefreshStarted();
+}
+
 void Settings::NotifyRefreshGameListComplete()
 {
   emit GameListRefreshCompleted();
@@ -296,12 +300,6 @@ void Settings::SetLogConfigVisible(bool visible)
   }
 }
 
-GameListModel* Settings::GetGameListModel() const
-{
-  static GameListModel* model = new GameListModel;
-  return model;
-}
-
 std::shared_ptr<NetPlay::NetPlayClient> Settings::GetNetPlayClient()
 {
   return m_client;

diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/Settings.h b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/Settings.h
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ class NetPlayClient;
 class NetPlayServer;
 }  // namespace NetPlay
 
-class GameListModel;
 class InputConfig;
 
 // UI settings to be stored in the config directory.
@@ -73,6 +72,7 @@ class Settings final : public QObject
   QString GetDefaultGame() const;
   void SetDefaultGame(QString path);
   void RefreshGameList();
+  void NotifyRefreshGameListStarted();
   void NotifyRefreshGameListComplete();
   void RefreshMetadata();
   void NotifyMetadataRefreshComplete();
@@ -143,8 +143,6 @@ class Settings final : public QObject
   bool IsAnalyticsEnabled() const;
   void SetAnalyticsEnabled(bool enabled);
 
-  // Other
-  GameListModel* GetGameListModel() const;
 signals:
   void ConfigChanged();
   void EmulationStateChanged(Core::State new_state);
@@ -153,6 +151,7 @@ class Settings final : public QObject
   void PathRemoved(const QString&);
   void DefaultGameChanged(const QString&);
   void GameListRefreshRequested();
+  void GameListRefreshStarted();
   void GameListRefreshCompleted();
   void TitleDBReloadRequested();
   void MetadataRefreshRequested();

diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/Settings/InterfacePane.cpp b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/Settings/InterfacePane.cpp
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 #include "Core/Config/UISettings.h"
 #include "Core/ConfigManager.h"
 
-#include "DolphinQt/GameList/GameListModel.h"
 #include "DolphinQt/QtUtils/ModalMessageBox.h"
 #include "DolphinQt/Settings.h"
 

diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/ToolBar.cpp b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/ToolBar.cpp
@@ -46,7 +46,9 @@ ToolBar::ToolBar(QWidget* parent) : QToolBar(parent)
   connect(&Settings::Instance(), &Settings::WidgetLockChanged, this,
           [this](bool locked) { setMovable(!locked); });
 
-  connect(&Settings::Instance(), &Settings::GameListRefreshCompleted, this,
+  connect(&Settings::Instance(), &Settings::GameListRefreshRequested, this,
+          [this] { m_refresh_action->setEnabled(false); });
+  connect(&Settings::Instance(), &Settings::GameListRefreshStarted, this,
           [this] { m_refresh_action->setEnabled(true); });
 
   OnEmulationStateChanged(Core::GetState());
@@ -112,10 +114,8 @@ void ToolBar::MakeActions()
   m_set_pc_action = addAction(tr("Set PC"), this, &ToolBar::SetPCPressed);
 
   m_open_action = addAction(tr("Open"), this, &ToolBar::OpenPressed);
-  m_refresh_action = addAction(tr("Refresh"), [this] {
-    m_refresh_action->setEnabled(false);
-    emit RefreshPressed();
-  });
+  m_refresh_action = addAction(tr("Refresh"), [this] { emit RefreshPressed(); });
+  m_refresh_action->setEnabled(false);
 
   addSeparator();
 

diff --git a/Source/Core/UICommon/GameFileCache.cpp b/Source/Core/UICommon/GameFileCache.cpp
@@ -90,7 +90,8 @@ std::shared_ptr<const GameFile> GameFileCache::AddOrGet(const std::string& path,
 bool GameFileCache::Update(
     const std::vector<std::string>& all_game_paths,
     std::function<void(const std::shared_ptr<const GameFile>&)> game_added_to_cache,
-    std::function<void(const std::string&)> game_removed_from_cache)
+    std::function<void(const std::string&)> game_removed_from_cache,
+    const std::atomic_bool& processing_halted)
 {
   // Copy game paths into a set, except ones that match DiscIO::ShouldHideFromGameList.
   // TODO: Prevent DoFileSearch from looking inside /files/ directories of DirectoryBlobs at all?
@@ -113,6 +114,9 @@ bool GameFileCache::Update(
     auto end = m_cached_files.end();
     while (it != end)
     {
+      if (processing_halted)
+        break;
+
       if (game_paths.erase((*it)->GetFilePath()))
       {
         ++it;
@@ -134,6 +138,9 @@ bool GameFileCache::Update(
   // aren't in m_cached_files, so we simply add all of them to m_cached_files.
   for (const std::string& path : game_paths)
   {
+    if (processing_halted)
+      break;
+
     auto file = std::make_shared<GameFile>(path);
     if (file->IsValid())
     {
@@ -149,12 +156,16 @@ bool GameFileCache::Update(
 }
 
 bool GameFileCache::UpdateAdditionalMetadata(
-    std::function<void(const std::shared_ptr<const GameFile>&)> game_updated)
+    std::function<void(const std::shared_ptr<const GameFile>&)> game_updated,
+    const std::atomic_bool& processing_halted)
 {
   bool cache_changed = false;
 
   for (std::shared_ptr<GameFile>& file : m_cached_files)
   {
+    if (processing_halted)
+      break;
+
     const bool updated = UpdateAdditionalMetadata(&file);
     cache_changed |= updated;
     if (game_updated && updated)

diff --git a/Source/Core/UICommon/GameFileCache.h b/Source/Core/UICommon/GameFileCache.h
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
+#include <atomic>
 #include <cstddef>
 #include <functional>
 #include <memory>
@@ -44,9 +45,11 @@ class GameFileCache
   // These functions return true if the call modified the cache.
   bool Update(const std::vector<std::string>& all_game_paths,
               std::function<void(const std::shared_ptr<const GameFile>&)> game_added_to_cache = {},
-              std::function<void(const std::string&)> game_removed_from_cache = {});
+              std::function<void(const std::string&)> game_removed_from_cache = {},
+              const std::atomic_bool& processing_halted = false);
   bool UpdateAdditionalMetadata(
-      std::function<void(const std::shared_ptr<const GameFile>&)> game_updated = {});
+      std::function<void(const std::shared_ptr<const GameFile>&)> game_updated = {},
+      const std::atomic_bool& processing_halted = false);
 
   bool Load();
   bool Save();