diff --git a/Externals/cubeb/src/cubeb_resampler_internal.h b/Externals/cubeb/src/cubeb_resampler_internal.h
diff --git a/Externals/cubeb/src/cubeb_ring_array.h b/Externals/cubeb/src/cubeb_ring_array.h
diff --git a/Externals/cubeb/src/cubeb_ringbuffer.h b/Externals/cubeb/src/cubeb_ringbuffer.h
diff --git a/Externals/cubeb/src/cubeb_sndio.c b/Externals/cubeb/src/cubeb_sndio.c
diff --git a/Externals/cubeb/src/cubeb_strings.c b/Externals/cubeb/src/cubeb_strings.c
diff --git a/Externals/cubeb/src/cubeb_strings.h b/Externals/cubeb/src/cubeb_strings.h
diff --git a/Externals/cubeb/src/cubeb_utils.h b/Externals/cubeb/src/cubeb_utils.h
diff --git a/Externals/cubeb/src/cubeb_utils_unix.h b/Externals/cubeb/src/cubeb_utils_unix.h
diff --git a/Externals/cubeb/src/cubeb_utils_win.h b/Externals/cubeb/src/cubeb_utils_win.h
diff --git a/Externals/cubeb/src/cubeb_wasapi.cpp b/Externals/cubeb/src/cubeb_wasapi.cpp
diff --git a/Externals/cubeb/src/cubeb_winmm.c b/Externals/cubeb/src/cubeb_winmm.c
diff --git a/Externals/cubeb/src/speex/arch.h b/Externals/cubeb/src/speex/arch.h
diff --git a/Externals/cubeb/src/speex/fixed_generic.h b/Externals/cubeb/src/speex/fixed_generic.h
diff --git a/Externals/cubeb/src/speex/resample.c b/Externals/cubeb/src/speex/resample.c
diff --git a/Externals/cubeb/src/speex/resample_neon.h b/Externals/cubeb/src/speex/resample_neon.h
diff --git a/Externals/cubeb/src/speex/resample_sse.h b/Externals/cubeb/src/speex/resample_sse.h
diff --git a/Externals/cubeb/src/speex/speex_config_types.h b/Externals/cubeb/src/speex/speex_config_types.h
diff --git a/Externals/cubeb/src/speex/speex_resampler.h b/Externals/cubeb/src/speex/speex_resampler.h
diff --git a/Externals/cubeb/src/speex/stack_alloc.h b/Externals/cubeb/src/speex/stack_alloc.h
diff --git a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/CubebStream.cpp b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/CubebStream.cpp
@@ -7,10 +7,16 @@
 
 #include "AudioCommon/CubebUtils.h"
 #include "Common/CommonTypes.h"
+#include "Common/Event.h"
 #include "Common/Logging/Log.h"
+#include "Common/ScopeGuard.h"
 #include "Common/Thread.h"
 #include "Core/Config/MainSettings.h"
 
+#ifdef _WIN32
+#include <Objbase.h>
+#endif
+
 // ~10 ms - needs to be at least 240 for surround
 constexpr u32 BUFFER_SAMPLES = 512;
 
@@ -31,55 +37,129 @@ void CubebStream::StateCallback(cubeb_stream* stream, void* user_data, cubeb_sta
 {
 }
 
-bool CubebStream::Init()
+CubebStream::CubebStream()
+#ifdef _WIN32
+    : m_work_queue([](const std::function<void()>& func) { func(); })
 {
-  m_ctx = CubebUtils::GetContext();
-  if (!m_ctx)
-    return false;
+  Common::Event sync_event;
+  m_work_queue.EmplaceItem([this, &sync_event] {
+    Common::ScopeGuard sync_event_guard([&sync_event] { sync_event.Set(); });
+    auto result = ::CoInitializeEx(nullptr, COINIT_MULTITHREADED | COINIT_DISABLE_OLE1DDE);
+    m_coinit_success = result == S_OK;
+  });
+  sync_event.Wait();
+}
+#else
+    = default;
+#endif
 
-  m_stereo = !Config::ShouldUseDPL2Decoder();
+bool CubebStream::Init()
+{
+  bool return_value = false;
 
-  cubeb_stream_params params;
-  params.rate = m_mixer->GetSampleRate();
-  if (m_stereo)
-  {
-    params.channels = 2;
-    params.format = CUBEB_SAMPLE_S16NE;
-    params.layout = CUBEB_LAYOUT_STEREO;
-  }
-  else
-  {
-    params.channels = 6;
-    params.format = CUBEB_SAMPLE_FLOAT32NE;
-    params.layout = CUBEB_LAYOUT_3F2_LFE;
-  }
-
-  u32 minimum_latency = 0;
-  if (cubeb_get_min_latency(m_ctx.get(), &params, &minimum_latency) != CUBEB_OK)
-    ERROR_LOG_FMT(AUDIO, "Error getting minimum latency");
-  INFO_LOG_FMT(AUDIO, "Minimum latency: {} frames", minimum_latency);
-
-  return cubeb_stream_init(m_ctx.get(), &m_stream, "Dolphin Audio Output", nullptr, nullptr,
-                           nullptr, &params, std::max(BUFFER_SAMPLES, minimum_latency),
-                           DataCallback, StateCallback, this) == CUBEB_OK;
+#ifdef _WIN32
+  if (!m_coinit_success)
+    return false;
+  Common::Event sync_event;
+  m_work_queue.EmplaceItem([this, &return_value, &sync_event] {
+    Common::ScopeGuard sync_event_guard([&sync_event] { sync_event.Set(); });
+#endif
+
+    m_ctx = CubebUtils::GetContext();
+    if (m_ctx)
+    {
+      m_stereo = !Config::ShouldUseDPL2Decoder();
+
+      cubeb_stream_params params{};
+      params.rate = m_mixer->GetSampleRate();
+      if (m_stereo)
+      {
+        params.channels = 2;
+        params.format = CUBEB_SAMPLE_S16NE;
+        params.layout = CUBEB_LAYOUT_STEREO;
+      }
+      else
+      {
+        params.channels = 6;
+        params.format = CUBEB_SAMPLE_FLOAT32NE;
+        params.layout = CUBEB_LAYOUT_3F2_LFE;
+      }
+
+      u32 minimum_latency = 0;
+      if (cubeb_get_min_latency(m_ctx.get(), &params, &minimum_latency) != CUBEB_OK)
+        ERROR_LOG_FMT(AUDIO, "Error getting minimum latency");
+      INFO_LOG_FMT(AUDIO, "Minimum latency: {} frames", minimum_latency);
+
+      return_value =
+          cubeb_stream_init(m_ctx.get(), &m_stream, "Dolphin Audio Output", nullptr, nullptr,
+                            nullptr, &params, std::max(BUFFER_SAMPLES, minimum_latency),
+                            DataCallback, StateCallback, this) == CUBEB_OK;
+    }
+
+#ifdef _WIN32
+  });
+  sync_event.Wait();
+#endif
+
+  return return_value;
 }
 
 bool CubebStream::SetRunning(bool running)
 {
-  if (running)
-    return cubeb_stream_start(m_stream) == CUBEB_OK;
-  else
-    return cubeb_stream_stop(m_stream) == CUBEB_OK;
+  bool return_value = false;
+
+#ifdef _WIN32
+  if (!m_coinit_success)
+    return false;
+  Common::Event sync_event;
+  m_work_queue.EmplaceItem([this, running, &return_value, &sync_event] {
+    Common::ScopeGuard sync_event_guard([&sync_event] { sync_event.Set(); });
+#endif
+    if (running)
+      return_value = cubeb_stream_start(m_stream) == CUBEB_OK;
+    else
+      return_value = cubeb_stream_stop(m_stream) == CUBEB_OK;
+#ifdef _WIN32
+  });
+  sync_event.Wait();
+#endif
+
+  return return_value;
 }
 
 CubebStream::~CubebStream()
 {
-  SetRunning(false);
-  cubeb_stream_destroy(m_stream);
+#ifdef _WIN32
+  Common::Event sync_event;
+  m_work_queue.EmplaceItem([this, &sync_event] {
+    Common::ScopeGuard sync_event_guard([&sync_event] { sync_event.Set(); });
+#endif
+    cubeb_stream_stop(m_stream);
+    cubeb_stream_destroy(m_stream);
+#ifdef _WIN32
+    if (m_coinit_success)
+    {
+      m_coinit_success = false;
+      CoUninitialize();
+    }
+  });
+  sync_event.Wait();
+#endif
   m_ctx.reset();
 }
 
 void CubebStream::SetVolume(int volume)
 {
-  cubeb_stream_set_volume(m_stream, volume / 100.0f);
+#ifdef _WIN32
+  if (!m_coinit_success)
+    return;
+  Common::Event sync_event;
+  m_work_queue.EmplaceItem([this, volume, &sync_event] {
+    Common::ScopeGuard sync_event_guard([&sync_event] { sync_event.Set(); });
+#endif
+    cubeb_stream_set_volume(m_stream, volume / 100.0f);
+#ifdef _WIN32
+  });
+  sync_event.Wait();
+#endif
 }
diff --git a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/CubebStream.h b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/CubebStream.h
@@ -4,16 +4,23 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <cstddef>
+#include <functional>
 #include <memory>
 #include <vector>
 
 #include "AudioCommon/SoundStream.h"
+#include "Common/WorkQueueThread.h"
 
 #include <cubeb/cubeb.h>
 
 class CubebStream final : public SoundStream
 {
 public:
+  CubebStream();
+  CubebStream(const CubebStream& other) = delete;
+  CubebStream(CubebStream&& other) = delete;
+  CubebStream& operator=(const CubebStream& other) = delete;
+  CubebStream& operator=(CubebStream&& other) = delete;
   ~CubebStream() override;
   bool Init() override;
   bool SetRunning(bool running) override;
@@ -27,6 +34,11 @@ class CubebStream final : public SoundStream
   std::vector<short> m_short_buffer;
   std::vector<float> m_floatstereo_buffer;
 
+#ifdef _WIN32
+  Common::WorkQueueThread<std::function<void()>> m_work_queue;
+  bool m_coinit_success = false;
+#endif
+
   static long DataCallback(cubeb_stream* stream, void* user_data, const void* /*input_buffer*/,
                            void* output_buffer, long num_frames);
   static void StateCallback(cubeb_stream* stream, void* user_data, cubeb_state state);

diff --git a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/CubebUtils.cpp b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/CubebUtils.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@
 #include <cstdarg>
 #include <cstddef>
 #include <cstring>
+#include <thread>
 
+#include "Common/Assert.h"
 #include "Common/CommonPaths.h"
 #include "Common/Logging/Log.h"
 #include "Common/Logging/LogManager.h"

diff --git a/Source/Core/AudioCommon/CubebUtils.h b/Source/Core/AudioCommon/CubebUtils.h
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
+#include <functional>
 #include <memory>
 
 struct cubeb;

diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/EXI/EXI_DeviceMic.cpp b/Source/Core/Core/HW/EXI/EXI_DeviceMic.cpp
@@ -12,27 +12,59 @@
 #include "AudioCommon/CubebUtils.h"
 #include "Common/Common.h"
 #include "Common/CommonTypes.h"
+#include "Common/Event.h"
 #include "Common/Logging/Log.h"
+#include "Common/ScopeGuard.h"
 
 #include "Core/CoreTiming.h"
 #include "Core/HW/EXI/EXI.h"
 #include "Core/HW/GCPad.h"
 #include "Core/HW/SystemTimers.h"
 
+#ifdef _WIN32
+#include <Objbase.h>
+#endif
+
 namespace ExpansionInterface
 {
 void CEXIMic::StreamInit()
 {
-  m_cubeb_ctx = CubebUtils::GetContext();
-
   stream_buffer = nullptr;
   samples_avail = stream_wpos = stream_rpos = 0;
+
+#ifdef _WIN32
+  if (!m_coinit_success)
+    return;
+  Common::Event sync_event;
+  m_work_queue.EmplaceItem([this, &sync_event] {
+    Common::ScopeGuard sync_event_guard([&sync_event] { sync_event.Set(); });
+#endif
+    m_cubeb_ctx = CubebUtils::GetContext();
+#ifdef _WIN32
+  });
+  sync_event.Wait();
+#endif
 }
 
 void CEXIMic::StreamTerminate()
 {
   StreamStop();
-  m_cubeb_ctx.reset();
+
+  if (m_cubeb_ctx)
+  {
+#ifdef _WIN32
+    if (!m_coinit_success)
+      return;
+    Common::Event sync_event;
+    m_work_queue.EmplaceItem([this, &sync_event] {
+      Common::ScopeGuard sync_event_guard([&sync_event] { sync_event.Set(); });
+#endif
+      m_cubeb_ctx.reset();
+#ifdef _WIN32
+    });
+    sync_event.Wait();
+#endif
+  }
 }
 
 static void state_callback(cubeb_stream* stream, void* user_data, cubeb_state state)
@@ -68,48 +100,68 @@ void CEXIMic::StreamStart()
   if (!m_cubeb_ctx)
     return;
 
-  // Open stream with current parameters
-  stream_size = buff_size_samples * 500;
-  stream_buffer = new s16[stream_size];
-
-  cubeb_stream_params params;
-  params.format = CUBEB_SAMPLE_S16LE;
-  params.rate = sample_rate;
-  params.channels = 1;
-  params.layout = CUBEB_LAYOUT_MONO;
-
-  u32 minimum_latency;
-  if (cubeb_get_min_latency(m_cubeb_ctx.get(), &params, &minimum_latency) != CUBEB_OK)
-  {
-    WARN_LOG_FMT(EXPANSIONINTERFACE, "Error getting minimum latency");
-  }
-
-  if (cubeb_stream_init(m_cubeb_ctx.get(), &m_cubeb_stream, "Dolphin Emulated GameCube Microphone",
-                        nullptr, &params, nullptr, nullptr,
-                        std::max<u32>(buff_size_samples, minimum_latency), DataCallback,
-                        state_callback, this) != CUBEB_OK)
-  {
-    ERROR_LOG_FMT(EXPANSIONINTERFACE, "Error initializing cubeb stream");
+#ifdef _WIN32
+  if (!m_coinit_success)
     return;
-  }
+  Common::Event sync_event;
+  m_work_queue.EmplaceItem([this, &sync_event] {
+    Common::ScopeGuard sync_event_guard([&sync_event] { sync_event.Set(); });
+#endif
+    // Open stream with current parameters
+    stream_size = buff_size_samples * 500;
+    stream_buffer = new s16[stream_size];
+
+    cubeb_stream_params params{};
+    params.format = CUBEB_SAMPLE_S16LE;
+    params.rate = sample_rate;
+    params.channels = 1;
+    params.layout = CUBEB_LAYOUT_MONO;
+
+    u32 minimum_latency;
+    if (cubeb_get_min_latency(m_cubeb_ctx.get(), &params, &minimum_latency) != CUBEB_OK)
+    {
+      WARN_LOG_FMT(EXPANSIONINTERFACE, "Error getting minimum latency");
+    }
 
-  if (cubeb_stream_start(m_cubeb_stream) != CUBEB_OK)
-  {
-    ERROR_LOG_FMT(EXPANSIONINTERFACE, "Error starting cubeb stream");
-    return;
-  }
+    if (cubeb_stream_init(m_cubeb_ctx.get(), &m_cubeb_stream,
+                          "Dolphin Emulated GameCube Microphone", nullptr, &params, nullptr,
+                          nullptr, std::max<u32>(buff_size_samples, minimum_latency), DataCallback,
+                          state_callback, this) != CUBEB_OK)
+    {
+      ERROR_LOG_FMT(EXPANSIONINTERFACE, "Error initializing cubeb stream");
+      return;
+    }
+
+    if (cubeb_stream_start(m_cubeb_stream) != CUBEB_OK)
+    {
+      ERROR_LOG_FMT(EXPANSIONINTERFACE, "Error starting cubeb stream");
+      return;
+    }
 
-  INFO_LOG_FMT(EXPANSIONINTERFACE, "started cubeb stream");
+    INFO_LOG_FMT(EXPANSIONINTERFACE, "started cubeb stream");
+#ifdef _WIN32
+  });
+  sync_event.Wait();
+#endif
 }
 
 void CEXIMic::StreamStop()
 {
   if (m_cubeb_stream)
   {
-    if (cubeb_stream_stop(m_cubeb_stream) != CUBEB_OK)
-      ERROR_LOG_FMT(EXPANSIONINTERFACE, "Error stopping cubeb stream");
-    cubeb_stream_destroy(m_cubeb_stream);
-    m_cubeb_stream = nullptr;
+#ifdef _WIN32
+    Common::Event sync_event;
+    m_work_queue.EmplaceItem([this, &sync_event] {
+      Common::ScopeGuard sync_event_guard([&sync_event] { sync_event.Set(); });
+#endif
+      if (cubeb_stream_stop(m_cubeb_stream) != CUBEB_OK)
+        ERROR_LOG_FMT(EXPANSIONINTERFACE, "Error stopping cubeb stream");
+      cubeb_stream_destroy(m_cubeb_stream);
+      m_cubeb_stream = nullptr;
+#ifdef _WIN32
+    });
+    sync_event.Wait();
+#endif
   }
 
   samples_avail = stream_wpos = stream_rpos = 0;
@@ -143,7 +195,12 @@ void CEXIMic::StreamReadOne()
 
 u8 const CEXIMic::exi_id[] = {0, 0x0a, 0, 0, 0};
 
-CEXIMic::CEXIMic(int index) : slot(index)
+CEXIMic::CEXIMic(int index)
+    : slot(index)
+#ifdef _WIN32
+      ,
+      m_work_queue([](const std::function<void()>& func) { func(); })
+#endif
 {
   m_position = 0;
   command = 0;
@@ -158,6 +215,16 @@ CEXIMic::CEXIMic(int index) : slot(index)
 
   next_int_ticks = 0;
 
+#ifdef _WIN32
+  Common::Event sync_event;
+  m_work_queue.EmplaceItem([this, &sync_event] {
+    Common::ScopeGuard sync_event_guard([&sync_event] { sync_event.Set(); });
+    auto result = ::CoInitializeEx(nullptr, COINIT_MULTITHREADED | COINIT_DISABLE_OLE1DDE);
+    m_coinit_success = result == S_OK;
+  });
+  sync_event.Wait();
+#endif
+
   StreamInit();
 }
 

diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/EXI/EXI_DeviceMic.h b/Source/Core/Core/HW/EXI/EXI_DeviceMic.h
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include <mutex>
 
 #include "Common/CommonTypes.h"
+#include "Common/WorkQueueThread.h"
 #include "Core/HW/EXI/EXI_Device.h"
 
 struct cubeb;
@@ -99,5 +100,10 @@ class CEXIMic : public IEXIDevice
   int stream_wpos;
   int stream_rpos;
   int samples_avail;
+
+#ifdef _WIN32
+  Common::WorkQueueThread<std::function<void()>> m_work_queue;
+  bool m_coinit_success = false;
+#endif
 };
 }  // namespace ExpansionInterface
diff --git a/Source/VSProps/Base.Dolphin.props b/Source/VSProps/Base.Dolphin.props
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@
     </ClCompile>
     <!--Link Base:Application-->
     <Link Condition="'$(ConfigurationType)'=='Application'">
-      <AdditionalDependencies>avrt.lib;comctl32.lib;iphlpapi.lib;setupapi.lib;shlwapi.lib;winmm.lib;ws2_32.lib;%(AdditionalDependencies)</AdditionalDependencies>
+      <AdditionalDependencies>avrt.lib;comctl32.lib;iphlpapi.lib;ksuser.lib;setupapi.lib;shlwapi.lib;winmm.lib;ws2_32.lib;%(AdditionalDependencies)</AdditionalDependencies>
       <AdditionalDependencies Condition="'$(Platform)'=='x64'">opengl32.lib;%(AdditionalDependencies)</AdditionalDependencies>
       <!--FFmpeg and the libs it pulls in-->
       <AdditionalLibraryDirectories>$(ExternalsDir)FFmpeg-bin\$(Platform)\lib;%(AdditionalLibraryDirectories)</AdditionalLibraryDirectories>