diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/a5xx/fd5_screen.h b/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/a5xx/fd5_screen.h
index 0a65b3b0737..fa54075d7f6 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/a5xx/fd5_screen.h
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/a5xx/fd5_screen.h
@@ -38,10 +38,13 @@ void fd5_screen_init(struct pipe_screen *pscreen);
 static inline void
 emit_marker5(struct fd_ringbuffer *ring, int scratch_idx)
 {
-	extern unsigned marker_cnt;
+	extern int32_t marker_cnt;
 	unsigned reg = REG_A5XX_CP_SCRATCH_REG(scratch_idx);
-	OUT_PKT4(ring, reg, 1);
-	OUT_RING(ring, ++marker_cnt);
+	if (__EMIT_MARKER) {
+		OUT_WFI5(ring);
+		OUT_PKT4(ring, reg, 1);
+		OUT_RING(ring, p_atomic_inc_return(&marker_cnt));
+	}
 }
 
 #endif /* FD5_SCREEN_H_ */
diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/a6xx/fd6_context.h b/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/a6xx/fd6_context.h
index 1ae97d47c91..ae1b4283c07 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/a6xx/fd6_context.h
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/a6xx/fd6_context.h
@@ -145,17 +145,12 @@ struct fd6_control {
 static inline void
 emit_marker6(struct fd_ringbuffer *ring, int scratch_idx)
 {
-	extern unsigned marker_cnt;
+	extern int32_t marker_cnt;
 	unsigned reg = REG_A6XX_CP_SCRATCH_REG(scratch_idx);
-#ifdef DEBUG
-#  define __EMIT_MARKER 1
-#else
-#  define __EMIT_MARKER 0
-#endif
 	if (__EMIT_MARKER) {
 		OUT_WFI5(ring);
 		OUT_PKT4(ring, reg, 1);
-		OUT_RING(ring, ++marker_cnt);
+		OUT_RING(ring, p_atomic_inc_return(&marker_cnt));
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/freedreno_util.c b/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/freedreno_util.c
index bf1e05ba740..f5bc5024861 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/freedreno_util.c
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/freedreno_util.c
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 
 #include "freedreno_util.h"
 
-unsigned marker_cnt;
+int32_t marker_cnt;
 
 enum adreno_rb_depth_format
 fd_pipe2depth(enum pipe_format format)
diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/freedreno_util.h b/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/freedreno_util.h
index 0407ce00efe..0ae200b1968 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/freedreno_util.h
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/freedreno_util.h
@@ -272,16 +272,25 @@ __OUT_IB5(struct fd_ringbuffer *ring, struct fd_ringbuffer *target)
 // rework..
 #define HW_QUERY_BASE_REG REG_AXXX_CP_SCRATCH_REG4
 
+#ifdef DEBUG
+#  define __EMIT_MARKER 1
+#else
+#  define __EMIT_MARKER 0
+#endif
+
 static inline void
 emit_marker(struct fd_ringbuffer *ring, int scratch_idx)
 {
-	extern unsigned marker_cnt;
+	extern int32_t marker_cnt;
 	unsigned reg = REG_AXXX_CP_SCRATCH_REG0 + scratch_idx;
 	assert(reg != HW_QUERY_BASE_REG);
 	if (reg == HW_QUERY_BASE_REG)
 		return;
-	OUT_PKT0(ring, reg, 1);
-	OUT_RING(ring, ++marker_cnt);
+	if (__EMIT_MARKER) {
+		OUT_WFI5(ring);
+		OUT_PKT0(ring, reg, 1);
+		OUT_RING(ring, p_atomic_inc_return(&marker_cnt));
+	}
 }
 
 static inline uint32_t