diff --git a/src/shell/lockscreen/lock_screen.cpp b/src/shell/lockscreen/lock_screen.cpp
index 31cf0d729b..6c8da81964 100644
--- a/src/shell/lockscreen/lock_screen.cpp
+++ b/src/shell/lockscreen/lock_screen.cpp
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ void LockScreen::unlock() {
   }
 
   m_pendingAfterLocked = {};
+  m_suspendTimeoutTimer.stop();
   invalidatePendingAuthentication();
   stopFingerprint();
 
@@ -350,15 +351,25 @@ bool LockScreen::isActive() const noexcept { return m_lockPending || m_locked; }
 
 bool LockScreen::isSessionLocked() const noexcept { return m_locked; }
 
+bool LockScreen::tryFlushPendingAfterLocked() {
+  if (m_locked && m_pendingAfterLocked && allSurfacesReady()) {
+    auto pending = std::move(m_pendingAfterLocked);
+    m_pendingAfterLocked = {};
+    m_suspendTimeoutTimer.stop();
+    DeferredCall::callLater(std::move(pending));
+    return true;
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
 void LockScreen::runAfterSessionLocked(std::function<void()> fn) {
   if (fn == nullptr) {
     return;
   }
-  if (m_locked) {
-    DeferredCall::callLater(std::move(fn));
+  m_pendingAfterLocked = std::move(fn);
+  if (tryFlushPendingAfterLocked()) {
     return;
   }
-  m_pendingAfterLocked = std::move(fn);
   if (isActive()) {
     return;
   }
@@ -382,17 +393,24 @@ void LockScreen::handleLocked(void* data, ext_session_lock_v1* /*lock*/) {
     instance.surface->setLockedState(true);
     instance.surface->setOnLogin([self]() { self->tryAuthenticate(); });
   }
+
+  // Start the fallback timer (3 seconds) to trigger suspend anyway if surfaces take too long to render
+  self->m_suspendTimeoutTimer.start(std::chrono::seconds(3), [self]() {
+    if (self->m_pendingAfterLocked) {
+      kLog.warn("Lock screen surfaces took too long to render; suspending fallback triggered");
+      auto pending = std::move(self->m_pendingAfterLocked);
+      self->m_pendingAfterLocked = {};
+      DeferredCall::callLater(std::move(pending));
+    }
+  });
+
   self->updatePromptOnSurfaces();
   self->startFingerprint();
   kLog.info("session is locked");
   if (self->m_onSessionLocked) {
     self->m_onSessionLocked();
   }
-  if (self->m_pendingAfterLocked) {
-    auto pending = std::move(self->m_pendingAfterLocked);
-    self->m_pendingAfterLocked = {};
-    DeferredCall::callLater(std::move(pending));
-  }
+  self->tryFlushPendingAfterLocked();
 }
 
 void LockScreen::handleFinished(void* data, ext_session_lock_v1* /*lock*/) {
@@ -456,6 +474,18 @@ bool LockScreen::shouldUseBlurredDesktop() const {
       && m_wayland->hasScreencopy();
 }
 
+bool LockScreen::allSurfacesReady() const {
+  if (m_instances.empty()) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  for (const auto& instance : m_instances) {
+    if (instance.surface != nullptr && !instance.surface->firstFrameRendered()) {
+      return false;
+    }
+  }
+  return true;
+}
+
 void LockScreen::primeDesktopCaptures() {
   if (m_configService != nullptr && !m_configService->isLockScreenEnabled()) {
     return;
@@ -609,6 +639,7 @@ void LockScreen::createInstance(const WaylandOutput& output) {
     surface->setDesktopCapture(std::move(captureIt->second));
     m_desktopCaptures.erase(captureIt);
   }
+  surface->setRenderCallback([this]() { tryFlushPendingAfterLocked(); });
   surface->setOnLogin([this]() { tryAuthenticate(); });
   surface->setOnPasswordChanged([this](const std::string& value) { handlePasswordEdited(value); });
   surface->setPromptState(m_user, m_password, m_status, m_statusIsError, m_authenticating);
@@ -632,6 +663,7 @@ void LockScreen::createInstance(const WaylandOutput& output) {
 
 void LockScreen::resetLockState() {
   m_pendingAfterLocked = {};
+  m_suspendTimeoutTimer.stop();
   m_lockDeferred = false;
   if (m_lock == nullptr) {
     m_lockPending = false;
diff --git a/src/shell/lockscreen/lock_screen.h b/src/shell/lockscreen/lock_screen.h
index ef7f33ad69..c9519c3ca4 100644
--- a/src/shell/lockscreen/lock_screen.h
+++ b/src/shell/lockscreen/lock_screen.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 #include "auth/pam_authenticator.h"
 #include "capture/screencopy_capture.h"
+#include "core/timer_manager.h"
 
 #include <cstdint>
 #include <functional>
@@ -81,6 +82,8 @@ class LockScreen {
   void syncInstances();
   void captureDesktopSnapshots();
   [[nodiscard]] bool shouldUseBlurredDesktop() const;
+  [[nodiscard]] bool allSurfacesReady() const;
+  bool tryFlushPendingAfterLocked();
   void applyLockscreenStyle(LockSurface& surface) const;
   void applyOutputRestriction();
   void applyWallpaperStyleToSurfaces();
@@ -124,4 +127,5 @@ class LockScreen {
   std::function<void()> m_onSessionLocked;
   std::function<void()> m_onSessionUnlocked;
   std::function<void()> m_onLockEngaged;
+  Timer m_suspendTimeoutTimer;
 };
diff --git a/src/shell/lockscreen/lock_surface.cpp b/src/shell/lockscreen/lock_surface.cpp
index 02cb63e187..d16fcd255c 100644
--- a/src/shell/lockscreen/lock_surface.cpp
+++ b/src/shell/lockscreen/lock_surface.cpp
@@ -406,6 +406,9 @@ void LockSurface::handleConfigure(
     std::uint32_t height
 ) {
   auto* self = static_cast<LockSurface*>(data);
+  if (self->width() != width || self->height() != height) {
+    self->m_firstFrameRendered = false;
+  }
   ext_session_lock_surface_v1_ack_configure(lockSurface, serial);
   self->Surface::onConfigure(width, height);
 }
@@ -830,3 +833,13 @@ void LockSurface::onGpuResourcesInvalidated() {
   m_wallpaperDirty = true;
   requestLayout();
 }
+
+void LockSurface::render() {
+  Surface::render();
+  if (!m_firstFrameRendered) {
+    m_firstFrameRendered = true;
+    if (m_renderCallback) {
+      m_renderCallback();
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/shell/lockscreen/lock_surface.h b/src/shell/lockscreen/lock_surface.h
index 8cd5731bac..57c3a21cbf 100644
--- a/src/shell/lockscreen/lock_surface.h
+++ b/src/shell/lockscreen/lock_surface.h
@@ -62,11 +62,17 @@ class LockSurface : public Surface {
   void setOutputKey(std::string outputKey) { m_outputKey = std::move(outputKey); }
   void setWidgetsHost(LockscreenWidgetsHost* host) noexcept { m_widgetsHost = host; }
 
+  [[nodiscard]] bool firstFrameRendered() const noexcept { return m_firstFrameRendered; }
+  void setRenderCallback(std::function<void()> callback) { m_renderCallback = std::move(callback); }
+
   static void handleConfigure(
       void* data, ext_session_lock_surface_v1* lockSurface, std::uint32_t serial, std::uint32_t width,
       std::uint32_t height
   );
 
+protected:
+  void render() override;
+
 private:
   void prepareFrame(bool needsUpdate, bool needsLayout);
   void applyWallpaperTexture();
@@ -119,4 +125,6 @@ class LockSurface : public Surface {
   bool m_authenticating = false;
   std::string m_outputKey;
   LockscreenWidgetsHost* m_widgetsHost = nullptr;
+  bool m_firstFrameRendered = false;
+  std::function<void()> m_renderCallback;
 };