diff --git a/src/nu/Render.zig b/src/nu/Render.zig
index ed243a4..b74c49a 100644
--- a/src/nu/Render.zig
+++ b/src/nu/Render.zig
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ const nu = @import("../nu.zig");
 // const au = @import("Render/au.zig");
 
 const ctx = @import("Render/ctx.zig");
-const swap_chain = @import("Render/swap_chain.zig");
+const SwapChain = @import("Render/SwapChain.zig");
 
 pub const Config = struct {
     app_name: [*:0]const u8 = "nu-au-app",
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ const config = nu.config.render;
 
 pub const depends = .{nu.Window};
 
-const SwapChain = swap_chain.SwapChain(Flight);
 const Flight = struct {
     pool: vk.CommandPool = .null_handle,
     cmd: vk.CommandBuffer = .null_handle,
@@ -84,7 +83,7 @@ pub fn setup(alloc: std.mem.Allocator) !void {
     errdefer for (_flights) |flight| flight.deinit();
     for (_flights) |*flight| flight.* = try Flight.init();
 
-    _sc = try SwapChain.init(alloc, _flights);
+    _sc = try SwapChain.init(alloc, _flights.len);
     errdefer _sc.deinit();
 }
 
@@ -96,14 +95,15 @@ pub fn teardown() void {
 
 pub fn render() !void {
     const target = try _sc.acquire();
+    const flight = &_flights[target.flight_index];
 
     const render_area: vk.Rect2D = .{
         .offset = .{ .x = 0, .y = 0 },
         .extent = _sc.cinfo.image_extent,
     };
 
-    try ctx.D.resetCommandPool(target.flight.pool, .{});
-    var cmd = ctx.CommandBufferProxy.init(target.flight.cmd, ctx.dw);
+    try ctx.D.resetCommandPool(flight.pool, .{});
+    var cmd = ctx.CommandBufferProxy.init(flight.cmd, ctx.dw);
 
     try cmd.beginCommandBuffer(&.{ .flags = .{ .one_time_submit_bit = true } });
     {
@@ -116,24 +116,7 @@ pub fn render() !void {
             0,
             null,
             1,
-            &.{
-                vk.ImageMemoryBarrier{
-                    .src_access_mask = .{},
-                    .dst_access_mask = .{ .color_attachment_write_bit = true },
-                    .old_layout = .undefined,
-                    .new_layout = .color_attachment_optimal,
-                    .src_queue_family_index = 0, // values are the same; no transfer occurs
-                    .dst_queue_family_index = 0,
-                    .image = target.image,
-                    .subresource_range = .{
-                        .aspect_mask = .{ .color_bit = true },
-                        .base_mip_level = 0,
-                        .level_count = 1,
-                        .base_array_layer = 0,
-                        .layer_count = 1,
-                    },
-                },
-            },
+            &.{target.top_of_pipe()},
         );
 
         cmd.beginRendering(&vk.RenderingInfo{
@@ -166,24 +149,7 @@ pub fn render() !void {
             0,
             null,
             1,
-            &.{
-                vk.ImageMemoryBarrier{
-                    .src_access_mask = .{ .color_attachment_write_bit = true },
-                    .dst_access_mask = .{},
-                    .old_layout = .color_attachment_optimal,
-                    .new_layout = .present_src_khr,
-                    .src_queue_family_index = 0, // values are the same; no transfer occurs.
-                    .dst_queue_family_index = 0,
-                    .image = target.image,
-                    .subresource_range = .{
-                        .aspect_mask = .{ .color_bit = true },
-                        .base_mip_level = 0,
-                        .level_count = 1,
-                        .base_array_layer = 0,
-                        .layer_count = 1,
-                    },
-                },
-            },
+            &.{target.bottom_of_pipe()},
         );
     }
     try cmd.endCommandBuffer();
@@ -201,7 +167,7 @@ pub fn render() !void {
                     vk.PipelineStageFlags{ .color_attachment_output_bit = true },
                 },
                 .command_buffer_count = 1,
-                .p_command_buffers = &.{target.flight.cmd},
+                .p_command_buffers = &.{flight.cmd},
                 .signal_semaphore_count = 1,
                 .p_signal_semaphores = &.{target.complete},
             },
diff --git a/src/nu/Render/SwapChain.zig b/src/nu/Render/SwapChain.zig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b2df68d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/nu/Render/SwapChain.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,301 @@
+const std = @import("std");
+const vk = @import("vk");
+const ctx = @import("ctx.zig");
+
+fn _choose_format(alloc: std.mem.Allocator) !vk.SurfaceFormatKHR {
+    var count: u32 = undefined;
+    std.debug.assert(.success == try ctx.I.getPhysicalDeviceSurfaceFormatsKHR(
+        ctx.pdevice.*,
+        ctx.surface.*,
+        &count,
+        null,
+    ));
+    const formats = try alloc.alloc(vk.SurfaceFormatKHR, count);
+    defer alloc.free(formats);
+    std.debug.assert(.success == try ctx.I.getPhysicalDeviceSurfaceFormatsKHR(
+        ctx.pdevice.*,
+        ctx.surface.*,
+        &count,
+        formats.ptr,
+    ));
+
+    for (formats) |format| {
+        if (format.color_space == .srgb_nonlinear_khr) return format;
+    } else {
+        return formats[0];
+    }
+}
+
+fn _choose_mode(alloc: std.mem.Allocator) !vk.PresentModeKHR {
+    _ = ctx;
+    _ = alloc;
+
+    return .fifo_khr;
+}
+
+const Self = @This();
+
+pub const Target = struct {
+    image_index: u32,
+    flight_index: u32,
+    image: vk.Image,
+    view: vk.ImageView,
+    acquired: vk.Semaphore, // this semaphore will be signaled when the target is acquired
+    complete: vk.Semaphore, // this semaphore should be signaled when the render is complete
+    available: vk.Fence, // this fence should be signaled when the target flight is available
+
+    pub fn top_of_pipe(target: Target) vk.ImageMemoryBarrier {
+        return vk.ImageMemoryBarrier{
+            .src_access_mask = .{},
+            .dst_access_mask = .{ .color_attachment_write_bit = true },
+            .old_layout = .undefined,
+            .new_layout = .color_attachment_optimal,
+            .src_queue_family_index = 0,
+            .dst_queue_family_index = 0,
+            .image = target.image,
+            .subresource_range = .{
+                .aspect_mask = .{ .color_bit = true },
+                .base_mip_level = 0,
+                .level_count = 1,
+                .base_array_layer = 0,
+                .layer_count = 1,
+            },
+        };
+    }
+
+    pub fn bottom_of_pipe(target: Target) vk.ImageMemoryBarrier {
+        return vk.ImageMemoryBarrier{
+            .src_access_mask = .{ .color_attachment_write_bit = true },
+            .dst_access_mask = .{},
+            .old_layout = .color_attachment_optimal,
+            .new_layout = .present_src_khr,
+            .src_queue_family_index = 0,
+            .dst_queue_family_index = 0,
+            .image = target.image,
+            .subresource_range = .{
+                .aspect_mask = .{ .color_bit = true },
+                .base_mip_level = 0,
+                .level_count = 1,
+                .base_array_layer = 0,
+                .layer_count = 1,
+            },
+        };
+    }
+};
+
+const Sync = struct {
+    acquired: vk.Semaphore = .null_handle,
+    complete: vk.Semaphore = .null_handle,
+    available: vk.Fence = .null_handle,
+};
+
+const View = struct {
+    image: vk.Image,
+    view: vk.ImageView,
+};
+
+alloc: std.mem.Allocator,
+
+flight_index: usize = 0,
+flight_syncs: std.MultiArrayList(Sync) = .{},
+
+cinfo: vk.SwapchainCreateInfoKHR = undefined,
+handle: vk.SwapchainKHR = .null_handle,
+
+chain: std.MultiArrayList(View) = .{},
+
+pub fn init(alloc: std.mem.Allocator, flight_count: usize) !Self {
+    var self: Self = .{
+        .alloc = alloc,
+    };
+    errdefer self.deinit();
+
+    try self.flight_syncs.resize(alloc, flight_count);
+    for (self.flight_syncs.items(.acquired)) |*sem|
+        sem.* = try ctx.D.createSemaphore(&.{}, null);
+    for (self.flight_syncs.items(.complete)) |*sem|
+        sem.* = try ctx.D.createSemaphore(&.{}, null);
+    for (self.flight_syncs.items(.available)) |*fnc|
+        fnc.* = try ctx.D.createFence(&.{ .flags = .{ .signaled_bit = true } }, null);
+
+    const caps = try ctx.getPhysicalDeviceSurfaceCapabilities();
+    const format = try _choose_format(alloc);
+    const mode = try _choose_mode(alloc);
+
+    self.cinfo = .{
+        .surface = ctx.surface.*,
+        .min_image_count = std.math.clamp(
+            @min(3, caps.min_image_count + 1),
+            caps.min_image_count,
+            if (caps.max_image_count > 0) caps.max_image_count else 127,
+        ),
+        .image_format = format.format,
+        .image_color_space = format.color_space,
+        .image_extent = undefined, // set in rebuild
+        .image_array_layers = 1,
+        .image_usage = .{ .color_attachment_bit = true },
+        .image_sharing_mode = .exclusive,
+        .pre_transform = .{ .identity_bit_khr = true },
+        .composite_alpha = .{ .opaque_bit_khr = true },
+        .present_mode = mode,
+        .clipped = vk.TRUE,
+        .old_swapchain = .null_handle,
+    };
+
+    return self;
+}
+
+fn rebuild(self: *Self) !void {
+    std.debug.assert(self.handle == .null_handle); // don't rebuild if we weren't marked
+
+    const caps = try ctx.getPhysicalDeviceSurfaceCapabilities();
+    self.cinfo.image_extent = caps.current_extent;
+
+    self.handle = try ctx.D.createSwapchainKHR(&self.cinfo, null);
+    ctx.D.destroySwapchainKHR(self.cinfo.old_swapchain, null);
+    self.cinfo.old_swapchain = self.handle;
+
+    for (self.chain.items(.view)) |view| ctx.D.destroyImageView(view, null);
+    @memset(self.chain.items(.view), .null_handle);
+    @memset(self.chain.items(.image), .null_handle);
+
+    var count: u32 = undefined;
+    std.debug.assert(
+        .success == try ctx.D.getSwapchainImagesKHR(
+            self.handle,
+            &count,
+            null,
+        ),
+    );
+    try self.chain.resize(self.alloc, count);
+    std.debug.assert(
+        .success == try ctx.D.getSwapchainImagesKHR(
+            self.handle,
+            &count,
+            self.chain.items(.image).ptr,
+        ),
+    );
+
+    for (self.chain.items(.image), self.chain.items(.view)) |image, *view| {
+        view.* = try ctx.D.createImageView(&vk.ImageViewCreateInfo{
+            .image = image,
+            .view_type = .@"2d",
+            .format = self.cinfo.image_format,
+            .components = .{
+                .r = .identity,
+                .g = .identity,
+                .b = .identity,
+                .a = .identity,
+            },
+            .subresource_range = .{
+                .aspect_mask = .{ .color_bit = true },
+                .base_mip_level = 0,
+                .level_count = 1,
+                .base_array_layer = 0,
+                .layer_count = 1,
+            },
+        }, null);
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn deinit(self: *Self) void {
+    // The easiest way to ensure fences and semaphores are not in use for deletion. If it fails, the device must
+    // have failed somehow and sync is not necessary so just continue with cleanup.
+    ctx.D.deviceWaitIdle() catch {};
+
+    // images are owned by swapchain and not explicitly destroyed
+    for (self.chain.items(.view)) |view| ctx.D.destroyImageView(view, null);
+    self.chain.deinit(self.alloc);
+
+    ctx.D.destroySwapchainKHR(self.handle, null);
+
+    for (self.flight_syncs.items(.acquired)) |sem| ctx.D.destroySemaphore(sem, null);
+    for (self.flight_syncs.items(.complete)) |sem| ctx.D.destroySemaphore(sem, null);
+    for (self.flight_syncs.items(.available)) |fnc| ctx.D.destroyFence(fnc, null);
+    self.flight_syncs.deinit(self.alloc);
+}
+
+pub fn acquire(self: *Self) !Target {
+    var target: Target = .{
+        .flight_index = @intCast(self.flight_index),
+        .acquired = self.flight_syncs.items(.acquired)[self.flight_index],
+        .complete = self.flight_syncs.items(.complete)[self.flight_index],
+        .available = self.flight_syncs.items(.available)[self.flight_index],
+        .image = undefined,
+        .view = undefined,
+        .image_index = undefined,
+    };
+
+    const timeout = std.math.maxInt(u64);
+
+    for (0..5) |_| {
+        if (self.handle == .null_handle) {
+            try self.rebuild();
+            std.debug.assert(self.handle != .null_handle);
+        }
+
+        const fences: [1]vk.Fence = .{target.available};
+        std.debug.assert(.success == try ctx.D.waitForFences(
+            1,
+            &fences,
+            vk.TRUE,
+            std.math.maxInt(u64),
+        ));
+
+        if (ctx.D.acquireNextImageKHR(
+            self.handle,
+            timeout,
+            target.acquired,
+            .null_handle,
+        )) |res| {
+            switch (res.result) {
+                .success, .suboptimal_khr => {},
+                else => unreachable,
+            }
+
+            target.image_index = res.image_index;
+            target.image = self.chain.items(.image)[res.image_index];
+            target.view = self.chain.items(.view)[res.image_index];
+
+            try ctx.D.resetFences(1, &.{target.available});
+            self.flight_index = @mod(self.flight_index + 1, self.flight_syncs.len);
+
+            return target;
+        } else |err| switch (err) {
+            error.OutOfDateKHR => {
+                self.handle = .null_handle;
+                continue;
+            },
+            else => return err,
+        }
+    } else {
+        return error.CannotRecreateSwapchain;
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn present(self: *Self, target: Target) !void {
+    if (ctx.Q.presentKHR(&vk.PresentInfoKHR{
+        .wait_semaphore_count = 1, // todo extra semaphores?
+        .p_wait_semaphores = &.{target.complete},
+        .swapchain_count = 1,
+        .p_swapchains = &.{self.handle},
+        .p_image_indices = &.{target.image_index},
+        .p_results = null,
+    })) |res| {
+        switch (res) {
+            .success => {},
+            .suboptimal_khr => {
+                self.handle = .null_handle;
+                return;
+            },
+            else => unreachable,
+        }
+    } else |err| switch (err) {
+        error.OutOfDateKHR => {
+            self.handle = .null_handle;
+            std.log.debug("Dropped frame", .{});
+            return;
+        },
+        else => return err,
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/nu/Render/au/SwapChain.zig b/src/nu/Render/au/SwapChain.zig
deleted file mode 100644
index 17c2bd8..0000000
--- a/src/nu/Render/au/SwapChain.zig
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,213 +0,0 @@
-const std = @import("std");
-const au = @import("../au.zig");
-const vk = @import("vk");
-
-const Self = @This();
-
-alloc: std.mem.Allocator,
-cinfo: vk.SwapchainCreateInfoKHR,
-handle: vk.SwapchainKHR = .null_handle,
-images: std.ArrayListUnmanaged(vk.Image) = .{},
-views: std.ArrayListUnmanaged(vk.ImageView) = .{},
-
-pub fn init(alloc: std.mem.Allocator) !Self {
-    const caps = try au.I.getPhysicalDeviceSurfaceCapabilitiesKHR(au.device_config.pdev, au.S.*);
-
-    var min_image_count = @max(3, caps.min_image_count + 1); // todo magic numbers
-    if (caps.max_image_count > 0) {
-        min_image_count = @min(min_image_count, caps.max_image_count);
-    }
-
-    // determine format
-    const format = au.device_config.format;
-
-    return .{
-        .alloc = alloc,
-        .cinfo = .{
-            .surface = au.S.*,
-            .min_image_count = min_image_count,
-            .image_format = format.format,
-            .image_color_space = format.color_space,
-            .image_extent = undefined, // set in rebuild
-            .image_array_layers = 1,
-            .image_usage = .{ .color_attachment_bit = true },
-            .image_sharing_mode = .exclusive,
-            .pre_transform = .{ .identity_bit_khr = true },
-            .composite_alpha = .{ .opaque_bit_khr = true },
-            .present_mode = au.device_config.mode,
-            .clipped = vk.TRUE,
-            .old_swapchain = .null_handle,
-        },
-    };
-}
-
-pub fn deinit(self: *Self) void {
-    for (self.views.items) |view| {
-        au.D.destroyImageView(view, null);
-    }
-    self.views.deinit(self.alloc);
-
-    self.images.deinit(self.alloc);
-
-    au.D.destroySwapchainKHR(self.handle, null);
-}
-
-/// mark that the swapchain _should_ be rebuilt with the given extent
-/// this function is reentrant, so the swapchain can be marked multiple times
-/// and only one rebuild occur
-pub fn mark(self: *Self) void {
-    self.handle = .null_handle;
-}
-
-/// rebuild the swapchain only if it is marked. return true if the swapchain was rebuilt.
-pub fn rebuild(self: *Self) !bool {
-    if (self.handle != .null_handle) return false;
-
-    const caps = try au.I.getPhysicalDeviceSurfaceCapabilitiesKHR(au.device_config.pdev, self.cinfo.surface);
-    self.cinfo.image_extent = caps.current_extent;
-
-    self.handle = try au.D.createSwapchainKHR(&self.cinfo, null);
-    au.D.destroySwapchainKHR(self.cinfo.old_swapchain, null);
-    self.cinfo.old_swapchain = self.handle;
-
-    var count: u32 = undefined;
-    _ = try au.D.getSwapchainImagesKHR(self.handle, &count, null);
-    try self.images.resize(self.alloc, count);
-    _ = try au.D.getSwapchainImagesKHR(self.handle, &count, self.images.items.ptr);
-
-    for (self.views.items) |view| {
-        au.D.destroyImageView(view, null);
-    }
-    try self.views.resize(self.alloc, count);
-    for (self.images.items, self.views.items) |image, *view| {
-        view.* = try au.D.createImageView(&vk.ImageViewCreateInfo{
-            .image = image,
-            .view_type = .@"2d",
-            .format = self.cinfo.image_format,
-            .components = .{ .r = .identity, .g = .identity, .b = .identity, .a = .identity },
-            .subresource_range = .{
-                .aspect_mask = .{ .color_bit = true },
-                .base_mip_level = 0,
-                .level_count = 1,
-                .base_array_layer = 0,
-                .layer_count = 1,
-            },
-        }, null);
-    }
-
-    return true;
-}
-
-pub fn acquire(self: Self, semaphore: vk.Semaphore, fence: vk.Fence) !Target {
-    const acq = try au.D.acquireNextImageKHR(
-        self.handle,
-        std.math.maxInt(u64),
-        semaphore,
-        fence,
-    );
-    return .{
-        .idx = acq.image_index,
-        .image = self.images.items[acq.image_index],
-        .view = self.views.items[acq.image_index],
-    };
-}
-
-const Target = struct {
-    idx: u32,
-    image: vk.Image,
-    view: vk.ImageView,
-
-    pub fn begin_rendering(self: Target, cmd: au.CommandBufferProxy, area: vk.Rect2D) void {
-        cmd.pipelineBarrier(
-            .{ .top_of_pipe_bit = true },
-            .{ .color_attachment_output_bit = true },
-            .{},
-            0,
-            null,
-            0,
-            null,
-            1,
-            &.{
-                vk.ImageMemoryBarrier{
-                    .src_access_mask = .{},
-                    .dst_access_mask = .{ .color_attachment_write_bit = true },
-                    .old_layout = .undefined,
-                    .new_layout = .color_attachment_optimal,
-                    .src_queue_family_index = 0,
-                    .dst_queue_family_index = 0,
-                    .image = self.image,
-                    .subresource_range = .{
-                        .aspect_mask = .{ .color_bit = true },
-                        .base_mip_level = 0,
-                        .level_count = 1,
-                        .base_array_layer = 0,
-                        .layer_count = 1,
-                    },
-                },
-            },
-        );
-
-        cmd.beginRendering(&vk.RenderingInfo{
-            .render_area = area,
-            .layer_count = 1,
-            .view_mask = 0,
-            .color_attachment_count = 1,
-            .p_color_attachments = &.{
-                vk.RenderingAttachmentInfo{
-                    .image_view = self.view,
-                    .image_layout = .color_attachment_optimal,
-                    .resolve_mode = .{},
-                    .resolve_image_view = .null_handle,
-                    .resolve_image_layout = .undefined,
-                    .load_op = .clear,
-                    .store_op = .store,
-                    .clear_value = .{ .color = .{ .float_32 = .{ 0, 0, 0, 1 } } },
-                },
-            },
-        });
-    }
-
-    pub fn end_rendering(self: Target, cmd: au.CommandBufferProxy) void {
-        cmd.endRendering();
-
-        cmd.pipelineBarrier(
-            .{ .color_attachment_output_bit = true },
-            .{ .bottom_of_pipe_bit = true },
-            .{},
-            0,
-            null,
-            0,
-            null,
-            1,
-            &.{
-                vk.ImageMemoryBarrier{
-                    .src_access_mask = .{ .color_attachment_write_bit = true },
-                    .dst_access_mask = .{},
-                    .old_layout = .color_attachment_optimal,
-                    .new_layout = .present_src_khr,
-                    .src_queue_family_index = 0,
-                    .dst_queue_family_index = 0,
-                    .image = self.image,
-                    .subresource_range = .{
-                        .aspect_mask = .{ .color_bit = true },
-                        .base_mip_level = 0,
-                        .level_count = 1,
-                        .base_array_layer = 0,
-                        .layer_count = 1,
-                    },
-                },
-            },
-        );
-    }
-};
-
-pub fn present(self: Self, wait_semaphores: []const vk.Semaphore, target: Target) !vk.Result {
-    return try au.Q.presentKHR(&vk.PresentInfoKHR{
-        .wait_semaphore_count = @intCast(wait_semaphores.len),
-        .p_wait_semaphores = wait_semaphores.ptr,
-        .swapchain_count = 1,
-        .p_swapchains = &.{self.handle},
-        .p_image_indices = &.{target.idx},
-        .p_results = null,
-    });
-}
diff --git a/src/nu/Render/ctx.zig b/src/nu/Render/ctx.zig
index 170331d..e3a2397 100644
--- a/src/nu/Render/ctx.zig
+++ b/src/nu/Render/ctx.zig
@@ -275,6 +275,10 @@ fn _destroy_device() void {
     D.destroyDevice(null);
 }
 
+pub fn getPhysicalDeviceSurfaceCapabilities() !vk.SurfaceCapabilitiesKHR {
+    return try I.getPhysicalDeviceSurfaceCapabilitiesKHR(_pdevice, _surface);
+}
+
 pub extern fn glfwGetInstanceProcAddress(
     instance: vk.Instance,
     procname: [*:0]const u8,