diff --git a/sphaira/include/ui/menus/install_stream_menu_base.hpp b/sphaira/include/ui/menus/install_stream_menu_base.hpp
index 7d7ed77..796d522 100644
--- a/sphaira/include/ui/menus/install_stream_menu_base.hpp
+++ b/sphaira/include/ui/menus/install_stream_menu_base.hpp
@@ -35,10 +35,11 @@ private:
     std::stop_token m_token{};
     std::vector<u8> m_buffer{};
     CondVar m_can_read{};
+    CondVar m_can_write{};
 
 public:
     Mutex m_mutex{};
-    bool m_active{};
+    std::atomic_bool m_active{};
 };
 
 struct Menu : MenuBase {
diff --git a/sphaira/source/ui/menus/install_stream_menu_base.cpp b/sphaira/source/ui/menus/install_stream_menu_base.cpp
index d67fa03..33fc770 100644
--- a/sphaira/source/ui/menus/install_stream_menu_base.cpp
+++ b/sphaira/source/ui/menus/install_stream_menu_base.cpp
@@ -20,6 +20,16 @@ constexpr u64 MAX_BUFFER_SIZE = 1024ULL*1024ULL*8ULL;
 constexpr u64 MAX_BUFFER_RESERVE_SIZE = 1024ULL*1024ULL*32ULL;
 std::atomic<InstallState> INSTALL_STATE{InstallState::None};
 
+// don't use condivar here as windows mtp is very broken.
+// stalling for too longer (3s+) and having too varied transfer speeds
+// results in windows stalling the transfer for 1m until it kills it via timeout.
+// the workaround is to always accept new data, but stall for 1s.
+// UPDATE: it seems possible to trigger this bug during normal file transfer
+// including using stock haze.
+// it seems random, and ive been unable to trigger it personally.
+// for this reason, use condivar rather than trying to work around the issue.
+#define USE_CONDI_VAR 1
+
 } // namespace
 
 Stream::Stream(const fs::FsPath& path, std::stop_token token) {
@@ -30,6 +40,7 @@ Stream::Stream(const fs::FsPath& path, std::stop_token token) {
 
     mutexInit(&m_mutex);
     condvarInit(&m_can_read);
+    condvarInit(&m_can_write);
 }
 
 Result Stream::ReadChunk(void* buf, s64 size, u64* bytes_read) {
@@ -41,7 +52,7 @@ Result Stream::ReadChunk(void* buf, s64 size, u64* bytes_read) {
     while (!m_token.stop_requested()) {
         SCOPED_MUTEX(&m_mutex);
         if (m_active && m_buffer.empty()) {
-            R_TRY(condvarWait(&m_can_read, &m_mutex));
+            R_TRY(condvarWait(std::addressof(m_can_read), std::addressof(m_mutex)));
         }
 
         if ((!m_active && m_buffer.empty()) || m_token.stop_requested()) {
@@ -52,7 +63,7 @@ Result Stream::ReadChunk(void* buf, s64 size, u64* bytes_read) {
         std::memcpy(buf, m_buffer.data(), size);
         m_buffer.erase(m_buffer.begin(), m_buffer.begin() + size);
         *bytes_read = size;
-        R_SUCCEED();
+        return condvarWakeOne(&m_can_write);
     }
 
     log_write("[Stream::ReadChunk] failed to read\n");
@@ -71,11 +82,12 @@ bool Stream::Push(const void* buf, s64 size) {
             return true;
         }
 
-        // don't use condivar here as windows mtp is very broken.
-        // stalling for too longer (3s+) and having too varied transfer speeds
-        // results in windows stalling the transfer for 1m until it kills it via timeout.
-        // the workaround is to always accept new data, but stall for 1s.
         SCOPED_MUTEX(&m_mutex);
+        #if USE_CONDI_VAR
+        if (m_active && m_buffer.size() >= MAX_BUFFER_SIZE) {
+            R_TRY(condvarWait(std::addressof(m_can_write), std::addressof(m_mutex)));
+        }
+        #else
         if (m_active && m_buffer.size() >= MAX_BUFFER_SIZE) {
             // unlock the mutex and wait for 1s to bring transfer speed down to 1MiB/s.
             log_write("[Stream::Push] buffer is full, delaying\n");
@@ -84,6 +96,7 @@ bool Stream::Push(const void* buf, s64 size) {
 
             svcSleepThread(1e+9);
         }
+        #endif
 
         if (!m_active) {
             log_write("[Stream::Push] file not active\n");
@@ -107,6 +120,7 @@ void Stream::Disable() {
     SCOPED_MUTEX(&m_mutex);
     m_active = false;
     condvarWakeOne(&m_can_read);
+    condvarWakeOne(&m_can_write);
 }
 
 Menu::Menu(const std::string& title, u32 flags) : MenuBase{title, flags} {