diff --git a/src/freedreno/afuc/emu-regs.c b/src/freedreno/afuc/emu-regs.c
index b87a1c84156..b5577950bef 100644
--- a/src/freedreno/afuc/emu-regs.c
+++ b/src/freedreno/afuc/emu-regs.c
@@ -240,6 +240,11 @@ emu_get_fifo_reg(struct emu *emu, unsigned n, bool peek)
       return emu_get_gpu_reg(emu, read_addr);
    } else if (n == REG_DATA) {
       /* $data */
+      if (emu->bootstrap_mode) {
+         emu->bootstrap_finished = true;
+         return 0;
+      }
+
       do {
          uint32_t rem = emu->gpr_regs.val[REG_REM];
          assert(rem >= 0);
diff --git a/src/freedreno/afuc/emu.c b/src/freedreno/afuc/emu.c
index 58a2cbcc25b..77def218e03 100644
--- a/src/freedreno/afuc/emu.c
+++ b/src/freedreno/afuc/emu.c
@@ -460,20 +460,23 @@ emu_step(struct emu *emu)
 void
 emu_run_bootstrap(struct emu *emu)
 {
-   EMU_CONTROL_REG(PACKET_TABLE_WRITE_ADDR);
    EMU_CONTROL_REG(THREAD_SYNC);
 
    emu->quiet = true;
    emu->run_mode = true;
+   emu->bootstrap_mode = true;
+   emu->bootstrap_finished = false;
 
    if (gpuver == 6 && emu->processor == EMU_PROC_LPAC) {
       /* Emulate what the SQE bootstrap routine does after launching LPAC */
       emu_set_reg32(emu, &THREAD_SYNC, 1u << 0);
    }
 
-   while (emu_get_reg32(emu, &PACKET_TABLE_WRITE_ADDR) < 0x80) {
+   while (!emu->bootstrap_finished && !emu->waitin) {
       emu_step(emu);
    }
+
+   emu->bootstrap_mode = false;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/freedreno/afuc/emu.h b/src/freedreno/afuc/emu.h
index 0903072929f..3bb8f44e48e 100644
--- a/src/freedreno/afuc/emu.h
+++ b/src/freedreno/afuc/emu.h
@@ -203,6 +203,14 @@ struct emu {
    /* (r)un mode, don't stop for input until next waitin: */
    bool run_mode;
 
+   /* Don't prompt on a read from $data with an empty queue and instead assume
+    * the bootstrap routine has finished and return a dummy value while
+    * setting bootstrap_finished.
+    */
+   bool bootstrap_mode;
+
+   bool bootstrap_finished;
+
    /* carry-bits for add/sub for addhi/subhi
     * TODO: this is probably in a SQE register somewhere
     */