diff --git a/Sources/ObjectivelyGPU/CommandBuffer.c b/Sources/ObjectivelyGPU/CommandBuffer.c
index 857b55d..617d792 100644
--- a/Sources/ObjectivelyGPU/CommandBuffer.c
+++ b/Sources/ObjectivelyGPU/CommandBuffer.c
@@ -63,13 +63,15 @@ static bool acquireSwapchainTexture(const CommandBuffer *self, SwapchainTexture
                                                  self->device->window,
                                                  &swapchain->texture,
                                                  &w, &h);
-
-  if (ok) {
-    swapchain->size = (SDL_Size) { (int) w, (int) h };
-    swapchain->format = SDL_GetGPUSwapchainTextureFormat(self->device->device, self->device->window);
+  if (!ok || swapchain->texture == NULL) {
+    *swapchain = (SwapchainTexture) { 0 };
+    return false;
   }
-  
-  return ok;
+
+  swapchain->size = (SDL_Size) { (int) w, (int) h };
+  swapchain->format = SDL_GetGPUSwapchainTextureFormat(self->device->device, self->device->window);
+
+  return true;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -305,12 +307,16 @@ static bool waitAndAcquireSwapchainTexture(const CommandBuffer *self, SwapchainT
                                                         self->device->window,
                                                         &swapchain->texture,
                                                         &w, &h);
-  if (ok) {
-    swapchain->size = (SDL_Size) { (int) w, (int) h };
-    swapchain->format = SDL_GetGPUSwapchainTextureFormat(self->device->device, self->device->window);
+
+  if (!ok || swapchain->texture == NULL) {
+    *swapchain = (SwapchainTexture) { 0 };
+    return false;
   }
-  
-  return ok;
+
+  swapchain->size = (SDL_Size) { (int) w, (int) h };
+  swapchain->format = SDL_GetGPUSwapchainTextureFormat(self->device->device, self->device->window);
+
+  return true;
 }
 
 #pragma mark - Class lifecycle
diff --git a/Sources/ObjectivelyGPU/CommandBuffer.h b/Sources/ObjectivelyGPU/CommandBuffer.h
index 8be1933..eb4d272 100644
--- a/Sources/ObjectivelyGPU/CommandBuffer.h
+++ b/Sources/ObjectivelyGPU/CommandBuffer.h
@@ -134,11 +134,13 @@ struct CommandBufferInterface {
   /**
    * @fn bool CommandBuffer::acquireSwapchainTexture(const CommandBuffer *self, SwapchainTexture *swapchain)
    * @brief Acquires the next swapchain texture for rendering.
-   * @details Returns `false` (without asserting) when the window is minimised
-   *   or the swapchain is temporarily unavailable. The caller should skip
-   *   rendering for that frame.
+   * @details Returns `false` (without asserting) when the window is minimised, too many
+   *   frames are in flight, or the swapchain is temporarily unavailable; SDL reports those
+   *   cases as success with a NULL texture, which MUST NOT be passed back into SDL, so
+   *   they are reported here as failure and @p swapchain is zeroed. The caller should skip
+   *   presenting for that frame.
    * @param self The CommandBuffer.
-   * @param swapchain Output structure populated with the texture and dimensions.
+   * @param swapchain Output structure populated with the texture and dimensions, or zeroed.
    * @return True on success, false when the swapchain is unavailable this frame.
    * @memberof CommandBuffer
    */
@@ -322,10 +324,16 @@ struct CommandBufferInterface {
    * @fn bool CommandBuffer::waitAndAcquireSwapchainTexture(const CommandBuffer *self, SwapchainTexture *swapchain)
    * @brief Blocks until a swapchain texture is available, then acquires it.
    * @details Prefer `acquireSwapchainTexture` unless you must guarantee a
-   *   texture this frame (e.g. during resize).
+   *   texture this frame (e.g. during resize). Blocking bounds how many frames may be in
+   *   flight, but a drawable is still not guaranteed: as with `acquireSwapchainTexture`,
+   *   an unavailable swapchain is reported as `false` with @p swapchain zeroed.
+   *
+   *   Call this as late in the frame as possible. The acquired drawable is held until this
+   *   CommandBuffer is submitted, and holding it across a frame's CPU work starves the
+   *   drawable pool.
    * @param self The CommandBuffer.
-   * @param swapchain Output structure populated with the texture and dimensions.
-   * @return True on success, false on error.
+   * @param swapchain Output structure populated with the texture and dimensions, or zeroed.
+   * @return True on success, false when the swapchain is unavailable this frame.
    * @memberof CommandBuffer
    */
   bool (*waitAndAcquireSwapchainTexture)(const CommandBuffer *self, SwapchainTexture *swapchain);
diff --git a/Sources/ObjectivelyGPU/RenderDevice.c b/Sources/ObjectivelyGPU/RenderDevice.c
index 1990f85..b0ba3eb 100644
--- a/Sources/ObjectivelyGPU/RenderDevice.c
+++ b/Sources/ObjectivelyGPU/RenderDevice.c
@@ -152,19 +152,19 @@ static CommandBuffer *acquireCommandBuffer(const RenderDevice *self) {
  */
 static CommandBuffer *beginFrame(RenderDevice *self) {
 
+  GPU_Assert(self->window, "no SDL_Window for RenderDevice");
   GPU_Assert(self->framebuffer, "no framebuffer set; call setFramebuffer first");
-  GPU_Assert(self->commands == NULL, "beginFrame called with a frame already in flight");
-
-  self->commands = $(self, acquireCommandBuffer);
 
-  const bool ok = $(self->commands, waitAndAcquireSwapchainTexture, &self->swapchain);
-  if (ok) {
-    $(self->framebuffer, resize, &self->swapchain.size);
-  } else {
-    $(self->commands, cancel);
-    self->commands = release(self->commands);
+  int w = 0, h = 0;
+  if (!SDL_GetWindowSizeInPixels(self->window, &w, &h) || w <= 0 || h <= 0) {
+    return NULL;
   }
+  
+  $(self->framebuffer, resize, &(SDL_Size) { w, h });
+
+  GPU_Assert(self->commands == NULL, "beginFrame called with a frame already in flight");
 
+  self->commands = $(self, acquireCommandBuffer);
   return self->commands;
 }
 
@@ -179,25 +179,26 @@ static Fence *endFrameAndFence(RenderDevice *self) {
   Texture *color = $(self->framebuffer, resolveColorTexture, 0);
   GPU_Assert(color, "framebuffer has no color attachment to present");
 
-  $(self->commands, blitTexture, &(SDL_GPUBlitInfo) {
-    .source = {
-      .texture = color->texture,
-      .w = (Uint32) self->swapchain.size.w,
-      .h = (Uint32) self->swapchain.size.h,
-    },
-    .destination = {
-      .texture = self->swapchain.texture,
-      .w = (Uint32) self->swapchain.size.w,
-      .h = (Uint32) self->swapchain.size.h,
-    },
-    .load_op = SDL_GPU_LOADOP_DONT_CARE,
-    .filter = SDL_GPU_FILTER_NEAREST,
-  });
+  if ($(self->commands, waitAndAcquireSwapchainTexture, &self->swapchain)) {
+    $(self->commands, blitTexture, &(SDL_GPUBlitInfo) {
+      .source = {
+        .texture = color->texture,
+        .w = (Uint32) self->framebuffer->size.w,
+        .h = (Uint32) self->framebuffer->size.h,
+      },
+      .destination = {
+        .texture = self->swapchain.texture,
+        .w = (Uint32) self->swapchain.size.w,
+        .h = (Uint32) self->swapchain.size.h,
+      },
+      .load_op = SDL_GPU_LOADOP_DONT_CARE,
+      .filter = SDL_GPU_FILTER_NEAREST,
+    });
+  }
 
   Fence *fence = $(self->commands, submitAndFence);
 
   self->commands = release(self->commands);
-
   self->swapchain = (SwapchainTexture) { 0 };
 
   return fence;
diff --git a/Sources/ObjectivelyGPU/RenderDevice.h b/Sources/ObjectivelyGPU/RenderDevice.h
index 5e39c9d..59ec499 100644
--- a/Sources/ObjectivelyGPU/RenderDevice.h
+++ b/Sources/ObjectivelyGPU/RenderDevice.h
@@ -98,8 +98,8 @@ struct RenderDevice {
 
   /**
    * @brief The present-target Framebuffer driven by `beginFrame`/`endFrame`, or `NULL`.
-   * @details Set via `setFramebuffer` (retained). `beginFrame` resizes it to the
-   *   swapchain each frame and `endFrame` blits its resolved color to the swapchain.
+   * @details Set via `setFramebuffer` (retained). `beginFrame` resizes it to the window's
+   *   pixel size each frame and `endFrame` blits its resolved color to the swapchain.
    */
   Framebuffer *framebuffer;
 
@@ -112,8 +112,9 @@ struct RenderDevice {
   CommandBuffer *commands;
 
   /**
-   * @brief The swapchain texture acquired for the current frame.
-   * @details Valid only between `beginFrame` and `endFrame`.
+   * @brief The swapchain texture acquired to present the current frame.
+   * @details Acquired inside `endFrame`, immediately before the presenting blit, and
+   *   cleared again before it returns. Zeroed when no drawable was available.
    * @private
    */
   SwapchainTexture swapchain;
@@ -155,16 +156,20 @@ struct RenderDeviceInterface {
 
   /**
    * @fn CommandBuffer *RenderDevice::beginFrame(RenderDevice *self)
-   * @brief Begins a frame: acquires a command buffer and the swapchain, and prepares the framebuffer.
-   * @details Convenience over the manual acquire→wait-swapchain→resize boilerplate.
-   *   Acquires a CommandBuffer, blocks for the swapchain texture, resizes the framebuffer
-   *   set via `setFramebuffer` to the swapchain dimensions, and returns the command buffer
-   *   so the caller can record passes into `framebuffer`. Returns `NULL` when the swapchain
-   *   is unavailable (e.g. the window is minimised); the command buffer is cancelled and the
-   *   frame should be skipped. Pair every non-NULL return with `endFrame`. The returned
-   *   CommandBuffer is owned by the device; do not release it. Applications that render
-   *   directly to the swapchain can ignore `beginFrame`/`endFrame` and drive the command
-   *   buffer themselves.
+   * @brief Begins a frame: acquires a command buffer and prepares the framebuffer.
+   * @details Acquires a CommandBuffer, resizes the framebuffer set via `setFramebuffer`
+   *   to the window's pixel size, and returns the command buffer so the caller can record
+   *   passes into `framebuffer`. Returns `NULL` when the window has no drawable area (e.g.
+   *   it is minimised) and the frame should be skipped entirely.
+   *
+   *   The swapchain is deliberately **not** acquired here. `endFrame` acquires it
+   *   immediately before the presenting blit, so the drawable is held for that blit alone
+   *   rather than for the whole frame. Holding a Metal drawable across a frame's CPU work
+   *   starves `CAMetalLayer`'s drawable pool and costs presented frames.
+   *
+   *   Pair every non-NULL return with `endFrame`. The returned CommandBuffer is owned by
+   *   the device; do not release it. Applications that render directly to the swapchain can
+   *   ignore `beginFrame`/`endFrame` and drive the command buffer themselves.
    * @param self The RenderDevice.
    * @return The frame's CommandBuffer (borrowed), or `NULL` to skip the frame.
    * @memberof RenderDevice
@@ -394,10 +399,14 @@ struct RenderDeviceInterface {
   /**
    * @fn void RenderDevice::endFrame(RenderDevice *self)
    * @brief Ends the frame begun by `beginFrame`: presents the framebuffer and submits.
-   * @details Blits the framebuffer's resolved color (`Framebuffer::resolveColorTexture`,
-   *   the resolve target when multisampled) into the acquired swapchain texture, submits
-   *   the frame's command buffer, and releases it. Must be paired with a non-NULL
+   * @details Acquires the swapchain texture, blits the framebuffer's resolved color
+   *   (`Framebuffer::resolveColorTexture`, the resolve target when multisampled) into it,
+   *   submits the frame's command buffer, and releases it. Must be paired with a non-NULL
    *   `beginFrame` return.
+   *
+   *   When no drawable is available the blit is skipped but the command buffer is still
+   *   submitted, so the frame's GPU work completes and resource cycling stays correct; the
+   *   frame simply is not presented and the previous one remains on screen.
    * @param self The RenderDevice.
    * @memberof RenderDevice
    */