diff --git a/src/frontend/KaizenGui.cpp b/src/frontend/KaizenGui.cpp
index 3ec1a45..e9eaa1c 100644
--- a/src/frontend/KaizenGui.cpp
+++ b/src/frontend/KaizenGui.cpp
@@ -11,12 +11,28 @@
 #include <Options.hpp>
 #include <Scheduler.hpp>
 
-void KaizenGui::populateRomsList(const std::string &romsPath) {
-    centralWidget->setCurrentWidget(romPathNotSet);
-    if (!romsPath.empty()) {
-        int i = 0;
-        centralWidget->setCurrentWidget(romsList);
+RomsListTable::RomsListTable() {
+    verticalHeader()->hide();
+    horizontalHeader()->setSectionResizeMode(QHeaderView::Interactive);
+    setSizePolicy({QSizePolicy::Maximum, QSizePolicy::Maximum});
+    setSelectionMode(QAbstractItemView::SingleSelection);
+    setSelectionBehavior(QAbstractItemView::SelectRows);
+    setEditTriggers(QAbstractItemView::NoEditTriggers);
+    setSortingEnabled(true);
+    setColumnCount(4);
+    setHorizontalHeaderItem(0, new QTableWidgetItem("Name"));
+    setHorizontalHeaderItem(1, new QTableWidgetItem("Regions"));
+    setHorizontalHeaderItem(2, new QTableWidgetItem("Last played"));
+    setHorizontalHeaderItem(3, new QTableWidgetItem("Time played"));
 
+    std::jthread([&] {
+        populate(Options::GetRomsPath());
+        emit populateFinished();
+    });
+}
+
+void RomsListTable::populate(const std::string &romsPath) {
+    if (!romsPath.empty()) {
         for (const auto &file : fs::recursive_directory_iterator{romsPath}) {
             if (!file.is_regular_file())
                 continue;
@@ -37,24 +53,12 @@ void KaizenGui::populateRomsList(const std::string &romsPath) {
             auto regions = n64::GameDB::match(rom);
 
             if (rom.gameNameDB.empty())
-                rom.gameNameDB = fs::path(filename).stem();
+                rom.gameNameDB = fs::path(filename).stem().string();
 
-            romsListPaths.push_back(filename);
-            romsList->insertRow(i);
-
-            romsList->setItem(
-                i, 0,
-                new QTableWidgetItem(std::format("{} ({}) (Rev {})", rom.gameNameDB,
-                                                 n64::GameDB::regionCodeToReadable(rom.header.countryCode),
-                                                 rom.header.version)
-                                         .c_str()));
-            romsList->setItem(i, 1, new QTableWidgetItem(regions.c_str()));
-            romsList->setItem(i, 2, new QTableWidgetItem("Never"));
-            romsList->setItem(i, 3, new QTableWidgetItem("0h 0m 0s"));
-            i++;
+            romsList.push_back(
+                {rom.header.countryCode, rom.header.version, filename, rom.gameNameDB, regions, "Never", "0h 00m 00s"});
         }
     }
-    currentHomeWidget = centralWidget->currentWidget();
 }
 
 KaizenGui::KaizenGui() noexcept : QMainWindow(nullptr), settings(QSettings::UserScope) {
@@ -63,33 +67,40 @@ KaizenGui::KaizenGui() noexcept : QMainWindow(nullptr), settings(QSettings::User
     SDL_AddGamepadMapping(gamecontrollerdb_str);
     hide();
 
-    romsList->verticalHeader()->hide();
-    romsList->setSizePolicy({QSizePolicy::Maximum, QSizePolicy::Maximum});
-    romsList->setSelectionMode(QAbstractItemView::SingleSelection);
-    romsList->setSelectionBehavior(QAbstractItemView::SelectRows);
-    romsList->setEditTriggers(QAbstractItemView::NoEditTriggers);
-    romsList->setSortingEnabled(true);
-    romsList->setColumnCount(4);
-    romsList->setHorizontalHeaderItem(0, new QTableWidgetItem("Name"));
-    romsList->setHorizontalHeaderItem(1, new QTableWidgetItem("Regions"));
-    romsList->setHorizontalHeaderItem(2, new QTableWidgetItem("Last played"));
-    romsList->setHorizontalHeaderItem(3, new QTableWidgetItem("Time played"));
-
     vulkanWidget = new RenderWidget();
     vulkanWidget->hide();
 
     centralWidget->addWidget(vulkanWidget);
-    centralWidget->addWidget(romsList);
+    centralWidget->addWidget(romsListTable);
     centralWidget->addWidget(romPathNotSet);
 
-    populateRomsList(Options::GetRomsPath());
-
-    connect(romsList, &QTableWidget::cellDoubleClicked, this, [&](int row, int) {
-        auto fileToLoad = fs::path(Options::GetRomsPath()) / romsListPaths[row];
-        std::println("{}", fileToLoad.string());
-        LoadROM(fileToLoad.string());
+    populateRomsListThread = QThread::create([&] {
+        populateRomsList(Options::GetRomsPath());
+        emit populateRomsListFinished();
     });
 
+    populateRomsListThread->start();
+
+    connect(this, &KaizenGui::populateRomsListFinished, this, [&] {
+        for (int i = 0; i < romsList.size(); i++) {
+            const auto &[countryCode, version, _, name, regions, lastPlayed, timePlayed] = romsList[i];
+
+            romsListTable->insertRow(i);
+            romsListTable->setItem(
+                i, 0,
+                new QTableWidgetItem(
+                    std::format("{} ({}) (Rev {})", name, n64::GameDB::regionCodeToReadable(countryCode), version)
+                        .c_str()));
+            romsListTable->setItem(i, 1, new QTableWidgetItem(regions.c_str()));
+            romsListTable->setItem(i, 2, new QTableWidgetItem(lastPlayed.c_str()));
+            romsListTable->setItem(i, 3, new QTableWidgetItem(timePlayed.c_str()));
+        }
+    });
+
+    connect(this, &KaizenGui::romsListNeedsPopulation, this, [&] { populateRomsListThread->start(); });
+
+    connect(romsListTable, &QTableWidget::cellDoubleClicked, this, [&](int row, int) { LoadROM(romsList[row].path); });
+
     installEventFilter(this);
 
     restoreGeometry(settings.value("geometry").toByteArray());
@@ -112,6 +123,7 @@ KaizenGui::KaizenGui() noexcept : QMainWindow(nullptr), settings(QSettings::User
     setWindowTitle("Kaizen " KAIZEN_VERSION_STR);
     setMinimumSize(640, 480);
     setCentralWidget(centralWidget);
+    centralWidget->setLayout(new QVBoxLayout());
 
     setAcceptDrops(true);
 
@@ -184,7 +196,7 @@ KaizenGui::KaizenGui() noexcept : QMainWindow(nullptr), settings(QSettings::User
     settingsWindow = new SettingsWindow();
     connect(settingsMenu, &QAction::triggered, settingsWindow, &SettingsWindow::show);
     connect(settingsWindow->general, &GeneralSettings::romFolderSelected, this,
-            [&] { populateRomsList(Options::GetRomsPath()); });
+            [&] { emit romsListNeedsPopulation(); });
 
     connect(settingsWindow->cpu, &CPUSettings::cpuTypeChanged, this, [&] {
         core.cpuType = Options::GetCpuType();
diff --git a/src/frontend/KaizenGui.hpp b/src/frontend/KaizenGui.hpp
index 5250e4e..64672da 100644
--- a/src/frontend/KaizenGui.hpp
+++ b/src/frontend/KaizenGui.hpp
@@ -13,17 +13,35 @@
 
 class EmuThread;
 
+struct RomsListEntry {
+    u8 countryCode, version;
+    std::string path;
+    std::string name;
+    std::string region;
+    std::string lastPlayed;
+    std::string timePlayed;
+};
+
+class RomsListTable : public QTableWidget {
+    Q_OBJECT
+    std::vector<RomsListEntry> romsList;
+
+  public:
+    RomsListTable();
+  public slots:
+    void populate(const std::string &);
+  signals:
+    void populateFinished();
+};
+
 class KaizenGui final : QMainWindow {
     Q_OBJECT
     void updateKeys();
     void updateAxis();
     bool eventFilter(QObject *, QEvent *) override;
-    void populateRomsList(const std::string &);
     bool fastForward = false;
     bool minimized = false;
 
-    std::vector<std::string> romsListPaths{};
-
     SDL_Gamepad *gamepad = nullptr;
     bool gamepadConnected;
     float elapsed = 0.f;
@@ -33,12 +51,12 @@ class KaizenGui final : QMainWindow {
 
     QWidget *currentHomeWidget;
     QLabel *romPathNotSet = new QLabel(R"(Kaizen could not find any ROMs. Set the path in "Settings -> General")");
-    QTableWidget *romsList = new QTableWidget();
+    RomsListTable *romsListTable = new RomsListTable();
     QStackedWidget *centralWidget = new QStackedWidget();
     SettingsWindow *settingsWindow;
     RenderWidget *vulkanWidget;
     QSettings settings;
-    QThread *emuThread;
+    QThread *emuThread, *populateRomsListThread;
     QTimer *statusBarTimer, *SDLeventsTimer;
     QLabel *fpsLabel;
     QLabel *cpuTypeLabel;
@@ -59,6 +77,4 @@ class KaizenGui final : QMainWindow {
 
     void LoadTAS(const std::string &path) noexcept;
     void LoadROM(const std::string &path) noexcept;
-  signals:
-    void paused();
 };