diff --git a/Source/DiabloUI/progress.cpp b/Source/DiabloUI/progress.cpp
index 7d5d07d63..51a01302d 100644
--- a/Source/DiabloUI/progress.cpp
+++ b/Source/DiabloUI/progress.cpp
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+#include <SDL.h>
+
 #include "DiabloUI/art_draw.h"
 #include "DiabloUI/button.h"
 #include "DiabloUI/diabloui.h"
@@ -27,11 +29,15 @@ void DialogActionCancel()
 	endMenu = true;
 }
 
-void ProgressLoad()
+void ProgressLoadBackground()
 {
 	LoadBackgroundArt("ui_art\\black.pcx");
 	ArtPopupSm = LoadPcxAsset("ui_art\\spopup.pcx");
 	ArtProgBG = LoadPcxAsset("ui_art\\prog_bg.pcx");
+}
+
+void ProgressLoadForeground()
+{
 	ProgFil = LoadPcxAsset("ui_art\\prog_fil.pcx");
 
 	const Point uiPosition = GetUIRectangle().position;
@@ -39,25 +45,40 @@ void ProgressLoad()
 	vecProgress.push_back(std::make_unique<UiButton>(_("Cancel"), &DialogActionCancel, rect3));
 }
 
-void ProgressFree()
+void ProgressFreeBackground()
 {
 	ArtBackground = std::nullopt;
 	ArtPopupSm = std::nullopt;
 	ArtProgBG = std::nullopt;
+}
+
+void ProgressFreeForeground()
+{
+	vecProgress.clear();
 	ProgFil = std::nullopt;
 }
 
-void ProgressRender(BYTE progress)
+Point GetPosition()
+{
+	return { GetCenterOffset(280), GetCenterOffset(144, gnScreenHeight) };
+}
+
+void ProgressRenderBackground()
 {
 	SDL_FillRect(DiabloUiSurface(), nullptr, 0x000000);
 
 	const Surface &out = Surface(DiabloUiSurface());
 	RenderPcxSprite(out, PcxSpriteSheet { *ArtBackground }.sprite(0), { 0, 0 });
 
-	Point position = { GetCenterOffset(280), GetCenterOffset(144, gnScreenHeight) };
-
+	const Point position = GetPosition();
 	RenderPcxSprite(out, PcxSprite { *ArtPopupSm }, position);
 	RenderPcxSprite(out, PcxSprite { *ArtProgBG }, { GetCenterOffset(227), position.y + 52 });
+}
+
+void ProgressRenderForeground(int progress)
+{
+	const Surface &out = Surface(DiabloUiSurface());
+	const Point position = GetPosition();
 	if (progress != 0) {
 		const int x = GetCenterOffset(227);
 		const int w = 227 * progress / 100;
@@ -71,16 +92,29 @@ void ProgressRender(BYTE progress)
 
 bool UiProgressDialog(int (*fnfunc)())
 {
-	ProgressLoad();
 	SetFadeLevel(256);
 
+	// Blit the background once and then free it.
+	ProgressLoadBackground();
+	ProgressRenderBackground();
+	if (RenderDirectlyToOutputSurface && IsDoubleBuffered()) {
+		// Blit twice for triple buffering.
+		for (unsigned i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
+			UiFadeIn();
+			ProgressRenderBackground();
+		}
+	}
+	ProgressFreeBackground();
+
+	ProgressLoadForeground();
+
 	endMenu = false;
 	int progress = 0;
 
 	SDL_Event event;
 	while (!endMenu && progress < 100) {
 		progress = fnfunc();
-		ProgressRender(progress);
+		ProgressRenderForeground(progress);
 		UiRenderItems(vecProgress);
 		DrawMouse();
 		UiFadeIn();
@@ -113,7 +147,7 @@ bool UiProgressDialog(int (*fnfunc)())
 			UiHandleEvents(&event);
 		}
 	}
-	ProgressFree();
+	ProgressFreeForeground();
 
 	return progress == 100;
 }
diff --git a/Source/interfac.cpp b/Source/interfac.cpp
index 2c98b9c81..d084057ff 100644
--- a/Source/interfac.cpp
+++ b/Source/interfac.cpp
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 
 #include <cstdint>
 
+#include <SDL.h>
+
 #include "control.h"
 #include "dx.h"
 #include "engine.h"
@@ -40,12 +42,6 @@ const int BarPos[3][2] = { { 53, 37 }, { 53, 421 }, { 53, 37 } };
 
 std::optional<OwnedPcxSprite> ArtCutsceneWidescreen;
 
-void FreeInterface()
-{
-	sgpBackCel = std::nullopt;
-	ArtCutsceneWidescreen = std::nullopt;
-}
-
 Cutscenes PickCutscene(interface_mode uMsg)
 {
 	switch (uMsg) {
@@ -97,7 +93,7 @@ Cutscenes PickCutscene(interface_mode uMsg)
 	}
 }
 
-void InitCutscene(interface_mode uMsg)
+void LoadCutsceneBackground(interface_mode uMsg)
 {
 	const char *celPath;
 	const char *palPath;
@@ -170,7 +166,13 @@ void InitCutscene(interface_mode uMsg)
 	sgdwProgress = 0;
 }
 
-void DrawCutscene()
+void FreeCutsceneBackground()
+{
+	sgpBackCel = std::nullopt;
+	ArtCutsceneWidescreen = std::nullopt;
+}
+
+void DrawCutsceneBackground()
 {
 	const Rectangle &uiRectangle = GetUIRectangle();
 	const Surface &out = GlobalBackBuffer();
@@ -179,7 +181,12 @@ void DrawCutscene()
 		RenderPcxSprite(out, sprite, { uiRectangle.position.x - (sprite.width() - uiRectangle.size.width) / 2, uiRectangle.position.y });
 	}
 	CelDrawTo(out, { uiRectangle.position.x, 480 - 1 + uiRectangle.position.y }, *sgpBackCel, 0);
+}
 
+void DrawCutsceneForeground()
+{
+	const Rectangle &uiRectangle = GetUIRectangle();
+	const Surface &out = GlobalBackBuffer();
 	constexpr int ProgressHeight = 22;
 	SDL_Rect rect = MakeSdlRect(
 	    out.region.x + BarPos[progress_id][0] + uiRectangle.position.x,
@@ -188,7 +195,8 @@ void DrawCutscene()
 	    ProgressHeight);
 	SDL_FillRect(out.surface, &rect, BarColor[progress_id]);
 
-	BltFast(&rect, &rect);
+	if (DiabloUiSurface() == PalSurface)
+		BltFast(&rect, &rect);
 	RenderPresent();
 }
 
@@ -212,8 +220,7 @@ bool IncProgress()
 	sgdwProgress += 23;
 	if (sgdwProgress > 534)
 		sgdwProgress = 534;
-	if (sgpBackCel)
-		DrawCutscene();
+	DrawCutsceneForeground();
 	return sgdwProgress >= 534;
 }
 
@@ -230,9 +237,21 @@ void ShowProgress(interface_mode uMsg)
 	interface_msg_pump();
 	ClearScreenBuffer();
 	scrollrt_draw_game_screen();
-	InitCutscene(uMsg);
 	BlackPalette();
-	DrawCutscene();
+
+	// Blit the background once and then free it.
+	LoadCutsceneBackground(uMsg);
+	DrawCutsceneBackground();
+	if (RenderDirectlyToOutputSurface && IsDoubleBuffered()) {
+		// Blit twice for triple buffering.
+		for (unsigned i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
+			if (DiabloUiSurface() == PalSurface)
+				BltFast(nullptr, nullptr);
+			RenderPresent();
+			DrawCutsceneBackground();
+		}
+	}
+	FreeCutsceneBackground();
 
 	if (IsHardwareCursor())
 		SetHardwareCursorVisible(false);
@@ -390,7 +409,6 @@ void ShowProgress(interface_mode uMsg)
 	assert(ghMainWnd);
 
 	PaletteFadeOut(8);
-	FreeInterface();
 
 	saveProc = SetWindowProc(saveProc);
 	assert(saveProc == DisableInputWndProc);
diff --git a/Source/utils/display.cpp b/Source/utils/display.cpp
index bdc87e730..1420d0dfd 100644
--- a/Source/utils/display.cpp
+++ b/Source/utils/display.cpp
@@ -473,6 +473,15 @@ SDL_Surface *GetOutputSurface()
 #endif
 }
 
+bool IsDoubleBuffered()
+{
+#ifdef USE_SDL1
+	return (GetOutputSurface()->flags & SDL_DOUBLEBUF) == SDL_DOUBLEBUF;
+#else
+	return true;
+#endif
+}
+
 bool OutputRequiresScaling()
 {
 #ifdef USE_SDL1
diff --git a/Source/utils/display.h b/Source/utils/display.h
index 857cdb1ac..eb8b52acb 100644
--- a/Source/utils/display.h
+++ b/Source/utils/display.h
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ bool IsFullScreen();
 // SDL2, upscale: Renderer texture surface.
 SDL_Surface *GetOutputSurface();
 
+bool IsDoubleBuffered();
+
 // Whether the output surface requires software scaling.
 // Always returns false on SDL2.
 bool OutputRequiresScaling();