diff --git a/src/PBRPathTracer.cpp b/src/PBRPathTracer.cpp
index c6ec8ebe..74b0f240 100644
--- a/src/PBRPathTracer.cpp
+++ b/src/PBRPathTracer.cpp
@@ -68,8 +68,6 @@ PBRPathTracer::PBRPathTracer(const DevicePtr &device, const PBRPathTracer::creat
 
     for(auto &frame_context: m_frame_contexts)
     {
-        frame_context.semaphore = vierkant::Semaphore(m_device);
-
         frame_context.denoise_computable = denoise_computable;
 
         frame_context.composition_ubo =
@@ -81,22 +79,11 @@ PBRPathTracer::PBRPathTracer(const DevicePtr &device, const PBRPathTracer::creat
         frame_context.ray_miss_ubo =
                 vierkant::Buffer::create(device, &frame_context.settings.environment_factor, sizeof(float),
                                          VK_BUFFER_USAGE_UNIFORM_BUFFER_BIT, VMA_MEMORY_USAGE_CPU_TO_GPU);
+        frame_context.cmd_pre_render = vierkant::CommandBuffer(m_device, m_command_pool.get());
 
-        vierkant::CommandBuffer::create_info_t cmd_buffer_info = {};
-        cmd_buffer_info.device = m_device;
-        cmd_buffer_info.command_pool = m_command_pool.get();
-
-        cmd_buffer_info.name = "cmd_pre_render";
-        frame_context.cmd_pre_render = vierkant::CommandBuffer(cmd_buffer_info);
-
-        cmd_buffer_info.name = "cmd_trace";
-        frame_context.cmd_trace = vierkant::CommandBuffer(cmd_buffer_info);
-
-        cmd_buffer_info.name = "cmd_denoise";
-        frame_context.cmd_denoise = vierkant::CommandBuffer(cmd_buffer_info);
-
-        cmd_buffer_info.name = "cmd_post_fx";
-        frame_context.cmd_post_fx = vierkant::CommandBuffer(cmd_buffer_info);
+        frame_context.cmd_trace = vierkant::CommandBuffer(m_device, m_command_pool.get());
+        frame_context.cmd_denoise = vierkant::CommandBuffer(m_device, m_command_pool.get());
+        frame_context.cmd_post_fx = vierkant::CommandBuffer(m_device, m_command_pool.get());
 
         frame_context.scene_acceleration_context = m_ray_builder.create_scene_acceleration_context();
 
@@ -160,8 +147,8 @@ SceneRenderer::render_result_t PBRPathTracer::render_scene(Rasterizer &renderer,
     frame_context.statistics.timestamp = std::chrono::steady_clock::now();
 
     // sync and reset semaphore
-    frame_context.semaphore.wait(frame_context.semaphore_value + frame_context.semaphore_value_done);
-    frame_context.semaphore_value += frame_context.semaphore_value_done;
+    frame_context.semaphore.wait(frame_context.semaphore_value_done);
+    frame_context.semaphore = vierkant::Semaphore(m_device);
 
     // timing/query-pool, resize storage-assets
     pre_render(frame_context);
@@ -182,7 +169,7 @@ SceneRenderer::render_result_t PBRPathTracer::render_scene(Rasterizer &renderer,
         // increase batch index
         m_batch_index = std::min<size_t>(m_batch_index + 1, frame_context.settings.max_num_batches);
     }
-    else { frame_context.semaphore.signal(frame_context.semaphore_value + SemaphoreValue::RAYTRACING); }
+    else { frame_context.semaphore.signal(SemaphoreValue::RAYTRACING); }
 
     // edge-aware atrous-wavelet denoiser
     denoise_pass(frame_context);
@@ -191,7 +178,6 @@ SceneRenderer::render_result_t PBRPathTracer::render_scene(Rasterizer &renderer,
     post_fx_pass(frame_context);
 
     // stage final output
-    // TODO: add depth-buffer
     m_draw_context.draw_image_fullscreen(renderer, frame_context.out_image, frame_context.out_depth, true,
                                          !frame_context.settings.draw_skybox);
 
@@ -208,7 +194,7 @@ SceneRenderer::render_result_t PBRPathTracer::render_scene(Rasterizer &renderer,
     // pass semaphore wait/signal information
     vierkant::semaphore_submit_info_t semaphore_submit_info = {};
     semaphore_submit_info.semaphore = frame_context.semaphore.handle();
-    semaphore_submit_info.wait_value = frame_context.semaphore_value + frame_context.semaphore_value_done;
+    semaphore_submit_info.wait_value = frame_context.semaphore_value_done;
     semaphore_submit_info.wait_stage = VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_2_FRAGMENT_SHADER_BIT;
     ret.semaphore_infos = {semaphore_submit_info};
     return ret;
@@ -291,7 +277,7 @@ void PBRPathTracer::path_trace_pass(frame_context_t &frame_context, const vierka
     // wait for raybuilder, signal main semaphore
     vierkant::semaphore_submit_info_t semaphore_info = {};
     semaphore_info.semaphore = frame_context.semaphore.handle();
-    semaphore_info.signal_value = frame_context.semaphore_value + SemaphoreValue::RAYTRACING;
+    semaphore_info.signal_value = SemaphoreValue::RAYTRACING;
     frame_context.cmd_trace.submit(m_queue, false, VK_NULL_HANDLE,
                                    {frame_context.scene_ray_acceleration.semaphore_info, semaphore_info});
     frame_context.semaphore_value_done = SemaphoreValue::RAYTRACING;
@@ -327,8 +313,8 @@ void PBRPathTracer::denoise_pass(PBRPathTracer::frame_context_t &frame_context)
     vierkant::semaphore_submit_info_t semaphore_info = {};
     semaphore_info.semaphore = frame_context.semaphore.handle();
     semaphore_info.wait_stage = VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_COMPUTE_SHADER_BIT;
-    semaphore_info.wait_value = frame_context.semaphore_value + SemaphoreValue::RAYTRACING;
-    semaphore_info.signal_value = frame_context.semaphore_value + SemaphoreValue::DENOISER;
+    semaphore_info.wait_value = SemaphoreValue::RAYTRACING;
+    semaphore_info.signal_value = SemaphoreValue::DENOISER;
 
     vkCmdWriteTimestamp2(frame_context.cmd_denoise.handle(), VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_2_BOTTOM_OF_PIPE_BIT,
                          frame_context.query_pool.get(), 2 * SemaphoreValue::DENOISER + 1);
@@ -371,9 +357,9 @@ void PBRPathTracer::post_fx_pass(frame_context_t &frame_context)
 
         vierkant::semaphore_submit_info_t tonemap_semaphore_info = {};
         tonemap_semaphore_info.semaphore = frame_context.semaphore.handle();
-        tonemap_semaphore_info.wait_value = frame_context.semaphore_value + SemaphoreValue::DENOISER;
+        tonemap_semaphore_info.wait_value = SemaphoreValue::DENOISER;
         tonemap_semaphore_info.wait_stage = VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_2_FRAGMENT_SHADER_BIT;
-        tonemap_semaphore_info.signal_value = frame_context.semaphore_value + SemaphoreValue::TONEMAP;
+        tonemap_semaphore_info.signal_value = SemaphoreValue::TONEMAP;
 
         frame_context.out_image = frame_context.post_fx_ping_pongs[0].color_attachment();