diff --git a/src/qt_gui/game_grid_frame.cpp b/src/qt_gui/game_grid_frame.cpp
index 17dd77ef9..7e4ade2f6 100644
--- a/src/qt_gui/game_grid_frame.cpp
+++ b/src/qt_gui/game_grid_frame.cpp
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 // SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright 2024 shadPS4 Emulator Project
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
 
-#include <fmt/format.h>
-
 #include "common/path_util.h"
 #include "game_grid_frame.h"
 #include "qt_gui/compatibility_info.h"
@@ -165,6 +163,8 @@ void GameGridFrame::SetGridBackgroundImage(int row, int column) {
     // If background images are hidden, clear the background image
     if (!Config::getShowBackgroundImage()) {
         backgroundImage = QImage();
+        m_last_opacity = -1;         // Reset opacity tracking when disabled
+        m_current_game_path.clear(); // Reset current game path
         RefreshGridBackgroundImage();
         return;
     }
@@ -172,10 +172,15 @@ void GameGridFrame::SetGridBackgroundImage(int row, int column) {
     const auto& game = (*m_games_shared)[itemID];
     const int opacity = Config::getBackgroundImageOpacity();
 
-    QImage original_image(QString::fromStdString(game.pic_path.string()));
-    if (!original_image.isNull()) {
-        backgroundImage = m_game_list_utils.ChangeImageOpacity(
-            original_image, original_image.rect(), opacity / 100.0f);
+    // Recompute if opacity changed or we switched to a different game
+    if (opacity != m_last_opacity || game.pic_path != m_current_game_path) {
+        QImage original_image(QString::fromStdString(game.pic_path.string()));
+        if (!original_image.isNull()) {
+            backgroundImage = m_game_list_utils.ChangeImageOpacity(
+                original_image, original_image.rect(), opacity / 100.0f);
+            m_last_opacity = opacity;
+            m_current_game_path = game.pic_path;
+        }
     }
 
     RefreshGridBackgroundImage();
diff --git a/src/qt_gui/game_grid_frame.h b/src/qt_gui/game_grid_frame.h
index 4825d6daf..370b71dcb 100644
--- a/src/qt_gui/game_grid_frame.h
+++ b/src/qt_gui/game_grid_frame.h
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ private:
     std::shared_ptr<CompatibilityInfoClass> m_compat_info;
     std::shared_ptr<QVector<GameInfo>> m_games_shared;
     bool validCellSelected = false;
+    int m_last_opacity = -1; // Track last opacity to avoid unnecessary recomputation
+    std::filesystem::path m_current_game_path; // Track current game path to detect changes
 
 public:
     explicit GameGridFrame(std::shared_ptr<GameInfoClass> game_info_get,
diff --git a/src/qt_gui/game_list_frame.cpp b/src/qt_gui/game_list_frame.cpp
index 9d4f8943a..0327a5e10 100644
--- a/src/qt_gui/game_list_frame.cpp
+++ b/src/qt_gui/game_list_frame.cpp
@@ -171,6 +171,8 @@ void GameListFrame::SetListBackgroundImage(QTableWidgetItem* item) {
     // If background images are hidden, clear the background image
     if (!Config::getShowBackgroundImage()) {
         backgroundImage = QImage();
+        m_last_opacity = -1;         // Reset opacity tracking when disabled
+        m_current_game_path.clear(); // Reset current game path
         RefreshListBackgroundImage();
         return;
     }
@@ -178,10 +180,15 @@ void GameListFrame::SetListBackgroundImage(QTableWidgetItem* item) {
     const auto& game = m_game_info->m_games[item->row()];
     const int opacity = Config::getBackgroundImageOpacity();
 
-    QImage original_image(QString::fromStdString(game.pic_path.string()));
-    if (!original_image.isNull()) {
-        backgroundImage = m_game_list_utils.ChangeImageOpacity(
-            original_image, original_image.rect(), opacity / 100.0f);
+    // Recompute if opacity changed or we switched to a different game
+    if (opacity != m_last_opacity || game.pic_path != m_current_game_path) {
+        QImage original_image(QString::fromStdString(game.pic_path.string()));
+        if (!original_image.isNull()) {
+            backgroundImage = m_game_list_utils.ChangeImageOpacity(
+                original_image, original_image.rect(), opacity / 100.0f);
+            m_last_opacity = opacity;
+            m_current_game_path = game.pic_path;
+        }
     }
 
     RefreshListBackgroundImage();
diff --git a/src/qt_gui/game_list_frame.h b/src/qt_gui/game_list_frame.h
index 96d27ef05..b2e5f1e2f 100644
--- a/src/qt_gui/game_list_frame.h
+++ b/src/qt_gui/game_list_frame.h
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ private:
     GameInfoClass* game_inf_get = nullptr;
     bool ListSortedAsc = true;
     QTableWidgetItem* m_current_item = nullptr;
+    int m_last_opacity = -1; // Track last opacity to avoid unnecessary recomputation
+    std::filesystem::path m_current_game_path; // Track current game path to detect changes
 
 public:
     void PopulateGameList(bool isInitialPopulation = true);