diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/WiimoteReal.cpp b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/WiimoteReal.cpp
index 53e8a05a18..36fda0bc8a 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/WiimoteReal.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/WiimoteReal.cpp
@@ -168,8 +168,6 @@ void Wiimote::Shutdown()
 
   StopThread();
   ClearReadQueue();
-
-  NOTICE_LOG_FMT(WIIMOTE, "Disconnected real wiimote.");
 }
 
 // to be called from CPU thread
@@ -209,8 +207,8 @@ void Wiimote::WriteReport(Report rpt)
   const auto report_time =
       Core::IsCPUThread() ? core_timing.GetTargetHostTime(core_timing.GetTicks()) : Clock::now();
 
-  m_write_thread.EmplaceItem(report_time, std::move(rpt));
-  IOWakeup();
+  m_write_reports.Emplace(report_time, std::move(rpt));
+  m_write_event.Set();
 }
 
 // to be called from CPU thread
@@ -512,11 +510,13 @@ void Wiimote::Prepare()
   // Set reporting mode to non-continuous core buttons and turn on rumble.
   Report mode_report = {WR_SET_REPORT | BT_OUTPUT, u8(OutputReportID::ReportMode), 1,
                         u8(InputReportID::ReportCore)};
-  m_write_thread.EmplaceItem(now, std::move(mode_report));
+  m_write_reports.Emplace(now, std::move(mode_report));
 
   // Request status and turn off rumble.
   Report req_status_report = {WR_SET_REPORT | BT_OUTPUT, u8(OutputReportID::RequestStatus), 0};
-  m_write_thread.EmplaceItem(now + std::chrono::milliseconds{200}, std::move(req_status_report));
+  m_write_reports.Emplace(now + std::chrono::milliseconds{200}, std::move(req_status_report));
+
+  m_write_event.Set();
 }
 
 void Wiimote::EmuStop()
@@ -764,38 +764,54 @@ void WiimoteScanner::ThreadFunc()
 bool Wiimote::Connect(int index)
 {
   m_index = index;
-
-  if (!m_run_thread.IsSet())
-  {
-    m_run_thread.Set();
-    StartThread();
-    m_thread_ready_event.Wait();
-  }
-
+  StartThread();
   return IsConnected();
 }
 
 void Wiimote::StartThread()
 {
-  // Note that the read thread starts the writing worker thread.
-  m_read_thread = std::thread(&Wiimote::ReadThreadFunc, this);
+  if (m_write_thread.joinable())
+    return;
+
+  m_run_thread.Set();
+  // Note that the write thread starts the read thread.
+  m_write_thread = std::thread(&Wiimote::WriteThreadFunc, this);
+
+  m_thread_ready_event.Wait();
 }
 
 void Wiimote::StopThread()
 {
-  if (!m_run_thread.TestAndClear())
+  if (!m_write_thread.joinable())
     return;
 
-  IOWakeup();
+  m_run_thread.Clear();
+  m_write_event.Set();
 
-  // Note that the read thread stops the writing worker thread.
-  m_read_thread.join();
+  // Note that the write thread stops the read thread.
+  m_write_thread.join();
 }
 
 void Wiimote::ReadThreadFunc()
 {
   Common::SetCurrentThreadName("Wiimote Read Thread");
 
+  while (m_run_thread.IsSet())
+  {
+    if (!Read())
+    {
+      WARN_LOG_FMT(WIIMOTE, "Wiimote::Read failed on Wiimote {}.", m_index + 1);
+      m_run_thread.Clear();
+      m_write_event.Set();
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+void Wiimote::WriteThreadFunc()
+{
+  Common::SetCurrentThreadName("Wiimote Write Thread");
+
   bool ok = ConnectInternal();
 
   if (!ok)
@@ -812,19 +828,55 @@ void Wiimote::ReadThreadFunc()
     return;
   }
 
-  m_write_thread.Reset("Wiimote Write Thread", std::bind_front(&Wiimote::Write, this));
+  std::thread read_thread{&Wiimote::ReadThreadFunc, this};
+
+  // Windows and also the DolphinBar require performing a write
+  //  to detect disconnections in a timely manner
+  // If we haven't written a report in some time, attempt a rumble-off report.
+  // This also has a minor benefit of preventing rumble from being stuck on.
+  constexpr auto WRITE_TEST_INTERVAL = std::chrono::milliseconds{1000};
+
+  TimePoint last_write_time = Clock::now();
 
   while (m_run_thread.IsSet())
   {
-    if (!Read())
+    bool write_success = false;
+
+    if (!m_write_reports.Empty())
     {
-      ERROR_LOG_FMT(WIIMOTE, "Wiimote::Read failed. Disconnecting Wiimote {}.", m_index + 1);
+      // Send a normal report.
+      write_success = Write(m_write_reports.Front());
+      m_write_reports.Pop();
+    }
+    else if (Clock::now() - last_write_time >= WRITE_TEST_INTERVAL)
+    {
+      // We haven't written in a while, test a write so we can check for a disconnect.
+      DEBUG_LOG_FMT(WIIMOTE, "Sending periodic write test for Wiimote {}.", m_index + 1);
+      const u8 rumble_off[] = {WR_SET_REPORT | BT_OUTPUT, u8(OutputReportID::Rumble), 0x00};
+
+      write_success = IOWrite(std::data(rumble_off), std::size(rumble_off)) > 0;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      // Nothing to do. Wait a while for a kick.
+      m_write_event.WaitFor(WRITE_TEST_INTERVAL);
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    last_write_time = Clock::now();
+
+    if (!write_success)
+    {
+      WARN_LOG_FMT(WIIMOTE, "Wiimote::Write failed on Wiimote {}.", m_index + 1);
+      m_run_thread.Clear();
       break;
     }
   }
 
-  m_write_thread.StopAndCancel();
+  IOWakeup();
+  read_thread.join();
 
+  NOTICE_LOG_FMT(WIIMOTE, "Disconnecting Wiimote {}.", m_index + 1);
   DisconnectInternal();
 }
 
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/WiimoteReal.h b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/WiimoteReal.h
index a54cca3a6c..168d9a6100 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/WiimoteReal.h
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/WiimoteReal.h
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ private:
   virtual void IOWakeup() = 0;
 
   void ReadThreadFunc();
+  void WriteThreadFunc();
 
   void RefreshConfig();
 
@@ -158,14 +159,16 @@ private:
   // And we track the rumble state to drop unnecessary rumble reports.
   bool m_rumble_state = false;
 
-  std::thread m_read_thread;
+  std::thread m_write_thread;
   // Whether to keep running the thread.
   Common::Flag m_run_thread;
   // Triggered when the thread has finished ConnectInternal.
   Common::Event m_thread_ready_event;
 
   Common::SPSCQueue<Report> m_read_reports;
-  Common::WorkQueueThreadSP<TimedReport> m_write_thread;
+  Common::SPSCQueue<TimedReport> m_write_reports;
+  // Kick the write thread.
+  Common::Event m_write_event;
 
   bool m_speaker_enabled_in_dolphin_config = false;
   int m_balance_board_dump_port = 0;