diff --git a/filament/backend/include/backend/platforms/PlatformMetal.h b/filament/backend/include/backend/platforms/PlatformMetal.h
index f09bf26f8ed0..48a5f85cd55d 100644
--- a/filament/backend/include/backend/platforms/PlatformMetal.h
+++ b/filament/backend/include/backend/platforms/PlatformMetal.h
@@ -39,18 +39,40 @@ class PlatformMetal final : public Platform {
     Driver* createDriver(void* sharedContext, const Platform::DriverConfig& driverConfig) noexcept override;
     int getOSVersion() const noexcept override { return 0; }
 
+    /**
+     * Optionally initializes the Metal platform by acquiring resources necessary for rendering.
+     *
+     * This method attempts to acquire a Metal device and command queue, returning true if both are
+     * successfully obtained, or false otherwise. Typically, these objects are acquired when
+     * the Metal backend is initialized. This method allows clients to check for their availability
+     * earlier.
+     *
+     * Calling initialize() is optional and safe to do so multiple times. After initialize() returns
+     * true, subsequent calls will continue to return true but have no effect.
+     *
+     * initialize() must be called from the main thread.
+     *
+     * @returns true if the device and command queue have been successfully obtained; false
+     * otherwise.
+     */
+    bool initialize() noexcept;
+
     /**
      * Obtain the preferred Metal device object for the backend to use.
      *
      * On desktop platforms, there may be multiple GPUs suitable for rendering, and this method is
      * free to decide which one to use. On mobile systems with a single GPU, implementations should
      * simply return the result of MTLCreateSystemDefaultDevice();
+     *
+     * createDevice is called by the Metal backend from the backend thread.
      */
     virtual void createDevice(MetalDevice& outDevice) noexcept;
 
     /**
      * Create a command submission queue on the Metal device object.
      *
+     * createCommandQueue is called by the Metal backend from the backend thread.
+     *
      * @param device The device which was returned from createDevice()
      */
     virtual void createCommandQueue(
@@ -60,6 +82,8 @@ class PlatformMetal final : public Platform {
      * Obtain a MTLCommandBuffer enqueued on this Platform's MTLCommandQueue. The command buffer is
      * guaranteed to execute before all subsequent command buffers created either by Filament, or
      * further calls to this method.
+     *
+     * createAndEnqueueCommandBuffer must be called from the main thread.
      */
     void createAndEnqueueCommandBuffer(MetalCommandBuffer& outCommandBuffer) noexcept;
 
@@ -68,6 +92,8 @@ class PlatformMetal final : public Platform {
      *
      * Each frame rendered requires a CAMetalDrawable texture, which is presented on-screen at the
      * completion of each frame. These are limited and provided round-robin style by the system.
+     *
+     * setDrawableFailureBehavior must be called from the main thread.
      */
     enum class DrawableFailureBehavior : uint8_t {
         /**
diff --git a/filament/backend/src/metal/PlatformMetal.mm b/filament/backend/src/metal/PlatformMetal.mm
index 5fd44b4ec7c5..b1ddc466ca65 100644
--- a/filament/backend/src/metal/PlatformMetal.mm
+++ b/filament/backend/src/metal/PlatformMetal.mm
@@ -24,14 +24,22 @@
 #import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
 
 #include <atomic>
+#include <mutex>
 
 namespace filament::backend {
 
 struct PlatformMetalImpl {
+    std::mutex mLock;   // locks mDevice and mCommandQueue
+    id<MTLDevice> mDevice = nil;
     id<MTLCommandQueue> mCommandQueue = nil;
+
     // read form driver thread, read/written to from client thread
     std::atomic<PlatformMetal::DrawableFailureBehavior> mDrawableFailureBehavior =
             PlatformMetal::DrawableFailureBehavior::PANIC;
+
+    // These methods must be called with mLock held
+    void createDeviceImpl(MetalDevice& outDevice);
+    void createCommandQueueImpl(MetalDevice& device, MetalCommandQueue& outCommandQueue);
 };
 
 Platform* createDefaultMetalPlatform() {
@@ -48,7 +56,59 @@
     return MetalDriverFactory::create(this, driverConfig);
 }
 
+
+bool PlatformMetal::initialize() noexcept {
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(pImpl->mLock);
+
+    MetalDevice device{};
+    pImpl->createDeviceImpl(device);
+    if (device.device == nil) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    MetalCommandQueue commandQueue{};
+    pImpl->createCommandQueueImpl(device, commandQueue);
+    if (commandQueue.commandQueue == nil) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    return true;
+}
+
 void PlatformMetal::createDevice(MetalDevice& outDevice) noexcept {
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(pImpl->mLock);
+    pImpl->createDeviceImpl(outDevice);
+}
+
+void PlatformMetal::createCommandQueue(
+        MetalDevice& device, MetalCommandQueue& outCommandQueue) noexcept {
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(pImpl->mLock);
+    pImpl->createCommandQueueImpl(device, outCommandQueue);
+}
+
+void PlatformMetal::createAndEnqueueCommandBuffer(MetalCommandBuffer& outCommandBuffer) noexcept {
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(pImpl->mLock);
+    id<MTLCommandBuffer> commandBuffer = [pImpl->mCommandQueue commandBuffer];
+    [commandBuffer enqueue];
+    outCommandBuffer.commandBuffer = commandBuffer;
+}
+
+void PlatformMetal::setDrawableFailureBehavior(DrawableFailureBehavior behavior) noexcept {
+    pImpl->mDrawableFailureBehavior = behavior;
+}
+
+PlatformMetal::DrawableFailureBehavior PlatformMetal::getDrawableFailureBehavior() const noexcept {
+    return pImpl->mDrawableFailureBehavior;
+}
+
+// -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+void PlatformMetalImpl::createDeviceImpl(MetalDevice& outDevice) {
+    if (mDevice) {
+        outDevice.device = mDevice;
+        return;
+    }
+
     id<MTLDevice> result;
 
 #if !defined(FILAMENT_IOS)
@@ -74,27 +134,17 @@
                   << utils::io::endl;
 
     outDevice.device = result;
+    mDevice = result;
 }
 
-void PlatformMetal::createCommandQueue(
-        MetalDevice& device, MetalCommandQueue& outCommandQueue) noexcept {
-    pImpl->mCommandQueue = [device.device newCommandQueue];
-    pImpl->mCommandQueue.label = @"Filament";
-    outCommandQueue.commandQueue = pImpl->mCommandQueue;
-}
-
-void PlatformMetal::createAndEnqueueCommandBuffer(MetalCommandBuffer& outCommandBuffer) noexcept {
-    id<MTLCommandBuffer> commandBuffer = [pImpl->mCommandQueue commandBuffer];
-    [commandBuffer enqueue];
-    outCommandBuffer.commandBuffer = commandBuffer;
-}
-
-void PlatformMetal::setDrawableFailureBehavior(DrawableFailureBehavior behavior) noexcept {
-    pImpl->mDrawableFailureBehavior = behavior;
-}
-
-PlatformMetal::DrawableFailureBehavior PlatformMetal::getDrawableFailureBehavior() const noexcept {
-    return pImpl->mDrawableFailureBehavior;
+void PlatformMetalImpl::createCommandQueueImpl(MetalDevice& device, MetalCommandQueue& outCommandQueue) {
+    if (mCommandQueue) {
+        outCommandQueue.commandQueue = mCommandQueue;
+        return;
+    }
+    mCommandQueue = [device.device newCommandQueue];
+    mCommandQueue.label = @"Filament";
+    outCommandQueue.commandQueue = mCommandQueue;
 }
 
 } // namespace filament