diff --git a/src/dusk/asset/CMakeLists.txt b/src/dusk/asset/CMakeLists.txt
index 39e32cab..0e87c96f 100644
--- a/src/dusk/asset/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/dusk/asset/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 target_sources(${DUSK_LIBRARY_TARGET_NAME}
   PUBLIC
     asset.c
+    assetbatch.c
     assetfile.c
 )
 
diff --git a/src/dusk/asset/asset.c b/src/dusk/asset/asset.c
index aa55e948..791d016c 100644
--- a/src/dusk/asset/asset.c
+++ b/src/dusk/asset/asset.c
@@ -82,17 +82,23 @@ errorret_t assetRequireLoaded(assetentry_t *entry) {
   assertNotNull(entry, "Entry cannot be NULL.");
   assertTrue(entry->type != ASSET_LOADER_TYPE_NULL, "Invalid loader type.");
 
-  // Already loaded?
   if(entry->state == ASSET_ENTRY_STATE_LOADED) {
     errorOk();
   }
 
-  // Not loaded, just spin the wheel
+  // Lock to prevent the reaper from collecting the entry mid-spin.
+  assetEntryLock(entry);
+
   while(entry->state != ASSET_ENTRY_STATE_LOADED) {
     usleep(1000);
-    errorChain(assetUpdate());
+    errorret_t ret = assetUpdate();
+    if(errorIsNotOk(ret)) {
+      assetEntryUnlock(entry);
+      errorChain(ret);
+    }
   }
 
+  assetEntryUnlock(entry);
   errorOk();
 }
 
@@ -246,9 +252,9 @@ errorret_t assetUpdate(void) {
   } while(loading < ASSET.loading + ASSET_LOADING_COUNT_MAX);
 
 
-  // Reap entries that have no external locks (refs.count == 1 means only the
-  // system hold remains). Only safe to reap LOADED and NOT_STARTED states —
-  // mid-load entries are left for the next cycle.
+  // Reap entries that have no external locks (refs.count == 0) AND have been
+  // explicitly locked at least once. Entries that were never locked are left
+  // alone — raw-pointer callers hold no ref but should not lose the entry.
   entry = ASSET.entries;
   do {
     if(entry->state != ASSET_ENTRY_STATE_LOADED) {
@@ -261,6 +267,11 @@ errorret_t assetUpdate(void) {
       continue;
     }
 
+    if(!entry->wasLocked) {
+      entry++;
+      continue;
+    }
+
     if(entry->refs.count > 0) {
       entry++;
       continue;
diff --git a/src/dusk/asset/assetbatch.c b/src/dusk/asset/assetbatch.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4bcb646d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dusk/asset/assetbatch.c
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2026 Dominic Masters
+ *
+ * This software is released under the MIT License.
+ * https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT
+ */
+
+#include "assetbatch.h"
+#include "asset.h"
+#include "assert/assert.h"
+#include "util/memory.h"
+#include <unistd.h>
+
+void assetBatchInit(
+  assetbatch_t *batch,
+  const uint16_t count,
+  const assetbatchdesc_t *descs
+) {
+  assertNotNull(batch, "Batch cannot be NULL.");
+  assertNotNull(descs, "Descs cannot be NULL.");
+  assertTrue(count > 0, "Count must be greater than 0.");
+  assertTrue(count <= ASSET_BATCH_COUNT_MAX, "Count exceeds ASSET_BATCH_COUNT_MAX.");
+
+  memoryZero(batch, sizeof(assetbatch_t));
+  batch->count = count;
+
+  for(uint16_t i = 0; i < count; i++) {
+    // Copy input into batch-owned storage so the descriptor need not persist.
+    batch->inputs[i] = descs[i].input;
+    batch->entries[i] = assetLock(descs[i].path, descs[i].type, &batch->inputs[i]);
+  }
+}
+
+void assetBatchLock(assetbatch_t *batch) {
+  assertNotNull(batch, "Batch cannot be NULL.");
+  for(uint16_t i = 0; i < batch->count; i++) {
+    assetEntryLock(batch->entries[i]);
+  }
+}
+
+void assetBatchUnlock(assetbatch_t *batch) {
+  assertNotNull(batch, "Batch cannot be NULL.");
+  for(uint16_t i = 0; i < batch->count; i++) {
+    assetEntryUnlock(batch->entries[i]);
+  }
+}
+
+bool_t assetBatchIsLoaded(const assetbatch_t *batch) {
+  assertNotNull(batch, "Batch cannot be NULL.");
+  for(uint16_t i = 0; i < batch->count; i++) {
+    if(batch->entries[i]->state != ASSET_ENTRY_STATE_LOADED) return false;
+  }
+  return true;
+}
+
+bool_t assetBatchHasError(const assetbatch_t *batch) {
+  assertNotNull(batch, "Batch cannot be NULL.");
+  for(uint16_t i = 0; i < batch->count; i++) {
+    if(batch->entries[i]->state == ASSET_ENTRY_STATE_ERROR) return true;
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
+errorret_t assetBatchRequireLoaded(assetbatch_t *batch) {
+  assertNotNull(batch, "Batch cannot be NULL.");
+
+  bool_t allDone;
+  do {
+    allDone = true;
+    for(uint16_t i = 0; i < batch->count; i++) {
+      const assetentrystate_t state = batch->entries[i]->state;
+      if(state == ASSET_ENTRY_STATE_ERROR) {
+        errorThrow("Asset '%s' failed to load.", batch->entries[i]->name);
+      }
+      if(state != ASSET_ENTRY_STATE_LOADED) {
+        allDone = false;
+      }
+    }
+    if(!allDone) {
+      usleep(1000);
+      errorChain(assetUpdate());
+    }
+  } while(!allDone);
+
+  errorOk();
+}
+
+void assetBatchDispose(assetbatch_t *batch) {
+  assertNotNull(batch, "Batch cannot be NULL.");
+  for(uint16_t i = 0; i < batch->count; i++) {
+    assetUnlockEntry(batch->entries[i]);
+  }
+  memoryZero(batch, sizeof(assetbatch_t));
+}
diff --git a/src/dusk/asset/assetbatch.h b/src/dusk/asset/assetbatch.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..db71a115
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dusk/asset/assetbatch.h
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2026 Dominic Masters
+ *
+ * This software is released under the MIT License.
+ * https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+#include "asset/loader/assetentry.h"
+#include "asset/loader/assetloader.h"
+
+#define ASSET_BATCH_COUNT_MAX 64
+
+typedef struct {
+  const char_t *path;
+  assetloadertype_t type;
+  assetloaderinput_t input;
+} assetbatchdesc_t;
+
+typedef struct {
+  assetentry_t *entries[ASSET_BATCH_COUNT_MAX];
+  assetloaderinput_t inputs[ASSET_BATCH_COUNT_MAX];
+  uint16_t count;
+} assetbatch_t;
+
+/**
+ * Initialises the batch from an array of descriptors. Each entry is locked
+ * and queued for loading immediately.
+ *
+ * @param batch  Batch to initialise.
+ * @param descs  Array of entry descriptors (need not outlive this call).
+ * @param count  Number of descriptors (must be <= ASSET_BATCH_COUNT_MAX).
+ */
+void assetBatchInit(
+  assetbatch_t *batch,
+  uint16_t count,
+  const assetbatchdesc_t *descs
+);
+
+/**
+ * Acquires one additional lock on every entry in the batch.
+ *
+ * @param batch Batch to lock.
+ */
+void assetBatchLock(assetbatch_t *batch);
+
+/**
+ * Releases one lock from every entry in the batch. When an entry's lock
+ * count reaches zero it will be reaped on the next assetUpdate.
+ *
+ * @param batch Batch to unlock.
+ */
+void assetBatchUnlock(assetbatch_t *batch);
+
+/**
+ * Returns true if every entry in the batch has finished loading.
+ *
+ * @param batch Batch to query.
+ */
+bool_t assetBatchIsLoaded(const assetbatch_t *batch);
+
+/**
+ * Returns true if any entry in the batch is in an error state.
+ *
+ * @param batch Batch to query.
+ */
+bool_t assetBatchHasError(const assetbatch_t *batch);
+
+/**
+ * Blocks until every entry is loaded. Returns an error if any entry fails.
+ *
+ * @param batch Batch to wait on.
+ */
+errorret_t assetBatchRequireLoaded(assetbatch_t *batch);
+
+/**
+ * Releases the batch's lock on every entry and clears the batch. After this
+ * call the batch struct may be reused with assetBatchInit.
+ *
+ * @param batch Batch to dispose.
+ */
+void assetBatchDispose(assetbatch_t *batch);
diff --git a/src/dusk/asset/loader/assetentry.c b/src/dusk/asset/loader/assetentry.c
index cd86105f..c8a815b7 100644
--- a/src/dusk/asset/loader/assetentry.c
+++ b/src/dusk/asset/loader/assetentry.c
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ void assetEntryInit(
 void assetEntryLock(assetentry_t *entry) {
   assertNotNull(entry, "Entry cannot be NULL");
   assertTrue(entry->type != ASSET_LOADER_TYPE_NULL, "Invalid loader type.");
+  entry->wasLocked = true;
   refLock(&entry->refs);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/dusk/asset/loader/assetentry.h b/src/dusk/asset/loader/assetentry.h
index aa346948..ab8c38ca 100644
--- a/src/dusk/asset/loader/assetentry.h
+++ b/src/dusk/asset/loader/assetentry.h
@@ -30,6 +30,11 @@ typedef struct assetentry_s {
   assetentrystate_t state;
   // What is referencing this asset entry.
   ref_t refs;
+  // True once assetEntryLock has been called at least once. The reaper only
+  // collects entries that have been explicitly locked (and later unlocked to
+  // zero). Entries that nobody has ever locked are left alone so raw-pointer
+  // callers (tests, requireLoaded before locking) are not surprised.
+  bool_t wasLocked;
   // Data that will be passed to the loader about how it should load.
   assetloaderinput_t *input;
 } assetentry_t;
diff --git a/src/dusk/display/text/text.c b/src/dusk/display/text/text.c
index fe8cc2ba..e7878df7 100644
--- a/src/dusk/display/text/text.c
+++ b/src/dusk/display/text/text.c
@@ -17,9 +17,7 @@
 font_t FONT_DEFAULT;
 
 errorret_t textInit(void) {
-  assetloaderinput_t input = {
-    .texture = TEXTURE_FORMAT_RGBA
-  };
+  assetloaderinput_t input = { .texture = TEXTURE_FORMAT_RGBA };
   assetentry_t *entryTexture = assetLock(
     "ui/minogram.png", ASSET_LOADER_TYPE_TEXTURE, &input
   );
@@ -95,7 +93,9 @@ errorret_t textDraw(
   float_t posX = x;
   float_t posY = y;
 
-  errorChain(shaderSetTexture(&SHADER_UNLIT, SHADER_UNLIT_TEXTURE, font->texture));
+  errorChain(shaderSetTexture(
+    &SHADER_UNLIT, SHADER_UNLIT_TEXTURE, font->texture
+  ));
 
   #if MESH_ENABLE_COLOR
   #else