diff --git a/Source/Core/VideoBackends/D3D/D3DBase.cpp b/Source/Core/VideoBackends/D3D/D3DBase.cpp
index 730a722e5d..60475988ce 100644
--- a/Source/Core/VideoBackends/D3D/D3DBase.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/VideoBackends/D3D/D3DBase.cpp
@@ -52,8 +52,6 @@ unsigned int xres, yres;
 
 bool bFrameInProgress = false;
 
-#define NUM_SWAPCHAIN_BUFFERS 2
-
 HRESULT LoadDXGI()
 {
   if (dxgi_dll_ref++ > 0)
@@ -294,13 +292,13 @@ HRESULT Create(HWND wnd)
   }
 
   DXGI_SWAP_CHAIN_DESC1 swap_chain_desc = {};
-  swap_chain_desc.BufferCount = NUM_SWAPCHAIN_BUFFERS;
+  swap_chain_desc.BufferCount = 2;
   swap_chain_desc.BufferUsage = DXGI_USAGE_RENDER_TARGET_OUTPUT;
   swap_chain_desc.SampleDesc.Count = 1;
   swap_chain_desc.SampleDesc.Quality = 0;
   swap_chain_desc.Format = DXGI_FORMAT_R8G8B8A8_UNORM;
   swap_chain_desc.Scaling = DXGI_SCALING_STRETCH;
-  swap_chain_desc.SwapEffect = DXGI_SWAP_EFFECT_FLIP_SEQUENTIAL;
+  swap_chain_desc.SwapEffect = DXGI_SWAP_EFFECT_FLIP_DISCARD;
   swap_chain_desc.Width = xres;
   swap_chain_desc.Height = yres;
 
@@ -351,11 +349,20 @@ HRESULT Create(HWND wnd)
   {
     hr = factory->CreateSwapChainForHwnd(device, hWnd, &swap_chain_desc, nullptr, nullptr,
                                          &swapchain);
+    if (FAILED(hr))
+    {
+      // Flip-model discard swapchains aren't supported on Windows 8, so here we fall back to
+      // a sequential swapchain
+      swap_chain_desc.SwapEffect = DXGI_SWAP_EFFECT_FLIP_SEQUENTIAL;
+      hr = factory->CreateSwapChainForHwnd(device, hWnd, &swap_chain_desc, nullptr, nullptr,
+                                           &swapchain);
+    }
+
     if (FAILED(hr))
     {
       // Flip-model swapchains aren't supported on Windows 7, so here we fall back to a legacy
       // BitBlt-model swapchain
-      swap_chain_desc.SwapEffect = DXGI_SWAP_EFFECT_SEQUENTIAL;
+      swap_chain_desc.SwapEffect = DXGI_SWAP_EFFECT_DISCARD;
       hr = factory->CreateSwapChainForHwnd(device, hWnd, &swap_chain_desc, nullptr, nullptr,
                                            &swapchain);
     }
@@ -385,6 +392,12 @@ HRESULT Create(HWND wnd)
   SAFE_RELEASE(factory);
   SAFE_RELEASE(adapter);
 
+  if (SConfig::GetInstance().bFullscreen && !g_ActiveConfig.bBorderlessFullscreen)
+  {
+    swapchain->SetFullscreenState(true, nullptr);
+    swapchain->ResizeBuffers(0, xres, yres, DXGI_FORMAT_R8G8B8A8_UNORM, 0);
+  }
+
   ID3D11Texture2D* buf;
   hr = swapchain->GetBuffer(0, IID_ID3D11Texture2D, (void**)&buf);
   if (FAILED(hr))
@@ -542,7 +555,7 @@ void Reset()
   GetClientRect(hWnd, &client);
   xres = client.right - client.left;
   yres = client.bottom - client.top;
-  D3D::swapchain->ResizeBuffers(NUM_SWAPCHAIN_BUFFERS, xres, yres, DXGI_FORMAT_R8G8B8A8_UNORM, 0);
+  D3D::swapchain->ResizeBuffers(0, xres, yres, DXGI_FORMAT_R8G8B8A8_UNORM, 0);
 
   // recreate back buffer texture
   ID3D11Texture2D* buf;
diff --git a/Source/Core/VideoBackends/D3D/Render.cpp b/Source/Core/VideoBackends/D3D/Render.cpp
index 027c3611c0..df4aad0e28 100644
--- a/Source/Core/VideoBackends/D3D/Render.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/VideoBackends/D3D/Render.cpp
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ struct GXPipelineState
 static u32 s_last_multisamples = 1;
 static bool s_last_stereo_mode = false;
 static bool s_last_xfb_mode = false;
+static bool s_last_fullscreen_mode = false;
 
 static Television s_television;
 
@@ -240,6 +241,7 @@ Renderer::Renderer() : ::Renderer(D3D::GetBackBufferWidth(), D3D::GetBackBufferH
   s_last_multisamples = g_ActiveConfig.iMultisamples;
   s_last_stereo_mode = g_ActiveConfig.iStereoMode > 0;
   s_last_xfb_mode = g_ActiveConfig.bUseRealXFB;
+  s_last_fullscreen_mode = D3D::GetFullscreenState();
 
   g_framebuffer_manager = std::make_unique<FramebufferManager>(m_target_width, m_target_height);
   SetupDeviceObjects();
@@ -838,7 +840,9 @@ void Renderer::SwapImpl(u32 xfbAddr, u32 fbWidth, u32 fbStride, u32 fbHeight,
 
   SetWindowSize(fbStride, fbHeight);
 
-  const bool windowResized = CheckForResize();
+  const bool window_resized = CheckForResize();
+  const bool fullscreen = D3D::GetFullscreenState();
+  const bool fs_changed = s_last_fullscreen_mode != fullscreen;
 
   bool xfbchanged = s_last_xfb_mode != g_ActiveConfig.bUseRealXFB;
 
@@ -856,15 +860,16 @@ void Renderer::SwapImpl(u32 xfbAddr, u32 fbWidth, u32 fbStride, u32 fbHeight,
   D3D::Present();
 
   // Resize the back buffers NOW to avoid flickering
-  if (CalculateTargetSize() || xfbchanged || windowResized ||
+  if (CalculateTargetSize() || xfbchanged || window_resized || fs_changed ||
       s_last_multisamples != g_ActiveConfig.iMultisamples ||
       s_last_stereo_mode != (g_ActiveConfig.iStereoMode > 0))
   {
     s_last_xfb_mode = g_ActiveConfig.bUseRealXFB;
     s_last_multisamples = g_ActiveConfig.iMultisamples;
+    s_last_fullscreen_mode = fullscreen;
     PixelShaderCache::InvalidateMSAAShaders();
 
-    if (windowResized)
+    if (window_resized || fs_changed)
     {
       // TODO: Aren't we still holding a reference to the back buffer right now?
       D3D::Reset();