diff --git a/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_cachefile.hh b/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_cachefile.hh
index 34009c05f8d..b02f2f8f272 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_cachefile.hh
+++ b/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_cachefile.hh
@@ -16,9 +16,6 @@ struct Main;
 struct Object;
 struct Scene;
 
-void BKE_cachefiles_init();
-void BKE_cachefiles_exit();
-
 void *BKE_cachefile_add(Main *bmain, const char *name);
 
 void BKE_cachefile_reload(Depsgraph *depsgraph, CacheFile *cache_file);
diff --git a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/blender.cc b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/blender.cc
index 37e2bd97215..5808f21fa58 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/blender.cc
+++ b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/blender.cc
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@
 #include "BKE_blender_user_menu.hh" /* own include */
 #include "BKE_blender_version.h"    /* own include */
 #include "BKE_brush.hh"
-#include "BKE_cachefile.hh"
 #include "BKE_callbacks.hh"
 #include "BKE_global.hh"
 #include "BKE_idprop.hh"
@@ -74,7 +73,6 @@ void BKE_blender_free()
   BKE_spacetypes_free(); /* after free main, it uses space callbacks */
 
   IMB_exit();
-  BKE_cachefiles_exit();
   DEG_free_node_types();
 
   BKE_brush_system_exit();
diff --git a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/cachefile.cc b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/cachefile.cc
index 7302c68b769..b14b72080d6 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/cachefile.cc
+++ b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/cachefile.cc
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
 #include "BLI_listbase.h"
 #include "BLI_path_utils.hh"
 #include "BLI_string.h"
-#include "BLI_threads.h"
 #include "BLI_utildefines.h"
 
 #include "BLT_translation.hh"
@@ -47,6 +46,8 @@
 #  include "usd.hh"
 #endif
 
+#include <mutex>
+
 static void cachefile_handle_free(CacheFile *cache_file);
 
 static void cache_file_init_data(ID *id)
@@ -152,17 +153,7 @@ IDTypeInfo IDType_ID_CF = {
 };
 
 /* TODO: make this per cache file to avoid global locks. */
-static SpinLock spin;
-
-void BKE_cachefiles_init()
-{
-  BLI_spin_init(&spin);
-}
-
-void BKE_cachefiles_exit()
-{
-  BLI_spin_end(&spin);
-}
+static std::mutex cache_mutex;
 
 void BKE_cachefile_reader_open(CacheFile *cache_file,
                                CacheReader **reader,
@@ -197,7 +188,7 @@ void BKE_cachefile_reader_open(CacheFile *cache_file,
   }
 
   /* Multiple modifiers and constraints can call this function concurrently. */
-  BLI_spin_lock(&spin);
+  std::lock_guard lock(cache_mutex);
   if (*reader) {
     /* Register in set so we can free it when the cache file changes. */
     if (cache_file->handle_readers == nullptr) {
@@ -209,7 +200,6 @@ void BKE_cachefile_reader_open(CacheFile *cache_file,
     /* Remove in case CacheReader_open_alembic_object free the existing reader. */
     BLI_gset_remove(cache_file->handle_readers, reader, nullptr);
   }
-  BLI_spin_unlock(&spin);
 #else
   UNUSED_VARS(cache_file, reader, object, object_path);
 #endif
@@ -220,7 +210,7 @@ void BKE_cachefile_reader_free(CacheFile *cache_file, CacheReader **reader)
 #if defined(WITH_ALEMBIC) || defined(WITH_USD)
   /* Multiple modifiers and constraints can call this function concurrently, and
    * cachefile_handle_free() can also be called at the same time. */
-  BLI_spin_lock(&spin);
+  std::lock_guard lock(cache_mutex);
   if (*reader != nullptr) {
     if (cache_file) {
       BLI_assert(cache_file->id.tag & ID_TAG_COPIED_ON_EVAL);
@@ -247,7 +237,6 @@ void BKE_cachefile_reader_free(CacheFile *cache_file, CacheReader **reader)
       BLI_gset_remove(cache_file->handle_readers, reader, nullptr);
     }
   }
-  BLI_spin_unlock(&spin);
 #else
   UNUSED_VARS(cache_file, reader);
 #endif
@@ -259,35 +248,36 @@ static void cachefile_handle_free(CacheFile *cache_file)
 
   /* Free readers in all modifiers and constraints that use the handle, before
    * we free the handle itself. */
-  BLI_spin_lock(&spin);
-  if (cache_file->handle_readers) {
-    GSetIterator gs_iter;
-    GSET_ITER (gs_iter, cache_file->handle_readers) {
-      CacheReader **reader = static_cast<CacheReader **>(BLI_gsetIterator_getKey(&gs_iter));
-      if (*reader != nullptr) {
-        switch (cache_file->type) {
-          case CACHEFILE_TYPE_ALEMBIC:
+  {
+    std::lock_guard lock(cache_mutex);
+    if (cache_file->handle_readers) {
+      GSetIterator gs_iter;
+      GSET_ITER (gs_iter, cache_file->handle_readers) {
+        CacheReader **reader = static_cast<CacheReader **>(BLI_gsetIterator_getKey(&gs_iter));
+        if (*reader != nullptr) {
+          switch (cache_file->type) {
+            case CACHEFILE_TYPE_ALEMBIC:
 #  ifdef WITH_ALEMBIC
-            ABC_CacheReader_free(*reader);
+              ABC_CacheReader_free(*reader);
 #  endif
-            break;
-          case CACHEFILE_TYPE_USD:
+              break;
+            case CACHEFILE_TYPE_USD:
 #  ifdef WITH_USD
-            blender::io::usd::USD_CacheReader_free(*reader);
+              blender::io::usd::USD_CacheReader_free(*reader);
 #  endif
-            break;
-          case CACHE_FILE_TYPE_INVALID:
-            break;
+              break;
+            case CACHE_FILE_TYPE_INVALID:
+              break;
+          }
+
+          *reader = nullptr;
         }
-
-        *reader = nullptr;
       }
-    }
 
-    BLI_gset_free(cache_file->handle_readers, nullptr);
-    cache_file->handle_readers = nullptr;
+      BLI_gset_free(cache_file->handle_readers, nullptr);
+      cache_file->handle_readers = nullptr;
+    }
   }
-  BLI_spin_unlock(&spin);
 
   /* Free handle. */
   if (cache_file->handle) {
diff --git a/source/blender/blenlib/intern/mesh_intersect.cc b/source/blender/blenlib/intern/mesh_intersect.cc
index 6b91b8ca549..0fc79032906 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenlib/intern/mesh_intersect.cc
+++ b/source/blender/blenlib/intern/mesh_intersect.cc
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #  include <functional>
 #  include <iostream>
 #  include <memory>
+#  include <mutex>
 #  include <numeric>
 
 #  include "BLI_array.hh"
@@ -283,14 +284,6 @@ std::ostream &operator<<(std::ostream &os, const Face *f)
   return os;
 }
 
-/**
- * Un-comment the following to try using a spin-lock instead of
- * a mutex in the arena allocation routines.
- * Initial tests showed that it doesn't seem to help very much,
- * if at all, to use a spin-lock.
- */
-// #define USE_SPINLOCK
-
 /**
  * #IMeshArena is the owner of the Vert and Face resources used
  * during a run of one of the mesh-intersect main functions.
@@ -336,34 +329,9 @@ class IMeshArena::IMeshArenaImpl : NonCopyable, NonMovable {
   int next_face_id_ = 0;
 
   /* Need a lock when multi-threading to protect allocation of new elements. */
-#  ifdef USE_SPINLOCK
-  SpinLock lock_;
-#  else
-  ThreadMutex *mutex_;
-#  endif
+  std::mutex mutex_;
 
  public:
-  IMeshArenaImpl()
-  {
-    if (intersect_use_threading) {
-#  ifdef USE_SPINLOCK
-      BLI_spin_init(&lock_);
-#  else
-      mutex_ = BLI_mutex_alloc();
-#  endif
-    }
-  }
-  ~IMeshArenaImpl()
-  {
-    if (intersect_use_threading) {
-#  ifdef USE_SPINLOCK
-      BLI_spin_end(&lock_);
-#  else
-      BLI_mutex_free(mutex_);
-#  endif
-    }
-  }
-
   void reserve(int vert_num_hint, int face_num_hint)
   {
     vset_.reserve(vert_num_hint);
@@ -401,21 +369,8 @@ class IMeshArena::IMeshArenaImpl : NonCopyable, NonMovable {
   Face *add_face(Span<const Vert *> verts, int orig, Span<int> edge_origs, Span<bool> is_intersect)
   {
     Face *f = new Face(verts, next_face_id_++, orig, edge_origs, is_intersect);
-    if (intersect_use_threading) {
-#  ifdef USE_SPINLOCK
-      BLI_spin_lock(&lock_);
-#  else
-      BLI_mutex_lock(mutex_);
-#  endif
-    }
+    std::lock_guard lock(mutex_);
     allocated_faces_.append(std::unique_ptr<Face>(f));
-    if (intersect_use_threading) {
-#  ifdef USE_SPINLOCK
-      BLI_spin_unlock(&lock_);
-#  else
-      BLI_mutex_unlock(mutex_);
-#  endif
-    }
     return f;
   }
 
@@ -436,21 +391,8 @@ class IMeshArena::IMeshArenaImpl : NonCopyable, NonMovable {
   {
     Vert vtry(co, double3(co[0].get_d(), co[1].get_d(), co[2].get_d()), NO_INDEX, NO_INDEX);
     VSetKey vskey(&vtry);
-    if (intersect_use_threading) {
-#  ifdef USE_SPINLOCK
-      BLI_spin_lock(&lock_);
-#  else
-      BLI_mutex_lock(mutex_);
-#  endif
-    }
+    std::lock_guard lock(mutex_);
     const VSetKey *lookup = vset_.lookup_key_ptr(vskey);
-    if (intersect_use_threading) {
-#  ifdef USE_SPINLOCK
-      BLI_spin_unlock(&lock_);
-#  else
-      BLI_mutex_unlock(mutex_);
-#  endif
-    }
     if (!lookup) {
       return nullptr;
     }
@@ -481,13 +423,7 @@ class IMeshArena::IMeshArenaImpl : NonCopyable, NonMovable {
     Vert *vtry = new Vert(mco, dco, NO_INDEX, NO_INDEX);
     const Vert *ans;
     VSetKey vskey(vtry);
-    if (intersect_use_threading) {
-#  ifdef USE_SPINLOCK
-      BLI_spin_lock(&lock_);
-#  else
-      BLI_mutex_lock(mutex_);
-#  endif
-    }
+    std::lock_guard lock(mutex_);
     const VSetKey *lookup = vset_.lookup_key_ptr(vskey);
     if (!lookup) {
       vtry->id = next_vert_id_++;
@@ -506,13 +442,6 @@ class IMeshArena::IMeshArenaImpl : NonCopyable, NonMovable {
       delete vtry;
       ans = lookup->vert;
     }
-    if (intersect_use_threading) {
-#  ifdef USE_SPINLOCK
-      BLI_spin_unlock(&lock_);
-#  else
-      BLI_mutex_unlock(mutex_);
-#  endif
-    }
     return ans;
   };
 
@@ -520,13 +449,7 @@ class IMeshArena::IMeshArenaImpl : NonCopyable, NonMovable {
   {
     const Vert *ans;
     VSetKey vskey(vtry);
-    if (intersect_use_threading) {
-#  ifdef USE_SPINLOCK
-      BLI_spin_lock(&lock_);
-#  else
-      BLI_mutex_lock(mutex_);
-#  endif
-    }
+    std::lock_guard lock(mutex_);
     const VSetKey *lookup = vset_.lookup_key_ptr(vskey);
     if (!lookup) {
       vtry->id = next_vert_id_++;
@@ -544,13 +467,6 @@ class IMeshArena::IMeshArenaImpl : NonCopyable, NonMovable {
       delete vtry;
       ans = lookup->vert;
     }
-    if (intersect_use_threading) {
-#  ifdef USE_SPINLOCK
-      BLI_spin_unlock(&lock_);
-#  else
-      BLI_mutex_unlock(mutex_);
-#  endif
-    }
     return ans;
   };
 };
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/space_clip/clip_editor.cc b/source/blender/editors/space_clip/clip_editor.cc
index a751776836b..e240cf3f7fb 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/space_clip/clip_editor.cc
+++ b/source/blender/editors/space_clip/clip_editor.cc
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include <cerrno>
 #include <cstddef>
 #include <fcntl.h>
+#include <mutex>
 #include <sys/types.h>
 
 #ifndef WIN32
@@ -681,7 +682,7 @@ struct PrefetchQueue {
    */
   bool forward;
 
-  SpinLock spin;
+  std::mutex mutex;
 
   bool *stop;
   bool *do_update;
@@ -780,7 +781,7 @@ static uchar *prefetch_thread_next_frame(PrefetchQueue *queue,
 {
   uchar *mem = nullptr;
 
-  BLI_spin_lock(&queue->spin);
+  std::lock_guard lock(queue->mutex);
   if (!*queue->stop && !check_prefetch_break() &&
       IN_RANGE_INCL(queue->current_frame, queue->start_frame, queue->end_frame))
   {
@@ -831,7 +832,6 @@ static uchar *prefetch_thread_next_frame(PrefetchQueue *queue,
       *queue->progress = float(frames_processed) / (queue->end_frame - queue->start_frame);
     }
   }
-  BLI_spin_unlock(&queue->spin);
 
   return mem;
 }
@@ -896,8 +896,6 @@ static void start_prefetch_threads(MovieClip *clip,
 
   /* initialize queue */
   PrefetchQueue queue;
-  BLI_spin_init(&queue.spin);
-
   queue.current_frame = current_frame;
   queue.initial_frame = current_frame;
   queue.start_frame = start_frame;
@@ -916,8 +914,6 @@ static void start_prefetch_threads(MovieClip *clip,
   }
   BLI_task_pool_work_and_wait(task_pool);
   BLI_task_pool_free(task_pool);
-
-  BLI_spin_end(&queue.spin);
 }
 
 /* NOTE: Reading happens from `clip_local` into `clip->cache`. */
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/space_clip/clip_ops.cc b/source/blender/editors/space_clip/clip_ops.cc
index 706f6c7daaa..1c3a6398c12 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/space_clip/clip_ops.cc
+++ b/source/blender/editors/space_clip/clip_ops.cc
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 #include <cerrno>
 #include <fcntl.h>
+#include <mutex>
 #include <sys/types.h>
 
 #ifndef WIN32
@@ -1299,7 +1300,7 @@ struct ProxyQueue {
   int cfra;
   int sfra;
   int efra;
-  SpinLock spin;
+  std::mutex mutex;
 
   const bool *stop;
   bool *do_update;
@@ -1320,7 +1321,7 @@ static uchar *proxy_thread_next_frame(ProxyQueue *queue,
 {
   uchar *mem = nullptr;
 
-  BLI_spin_lock(&queue->spin);
+  std::lock_guard lock(queue->mutex);
   if (!*queue->stop && queue->cfra <= queue->efra) {
     MovieClipUser user = *DNA_struct_default_get(MovieClipUser);
     char filepath[FILE_MAX];
@@ -1332,14 +1333,12 @@ static uchar *proxy_thread_next_frame(ProxyQueue *queue,
 
     file = BLI_open(filepath, O_BINARY | O_RDONLY, 0);
     if (file < 0) {
-      BLI_spin_unlock(&queue->spin);
       return nullptr;
     }
 
     const size_t size = BLI_file_descriptor_size(file);
     if (UNLIKELY(ELEM(size, 0, size_t(-1)))) {
       close(file);
-      BLI_spin_unlock(&queue->spin);
       return nullptr;
     }
 
@@ -1347,7 +1346,6 @@ static uchar *proxy_thread_next_frame(ProxyQueue *queue,
 
     if (BLI_read(file, mem, size) != size) {
       close(file);
-      BLI_spin_unlock(&queue->spin);
       MEM_freeN(mem);
       return nullptr;
     }
@@ -1361,8 +1359,6 @@ static uchar *proxy_thread_next_frame(ProxyQueue *queue,
     *queue->do_update = true;
     *queue->progress = float(queue->cfra - queue->sfra) / (queue->efra - queue->sfra);
   }
-  BLI_spin_unlock(&queue->spin);
-
   return mem;
 }
 
@@ -1425,8 +1421,6 @@ static void do_sequence_proxy(void *pjv,
   }
 
   ProxyQueue queue;
-  BLI_spin_init(&queue.spin);
-
   queue.cfra = sfra;
   queue.sfra = sfra;
   queue.efra = efra;
@@ -1464,7 +1458,6 @@ static void do_sequence_proxy(void *pjv,
     }
   }
 
-  BLI_spin_end(&queue.spin);
   MEM_freeN(handles);
 }
 
diff --git a/source/blender/imbuf/CMakeLists.txt b/source/blender/imbuf/CMakeLists.txt
index 8e752f1fe5b..bb46465684b 100644
--- a/source/blender/imbuf/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/source/blender/imbuf/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ set(LIB
   PRIVATE bf::dna
   PRIVATE bf::gpu
   bf_imbuf_openimageio
+  PRIVATE bf::intern::atomic
   PRIVATE bf::intern::guardedalloc
   bf_intern_memutil
   bf_intern_opencolorio
diff --git a/source/blender/imbuf/IMB_imbuf_types.hh b/source/blender/imbuf/IMB_imbuf_types.hh
index 14f7daffe8d..1f89b842ae3 100644
--- a/source/blender/imbuf/IMB_imbuf_types.hh
+++ b/source/blender/imbuf/IMB_imbuf_types.hh
@@ -239,9 +239,8 @@ struct ImBuf {
   /** The absolute file path associated with this image. */
   char filepath[IMB_FILEPATH_SIZE];
 
-  /* memory cache limiter */
   /** reference counter for multiple users */
-  int refcounter;
+  int32_t refcounter;
 
   /* some parameters to pass along for packing images */
   /** Compressed image only used with PNG and EXR currently. */
diff --git a/source/blender/imbuf/intern/IMB_allocimbuf.hh b/source/blender/imbuf/intern/IMB_allocimbuf.hh
index 401662c0d0f..af469d858b8 100644
--- a/source/blender/imbuf/intern/IMB_allocimbuf.hh
+++ b/source/blender/imbuf/intern/IMB_allocimbuf.hh
@@ -9,9 +9,6 @@
 
 struct ImBuf;
 
-void imb_refcounter_lock_init();
-void imb_refcounter_lock_exit();
-
 #ifndef WIN32
 void imb_mmap_lock_init();
 void imb_mmap_lock_exit();
diff --git a/source/blender/imbuf/intern/allocimbuf.cc b/source/blender/imbuf/intern/allocimbuf.cc
index 130b7eb24bf..62ba6412990 100644
--- a/source/blender/imbuf/intern/allocimbuf.cc
+++ b/source/blender/imbuf/intern/allocimbuf.cc
@@ -28,17 +28,7 @@
 
 #include "GPU_texture.hh"
 
-static SpinLock refcounter_spin;
-
-void imb_refcounter_lock_init()
-{
-  BLI_spin_init(&refcounter_spin);
-}
-
-void imb_refcounter_lock_exit()
-{
-  BLI_spin_end(&refcounter_spin);
-}
+#include "atomic_ops.h"
 
 #ifndef WIN32
 static SpinLock mmap_spin;
@@ -250,17 +240,7 @@ void IMB_freeImBuf(ImBuf *ibuf)
     return;
   }
 
-  bool needs_free = false;
-
-  BLI_spin_lock(&refcounter_spin);
-  if (ibuf->refcounter > 0) {
-    ibuf->refcounter--;
-  }
-  else {
-    needs_free = true;
-  }
-  BLI_spin_unlock(&refcounter_spin);
-
+  bool needs_free = atomic_sub_and_fetch_int32(&ibuf->refcounter, 1) < 0;
   if (needs_free) {
     /* Include this check here as the path may be manipulated after creation. */
     BLI_assert_msg(!(ibuf->filepath[0] == '/' && ibuf->filepath[1] == '/'),
@@ -277,9 +257,7 @@ void IMB_freeImBuf(ImBuf *ibuf)
 
 void IMB_refImBuf(ImBuf *ibuf)
 {
-  BLI_spin_lock(&refcounter_spin);
-  ibuf->refcounter++;
-  BLI_spin_unlock(&refcounter_spin);
+  atomic_add_and_fetch_int32(&ibuf->refcounter, 1);
 }
 
 ImBuf *IMB_makeSingleUser(ImBuf *ibuf)
@@ -288,9 +266,7 @@ ImBuf *IMB_makeSingleUser(ImBuf *ibuf)
     return nullptr;
   }
 
-  BLI_spin_lock(&refcounter_spin);
-  const bool is_single = (ibuf->refcounter == 0);
-  BLI_spin_unlock(&refcounter_spin);
+  const bool is_single = (atomic_load_int32(&ibuf->refcounter) == 0);
   if (is_single) {
     return ibuf;
   }
diff --git a/source/blender/imbuf/intern/module.cc b/source/blender/imbuf/intern/module.cc
index c3e9b333224..e47a5562c30 100644
--- a/source/blender/imbuf/intern/module.cc
+++ b/source/blender/imbuf/intern/module.cc
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 
 void IMB_init()
 {
-  imb_refcounter_lock_init();
   imb_mmap_lock_init();
   imb_filetypes_init();
   colormanagement_init();
@@ -26,5 +25,4 @@ void IMB_exit()
   imb_filetypes_exit();
   colormanagement_exit();
   imb_mmap_lock_exit();
-  imb_refcounter_lock_exit();
 }
diff --git a/source/creator/creator.cc b/source/creator/creator.cc
index bd26c7b166a..ca52a7fa35f 100644
--- a/source/creator/creator.cc
+++ b/source/creator/creator.cc
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@
 #include "BKE_appdir.hh"
 #include "BKE_blender.hh"
 #include "BKE_brush.hh"
-#include "BKE_cachefile.hh"
 #include "BKE_callbacks.hh"
 #include "BKE_context.hh"
 #include "BKE_cpp_types.hh"
@@ -421,7 +420,6 @@ int main(int argc,
 
   BKE_cpp_types_init();
   BKE_idtype_init();
-  BKE_cachefiles_init();
   BKE_modifier_init();
   BKE_shaderfx_init();
   BKE_volumes_init();