diff --git a/llvm/lib/Target/AMDGPU/SIInsertWaitcnts.cpp b/llvm/lib/Target/AMDGPU/SIInsertWaitcnts.cpp
index ca8e3244edd15..674715e60de25 100644
--- a/llvm/lib/Target/AMDGPU/SIInsertWaitcnts.cpp
+++ b/llvm/lib/Target/AMDGPU/SIInsertWaitcnts.cpp
@@ -1278,6 +1278,23 @@ bool WaitcntGeneratorPreGFX12::applyPreexistingWaitcnt(
     if (Opcode == AMDGPU::S_WAITCNT) {
       unsigned IEnc = II.getOperand(0).getImm();
       AMDGPU::Waitcnt OldWait = AMDGPU::decodeWaitcnt(IV, IEnc);
+
+      // These pseudo waitcnt instructions are only needed to synchronize DS
+      // operations with direct LDS loads that use vmcnt. We can safely relax
+      // them when no outstanding direct LDS loads exist, even if other vmcnt
+      // events are pending.
+      if (II.getOpcode() == AMDGPU::S_WAITCNT_DIRECT_LDS_LOAD_soft &&
+          TrySimplify) {
+        unsigned RegNo = SQ_MAX_PGM_VGPRS + EXTRA_VGPR_LDS;
+        AMDGPU::Waitcnt LDSDirectWait;
+        ScoreBrackets.determineWait(LOAD_CNT, RegNo, LDSDirectWait);
+        // Relax waitcnt to only wait on inflight direct LDS loads.
+        if (LDSDirectWait.LoadCnt > OldWait.LoadCnt) {
+          OldWait.LoadCnt = LDSDirectWait.LoadCnt;
+          Modified = true;
+        }
+      }
+
       if (TrySimplify)
         ScoreBrackets.simplifyWaitcnt(OldWait);
       Wait = Wait.combined(OldWait);
diff --git a/llvm/lib/Target/AMDGPU/SIInstrInfo.h b/llvm/lib/Target/AMDGPU/SIInstrInfo.h
index 64ab064a75f44..1465fed5315e8 100644
--- a/llvm/lib/Target/AMDGPU/SIInstrInfo.h
+++ b/llvm/lib/Target/AMDGPU/SIInstrInfo.h
@@ -1010,6 +1010,7 @@ class SIInstrInfo final : public AMDGPUGenInstrInfo {
   static unsigned getNonSoftWaitcntOpcode(unsigned Opcode) {
     switch (Opcode) {
     case AMDGPU::S_WAITCNT_soft:
+    case AMDGPU::S_WAITCNT_DIRECT_LDS_LOAD_soft:
       return AMDGPU::S_WAITCNT;
     case AMDGPU::S_WAITCNT_VSCNT_soft:
       return AMDGPU::S_WAITCNT_VSCNT;
diff --git a/llvm/lib/Target/AMDGPU/SOPInstructions.td b/llvm/lib/Target/AMDGPU/SOPInstructions.td
index 40b3dfb94ce2f..46a641704bfeb 100644
--- a/llvm/lib/Target/AMDGPU/SOPInstructions.td
+++ b/llvm/lib/Target/AMDGPU/SOPInstructions.td
@@ -1608,6 +1608,12 @@ let OtherPredicates = [HasImageInsts] in {
   def S_WAIT_DSCNT_soft : SOPP_Pseudo <"s_soft_wait_dscnt", (ins s16imm:$simm16), "$simm16">;
   def S_WAIT_KMCNT_soft : SOPP_Pseudo <"s_soft_wait_kmcnt", (ins s16imm:$simm16), "$simm16">;
 }
+// Soft waitcnt for direct loads to LDS from global memory. These waits may be
+// relaxed or removed entirely based on current in-flight memory operations
+// and their relation to these direct LDS loads. For example, if global loads
+// to LDS are mixed with global loads not writing to LDS, a wait may only be
+// necessary for the LDS-writing loads to synchronize with other LDS operations.
+def S_WAITCNT_DIRECT_LDS_LOAD_soft : SOPP_Pseudo <"s_soft_waitcnt" , (ins SWaitCnt:$simm16), "$simm16">;
 
 def S_SETHALT : SOPP_Pseudo <"s_sethalt" , (ins i32imm:$simm16), "$simm16",
     [(int_amdgcn_s_sethalt timm:$simm16)]>;
diff --git a/llvm/test/CodeGen/AMDGPU/lds-dma-waitcnt.mir b/llvm/test/CodeGen/AMDGPU/lds-dma-waitcnt.mir
index 21372c06d3223..6c2854b67b134 100644
--- a/llvm/test/CodeGen/AMDGPU/lds-dma-waitcnt.mir
+++ b/llvm/test/CodeGen/AMDGPU/lds-dma-waitcnt.mir
@@ -117,3 +117,173 @@ body:             |
     S_ENDPGM 0
 
 ...
+
+# Soft waitcnt should be honored here.
+# GCN-LABEL: name: buffer_load_dword_lds_ds_read_soft_wait
+# GCN:      BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN
+# GCN-NEXT: S_WAITCNT 3952
+#                     vmcnt(0)
+# GCN-NEXT: S_BARRIER
+---
+name: buffer_load_dword_lds_ds_read_soft_wait
+body:             |
+  bb.0:
+    $m0 = S_MOV_B32 0
+    BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN $vgpr0, $sgpr0_sgpr1_sgpr2_sgpr3, $sgpr4, 4, 0, 0, implicit $exec, implicit $m0 :: (load (s32) from `ptr addrspace(1) poison` + 4), (store (s32) into `ptr addrspace(3) poison` + 4)
+    S_WAITCNT_DIRECT_LDS_LOAD_soft 3952
+    S_BARRIER
+    $vgpr0 = DS_READ_B32_gfx9 $vgpr1, 0, 0, implicit $m0, implicit $exec :: (load (s32) from `ptr addrspace(3) poison`)
+    S_ENDPGM 0
+
+...
+
+# No need for waitcnt.
+# GCN-LABEL: name: buffer_store_lds_dword_ds_read_soft_wait
+# GCN:      BUFFER_STORE_LDS_DWORD
+# GCN-NEXT: S_BARRIER
+---
+name: buffer_store_lds_dword_ds_read_soft_wait
+body:             |
+  bb.0:
+    $m0 = S_MOV_B32 0
+    BUFFER_STORE_LDS_DWORD $sgpr0_sgpr1_sgpr2_sgpr3, $sgpr4, 4, 0, 0, implicit $exec, implicit $m0 :: (load (s32) from `ptr addrspace(3) poison` + 4), (store (s32) into `ptr addrspace(1) poison` + 4)
+    S_WAITCNT_DIRECT_LDS_LOAD_soft 3952
+    S_BARRIER
+    $vgpr0 = DS_READ_B32_gfx9 $vgpr1, 0, 0, implicit $m0, implicit $exec :: (load (s32) from `ptr addrspace(3) poison`)
+    S_ENDPGM 0
+
+...
+
+# Soft waitcnt should mean vmcnt(1) before the barrier and vmcnt(0) after.
+# GCN-LABEL: name: series_of_buffer_load_dword_lds_ds_read_soft_wait
+# GCN:      BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN
+# GCN-NEXT: BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN
+# GCN-NEXT: BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN
+# GCN-NEXT: S_WAITCNT 3953
+#                     vmcnt(1)
+# GCN-NEXT: S_BARRIER
+# GCN-NEXT: S_WAITCNT 3952
+#                     vmcnt(0)
+# GCN-NEXT: DS_READ_B32_gfx9
+---
+name: series_of_buffer_load_dword_lds_ds_read_soft_wait
+body:             |
+  bb.0:
+    $m0 = S_MOV_B32 0
+    BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN $vgpr0, $sgpr0_sgpr1_sgpr2_sgpr3, $sgpr4, 0, 0, 0, implicit $exec, implicit $m0 :: (load (s32) from `ptr addrspace(1) poison`), (store (s32) into `ptr addrspace(3) poison`)
+    BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN $vgpr0, $sgpr0_sgpr1_sgpr2_sgpr3, $sgpr4, 4, 0, 0, implicit $exec, implicit $m0 :: (load (s32) from `ptr addrspace(1) poison` + 4), (store (s32) into `ptr addrspace(3) poison` + 4)
+    BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN $vgpr0, $sgpr0_sgpr1_sgpr2_sgpr3, $sgpr4, 8, 0, 0, implicit $exec, implicit $m0 :: (load (s32) from `ptr addrspace(1) poison` + 8), (store (s32) into `ptr addrspace(3) poison` + 8)
+    S_WAITCNT_DIRECT_LDS_LOAD_soft 3953
+    S_BARRIER
+    $vgpr0 = DS_READ_B32_gfx9 $vgpr1, 0, 0, implicit $m0, implicit $exec :: (load (s32) from `ptr addrspace(3) poison`)
+    S_ENDPGM 0
+
+...
+
+# No waitcnt before the barrier because counter is too high
+# GCN-LABEL: name: buffer_load_dword_lds_ds_read_soft_wait_redundant
+# GCN:      BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN
+# GCN-NEXT: S_BARRIER
+# GCN-NEXT: S_WAITCNT 3952
+#                     vmcnt(0)
+# GCN-NEXT: DS_READ_B32_gfx9
+---
+name: buffer_load_dword_lds_ds_read_soft_wait_redundant
+body:             |
+  bb.0:
+    $m0 = S_MOV_B32 0
+    BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN $vgpr0, $sgpr0_sgpr1_sgpr2_sgpr3, $sgpr4, 4, 0, 0, implicit $exec, implicit $m0 :: (load (s32) from `ptr addrspace(1) poison` + 4), (store (s32) into `ptr addrspace(3) poison` + 4)
+    S_WAITCNT_DIRECT_LDS_LOAD_soft 3953
+    S_BARRIER
+    $vgpr0 = DS_READ_B32_gfx9 $vgpr1, 0, 0, implicit $m0, implicit $exec :: (load (s32) from `ptr addrspace(3) poison`)
+    S_ENDPGM 0
+
+...
+
+# Combine waitcnt.
+# GCN-LABEL: name: series_of_buffer_load_dword_lds_ds_read_soft_wait_repeat
+# GCN:      BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN
+# GCN-NEXT: BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN
+# GCN-NEXT: BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN
+# GCN-NEXT: S_WAITCNT 3953
+#                     vmcnt(1)
+# GCN-NEXT: S_BARRIER
+# GCN-NEXT: S_WAITCNT 3952
+#                     vmcnt(0)
+# GCN-NEXT: DS_READ_B32_gfx9
+---
+name: series_of_buffer_load_dword_lds_ds_read_soft_wait_repeat
+body:             |
+  bb.0:
+    $m0 = S_MOV_B32 0
+    BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN $vgpr0, $sgpr0_sgpr1_sgpr2_sgpr3, $sgpr4, 0, 0, 0, implicit $exec, implicit $m0 :: (load (s32) from `ptr addrspace(1) poison`), (store (s32) into `ptr addrspace(3) poison`)
+    BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN $vgpr0, $sgpr0_sgpr1_sgpr2_sgpr3, $sgpr4, 4, 0, 0, implicit $exec, implicit $m0 :: (load (s32) from `ptr addrspace(1) poison` + 4), (store (s32) into `ptr addrspace(3) poison` + 4)
+    BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN $vgpr0, $sgpr0_sgpr1_sgpr2_sgpr3, $sgpr4, 8, 0, 0, implicit $exec, implicit $m0 :: (load (s32) from `ptr addrspace(1) poison` + 8), (store (s32) into `ptr addrspace(3) poison` + 8)
+    S_WAITCNT_DIRECT_LDS_LOAD_soft 3953
+    S_WAITCNT_DIRECT_LDS_LOAD_soft 3953
+    S_BARRIER
+    S_WAITCNT_DIRECT_LDS_LOAD_soft 3953
+    S_WAITCNT_DIRECT_LDS_LOAD_soft 3953
+    $vgpr0 = DS_READ_B32_gfx9 $vgpr1, 0, 0, implicit $m0, implicit $exec :: (load (s32) from `ptr addrspace(3) poison`)
+    S_ENDPGM 0
+
+...
+
+# Merge waitcnt.
+# GCN-LABEL: name: series_of_buffer_load_dword_lds_ds_read_soft_wait_merge
+# GCN:      BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN
+# GCN-NEXT: BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN
+# GCN-NEXT: BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN
+# GCN-NEXT: S_WAITCNT 3953
+#                     vmcnt(1)
+# GCN-NEXT: S_BARRIER
+# GCN-NEXT: S_WAITCNT 3952
+#                     vmcnt(0)
+# GCN-NEXT: DS_READ_B32_gfx9
+---
+name: series_of_buffer_load_dword_lds_ds_read_soft_wait_merge
+body:             |
+  bb.0:
+    $m0 = S_MOV_B32 0
+    BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN $vgpr0, $sgpr0_sgpr1_sgpr2_sgpr3, $sgpr4, 0, 0, 0, implicit $exec, implicit $m0 :: (load (s32) from `ptr addrspace(1) poison`), (store (s32) into `ptr addrspace(3) poison`)
+    BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN $vgpr0, $sgpr0_sgpr1_sgpr2_sgpr3, $sgpr4, 4, 0, 0, implicit $exec, implicit $m0 :: (load (s32) from `ptr addrspace(1) poison` + 4), (store (s32) into `ptr addrspace(3) poison` + 4)
+    BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN $vgpr0, $sgpr0_sgpr1_sgpr2_sgpr3, $sgpr4, 8, 0, 0, implicit $exec, implicit $m0 :: (load (s32) from `ptr addrspace(1) poison` + 8), (store (s32) into `ptr addrspace(3) poison` + 8)
+    S_WAITCNT_DIRECT_LDS_LOAD_soft 3954
+    S_WAITCNT_DIRECT_LDS_LOAD_soft 3953
+    S_BARRIER
+    S_WAITCNT_DIRECT_LDS_LOAD_soft 3952
+    S_WAITCNT_DIRECT_LDS_LOAD_soft 3952
+    $vgpr0 = DS_READ_B32_gfx9 $vgpr1, 0, 0, implicit $m0, implicit $exec :: (load (s32) from `ptr addrspace(3) poison`)
+    S_ENDPGM 0
+
+...
+
+
+# Handle the preexisting waitcnt.
+# GCN-LABEL: name: series_of_buffer_load_dword_lds_ds_read_soft_wait_preexisting
+# GCN:      BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN
+# GCN-NEXT: BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN
+# GCN-NEXT: S_WAITCNT 0
+# GCN-NEXT: BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN
+# GCN-NEXT: S_BARRIER
+# GCN-NEXT: S_WAITCNT 3952
+#                     vmcnt(0)
+# GCN-NEXT: DS_READ_B32_gfx9
+---
+name: series_of_buffer_load_dword_lds_ds_read_soft_wait_preexisting
+body:             |
+  bb.0:
+    $m0 = S_MOV_B32 0
+    BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN $vgpr0, $sgpr0_sgpr1_sgpr2_sgpr3, $sgpr4, 0, 0, 0, implicit $exec, implicit $m0 :: (load (s32) from `ptr addrspace(1) poison`), (store (s32) into `ptr addrspace(3) poison`)
+    BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN $vgpr0, $sgpr0_sgpr1_sgpr2_sgpr3, $sgpr4, 4, 0, 0, implicit $exec, implicit $m0 :: (load (s32) from `ptr addrspace(1) poison` + 4), (store (s32) into `ptr addrspace(3) poison` + 4)
+    S_WAITCNT 0
+    BUFFER_LOAD_DWORD_LDS_IDXEN $vgpr0, $sgpr0_sgpr1_sgpr2_sgpr3, $sgpr4, 8, 0, 0, implicit $exec, implicit $m0 :: (load (s32) from `ptr addrspace(1) poison` + 8), (store (s32) into `ptr addrspace(3) poison` + 8)
+    S_WAITCNT_DIRECT_LDS_LOAD_soft 3953
+    S_WAITCNT_DIRECT_LDS_LOAD_soft 3953
+    S_BARRIER
+    S_WAITCNT_DIRECT_LDS_LOAD_soft 3953
+    S_WAITCNT_DIRECT_LDS_LOAD_soft 3953
+    $vgpr0 = DS_READ_B32_gfx9 $vgpr1, 0, 0, implicit $m0, implicit $exec :: (load (s32) from `ptr addrspace(3) poison`)
+    S_ENDPGM 0
+
+...