diff --git a/ggml/src/ggml-metal/ggml-metal-device.h b/ggml/src/ggml-metal/ggml-metal-device.h
index d0956df50..91b841b67 100644
--- a/ggml/src/ggml-metal/ggml-metal-device.h
+++ b/ggml/src/ggml-metal/ggml-metal-device.h
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ typedef void * ggml_metal_rset_t;
 // a collection of residency sets (non-owning)
 typedef struct ggml_metal_rsets * ggml_metal_rsets_t;
 
-ggml_metal_rsets_t ggml_metal_rsets_init(void);
+ggml_metal_rsets_t ggml_metal_rsets_init(ggml_metal_device_t dev);
 void ggml_metal_rsets_free(ggml_metal_rsets_t rsets);
 
 //
diff --git a/ggml/src/ggml-metal/ggml-metal-device.m b/ggml/src/ggml-metal/ggml-metal-device.m
index 4edd77c6f..7d2a68685 100644
--- a/ggml/src/ggml-metal/ggml-metal-device.m
+++ b/ggml/src/ggml-metal/ggml-metal-device.m
@@ -557,7 +557,32 @@ struct ggml_metal_rsets {
     dispatch_group_t d_group;
 };
 
-ggml_metal_rsets_t ggml_metal_rsets_init(void) {
+#if defined(GGML_METAL_HAS_RESIDENCY_SETS)
+static void ggml_metal_dummy_work(ggml_metal_device_t dev) {
+    if (dev->mtl_queue == nil) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    @autoreleasepool {
+        // perform a minimal dummy operation on the GPU
+        id<MTLBuffer> buf = [dev->mtl_device newBufferWithLength:1 options:MTLResourceStorageModePrivate];
+        id<MTLCommandBuffer> cmd_buf = [dev->mtl_queue commandBuffer];
+
+        {
+            id<MTLBlitCommandEncoder> encoder = [cmd_buf blitCommandEncoder];
+
+            [encoder fillBuffer:buf range:NSMakeRange(0, 1) value:0];
+
+            [encoder endEncoding];
+        }
+
+        [cmd_buf commit];
+        [buf release];
+    }
+}
+#endif
+
+ggml_metal_rsets_t ggml_metal_rsets_init(ggml_metal_device_t dev) {
     ggml_metal_rsets_t res = calloc(1, sizeof(struct ggml_metal_rsets));
 
     res->lock = [[NSLock alloc] init];
@@ -610,6 +635,15 @@ ggml_metal_rsets_t ggml_metal_rsets_init(void) {
 #endif
     });
 
+#if defined(GGML_METAL_HAS_RESIDENCY_SETS)
+    if (@available(macOS 15.0, iOS 18.0, tvOS 18.0, visionOS 2.0, *)) {
+        // workaround for residency set memory not being released if no GPU operation occurs
+        // https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/839089
+        // https://github.com/ggml-org/llama.cpp/issues/25937
+        ggml_metal_dummy_work(dev);
+    }
+#endif
+
     return res;
 }
 
@@ -864,7 +898,7 @@ ggml_metal_device_t ggml_metal_device_init(int device) {
             }
 
             if (dev->props.use_residency_sets) {
-                dev->rsets = ggml_metal_rsets_init();
+                dev->rsets = ggml_metal_rsets_init(dev);
             } else {
                 dev->rsets = nil;
             }
@@ -1484,6 +1518,7 @@ static void ggml_metal_buffer_rset_free(ggml_metal_buffer_t buf) {
         if (buf->rset) {
             [buf->rset endResidency];
             [buf->rset removeAllAllocations];
+            [buf->rset commit];
             [buf->rset release];
         }
     }