diff --git a/filament/backend/src/vulkan/VulkanCommands.cpp b/filament/backend/src/vulkan/VulkanCommands.cpp
index 9328602c22..bb10985a8e 100644
--- a/filament/backend/src/vulkan/VulkanCommands.cpp
+++ b/filament/backend/src/vulkan/VulkanCommands.cpp
@@ -51,23 +51,31 @@ VulkanCmdFence::~VulkanCmdFence() {
 
 CommandBufferObserver::~CommandBufferObserver() {}
 
-VulkanCommands::VulkanCommands(VkDevice device, uint32_t queueFamilyIndex) : mDevice(device) {
-    VkCommandPoolCreateInfo createInfo = {};
-    createInfo.sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_COMMAND_POOL_CREATE_INFO;
-    createInfo.flags =
-            VK_COMMAND_POOL_CREATE_RESET_COMMAND_BUFFER_BIT | VK_COMMAND_POOL_CREATE_TRANSIENT_BIT;
-    createInfo.queueFamilyIndex = queueFamilyIndex;
-    vkCreateCommandPool(device, &createInfo, VKALLOC, &mPool);
-    vkGetDeviceQueue(device, queueFamilyIndex, 0, &mQueue);
+static VkQueue getQueue(VkDevice device, uint32_t queueFamilyIndex) {
+    VkQueue queue;
+    vkGetDeviceQueue(device, queueFamilyIndex, 0, &queue);
+    return queue;
+}
 
+static VkCommandPool createPool(VkDevice device, uint32_t queueFamilyIndex) {
+    VkCommandPoolCreateInfo createInfo = {
+        .sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_COMMAND_POOL_CREATE_INFO,
+        .flags =
+            VK_COMMAND_POOL_CREATE_RESET_COMMAND_BUFFER_BIT | VK_COMMAND_POOL_CREATE_TRANSIENT_BIT,
+        .queueFamilyIndex = queueFamilyIndex,
+    };
+    VkCommandPool pool;
+    vkCreateCommandPool(device, &createInfo, VKALLOC, &pool);
+    return pool;
+
+}
+
+VulkanCommands::VulkanCommands(VkDevice device, uint32_t queueFamilyIndex) : mDevice(device),
+        mQueue(getQueue(device, queueFamilyIndex)), mPool(createPool(mDevice, queueFamilyIndex)) {
     VkSemaphoreCreateInfo sci { .sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_SEMAPHORE_CREATE_INFO };
     for (auto& semaphore : mSubmissionSignals) {
         vkCreateSemaphore(mDevice, &sci, nullptr, &semaphore);
     }
-
-    for (uint32_t index = 0; index < VK_MAX_COMMAND_BUFFERS; ++index) {
-        mStorage[index].index = index;
-    }
 }
 
 VulkanCommands::~VulkanCommands() {
diff --git a/filament/backend/src/vulkan/VulkanCommands.h b/filament/backend/src/vulkan/VulkanCommands.h
index d55a6bbced..0e360eb64c 100644
--- a/filament/backend/src/vulkan/VulkanCommands.h
+++ b/filament/backend/src/vulkan/VulkanCommands.h
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ struct VulkanCommandBuffer {
     VulkanCommandBuffer& operator=(VulkanCommandBuffer const&) = delete;
     VkCommandBuffer cmdbuffer = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
     std::shared_ptr<VulkanCmdFence> fence;
-    uint32_t index = 0;
 };
 
 // Allows classes to be notified after a new command buffer has been activated.
@@ -56,8 +55,32 @@ public:
     virtual ~CommandBufferObserver();
 };
 
-// Lazily creates command buffers and manages a set of submitted command buffers.
-// Submitted command buffers form a dependency chain using VkSemaphore.
+// Manages a set of command buffers and semaphores, exposing an API that is significantly simpler
+// than the raw Vulkan API.
+//
+// The manager's API primarily consists of get() and flush(). The "get" method acquires a fresh
+// command buffer in the recording state, while the "flush" method releases a command buffer and
+// changes its state from recording to executing. Some of the operational details are listed below.
+//
+// - Manages a dependency chain of submitted command buffers using VkSemaphore.
+//    - This creates a guarantee of in-order execution.
+//    - Semaphores are recycled to prevent create / destroy churn.
+//
+// - Notifies listeners when recording begins in a new VkCommandBuffer.
+//    - Used by PipelineCache so that it knows when to clear out its shadow state.
+//
+// - Allows 1 user to inject a "dependency" semaphore that stalls the next flush.
+//    - This is used for asynchronous acquisition of a swap chain image, since the GPU
+//      might require a valid swap chain image when it starts executing the command buffer.
+//
+// - Allows 1 user to listen to the most recent flush event using a "finished" VkSemaphore.
+//    - This is used to trigger presentation of the swap chain image.
+//
+// - Allows off-thread queries of command buffer status.
+//    - Exposes an "updateFences" method that transfers current fence status into atomics.
+//    - Users can examine these atomic variables (see VulkanCmdFence) to determine status.
+//    - We do this because vkGetFenceStatus must be called from the rendering thread.
+//
 class VulkanCommands {
     public:
         VulkanCommands(VkDevice device, uint32_t queueFamilyIndex);
@@ -95,8 +118,8 @@ class VulkanCommands {
     private:
         static constexpr int CAPACITY = VK_MAX_COMMAND_BUFFERS;
         const VkDevice mDevice;
-        VkQueue mQueue;
-        VkCommandPool mPool;
+        const VkQueue mQueue;
+        const VkCommandPool mPool;
         VulkanCommandBuffer* mCurrent = nullptr;
         VkSemaphore mSubmissionSignal = {};
         VkSemaphore mInjectedSignal = {};