diff --git a/src/engine/data_loader.cc b/src/engine/data_loader.cc
index 33eb13dcec..1a066f74ce 100644
--- a/src/engine/data_loader.cc
+++ b/src/engine/data_loader.cc
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@
 #include "absl/log/log.h"
 #include "absl/status/status.h"
 #include "absl/synchronization/mutex.h"
-#include "absl/synchronization/notification.h"
 #include "absl/time/time.h"
 #include "base/hash.h"
 #include "base/thread.h"
@@ -108,11 +107,13 @@ bool DataLoader::RegisterRequest(const EngineReloadRequest& request) {
 
   auto it = std::find_if(requests_.begin(), requests_.end(),
                          [id](const RequestData& v) { return v.id == id; });
+  bool is_new = false;
   if (it != requests_.end()) {
     it->sequence_id = sequence_id_;
   } else {
     requests_.emplace_back(RequestData{id, sequence_id_, request});
     LOG(INFO) << "New request is registered: " << requests_.back();
+    is_new = true;
   }
 
   // Sorts the requests so requests[0] stores the request with
@@ -125,8 +126,8 @@ bool DataLoader::RegisterRequest(const EngineReloadRequest& request) {
             });
 
   // Needs the reloading process only when requests[0] is different from
-  // current_request_id_.
-  return current_request_id_ != requests_.front().id;
+  // current_request_id_ or this is a new request.
+  return is_new || current_request_id_ != requests_.front().id;
 }
 
 void DataLoader::ReportLoadFailure(const DataLoader::RequestData& request) {
@@ -198,9 +199,15 @@ void DataLoader::StartReloadLoop(DataLoader::ReloadedCallback callback) {
     // until a new high priority data is registered. Retry the loop when a new
     // high priority data is registered while waiting.
     constexpr absl::Duration kTimeout = absl::Milliseconds(100);
-    if (!high_priority_data_registered_.HasBeenNotified() &&
-        high_priority_data_registered_.WaitForNotificationWithTimeout(
-            kTimeout)) {
+    bool woken_by_high_priority_notification = false;
+    {
+      absl::MutexLock lock(&signal_mu_);
+      if (!high_priority_notified_) {
+        woken_by_high_priority_notification =
+            signal_cv_.WaitWithTimeout(&signal_mu_, kTimeout);
+      }
+    }
+    if (woken_by_high_priority_notification) {
       continue;
     }
 
@@ -229,11 +236,14 @@ bool DataLoader::StartNewDataBuildTask(const EngineReloadRequest& request,
     return false;
   }
 
-  // Receives high priority data.
+  // Wakes up the loading thread to re-evaluate pending requests.
   constexpr int kHighPriority = 10;
-  if (!high_priority_data_registered_.HasBeenNotified() &&
-      request.priority() <= kHighPriority) {
-    high_priority_data_registered_.Notify();
+  {
+    absl::MutexLock lock(&signal_mu_);
+    if (!high_priority_notified_ && request.priority() <= kHighPriority) {
+      high_priority_notified_ = true;
+    }
+    signal_cv_.SignalAll();
   }
 
   if (!IsRunning()) {
diff --git a/src/engine/data_loader.h b/src/engine/data_loader.h
index f51393bdcb..fd4a660fd8 100644
--- a/src/engine/data_loader.h
+++ b/src/engine/data_loader.h
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@
 #include "absl/container/flat_hash_set.h"
 #include "absl/status/status.h"
 #include "absl/synchronization/mutex.h"
-#include "absl/synchronization/notification.h"
 #include "base/thread.h"
 #include "engine/modules.h"
 #include "protocol/engine_builder.pb.h"
@@ -86,7 +85,9 @@ class DataLoader {
 
   // Disables specific handling for high priority data.
   void NotifyHighPriorityDataRegisteredForTesting() {
-    high_priority_data_registered_.Notify();
+    absl::MutexLock lock(&signal_mu_);
+    high_priority_notified_ = true;
+    signal_cv_.SignalAll();
   }
 
  private:
@@ -141,8 +142,10 @@ class DataLoader {
   // meaning that the model registered later is preferred.
   uint32_t sequence_id_ ABSL_GUARDED_BY(mutex_) = 0;
 
-  // Notify when a new high priority data is registered.
-  absl::Notification high_priority_data_registered_;
+  // Used to signal the loading thread to re-evaluate pending requests.
+  mutable absl::Mutex signal_mu_;
+  bool high_priority_notified_ ABSL_GUARDED_BY(signal_mu_) = false;
+  absl::CondVar signal_cv_;
 
   TaskManager load_;
 };