diff --git a/general.h b/general.h
index 530f6aeec3..09ceceaf83 100644
--- a/general.h
+++ b/general.h
@@ -594,6 +594,7 @@ struct global
    // If this is non-NULL. RARCH_LOG and friends will write to this file.
    FILE *log_file;
 
+   bool main_is_init;
    bool error_in_init;
    char error_string[1024];
    jmp_buf error_sjlj_context;
diff --git a/retroarch.c b/retroarch.c
index e9c529d3bd..3d2d7778df 100644
--- a/retroarch.c
+++ b/retroarch.c
@@ -2738,6 +2738,7 @@ int rarch_main_init(int argc, char *argv[])
       init_cheats();
 
    g_extern.error_in_init = false;
+   g_extern.main_is_init  = true;
    return 0;
 
 error:
@@ -2746,6 +2747,8 @@ error:
    uninit_drivers();
    uninit_libretro_sym();
 
+   g_extern.main_is_init  = false;
+
    return 1;
 }
 
@@ -2880,6 +2883,8 @@ void rarch_main_deinit(void)
    pretro_deinit();
    uninit_drivers();
    uninit_libretro_sym();
+
+   g_extern.main_is_init  = false;
 }
 
 #ifndef HAVE_RARCH_MAIN_WRAP