diff --git a/configuration.c b/configuration.c
index 1490e1d598..31a75f2e36 100644
--- a/configuration.c
+++ b/configuration.c
@@ -3146,6 +3146,12 @@ const char *config_get_active_core_path(void)
    return settings->path.libretro;
 }
 
+bool config_active_core_path_is_empty(void)
+{
+   settings_t *settings        = config_get_ptr();
+   return !settings->path.libretro[0];
+}
+
 void config_set_active_core_path(const char *path)
 {
    settings_t *settings        = config_get_ptr();
diff --git a/configuration.h b/configuration.h
index a00df65372..68087a66fd 100644
--- a/configuration.h
+++ b/configuration.h
@@ -604,6 +604,8 @@ void config_set_active_core_path(const char *path);
 
 void config_clear_active_core_path(void);
 
+bool config_active_core_path_is_empty(void);
+
 void config_free_state(void);
 
 settings_t *config_get_ptr(void);
diff --git a/frontend/drivers/platform_gx.c b/frontend/drivers/platform_gx.c
index 3fe92fccf8..2f68b6f30e 100644
--- a/frontend/drivers/platform_gx.c
+++ b/frontend/drivers/platform_gx.c
@@ -405,12 +405,11 @@ static void frontend_gx_process_args(int *argc, char *argv[])
 {
 #ifndef IS_SALAMANDER
    char path[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
-   settings_t       *settings = config_get_ptr();
 
    /* A big hack: sometimes Salamander doesn't save the new core
     * it loads on first boot, so we make sure
-    * settings->path.libretro is set here. */
-   if (!settings->path.libretro[0] && *argc >= 1 && strrchr(argv[0], '/'))
+    * active core path is set here. */
+   if (config_active_core_path_is_empty() && *argc >= 1 && strrchr(argv[0], '/'))
    {
       strlcpy(path, strrchr(argv[0], '/') + 1, sizeof(path));
       if (path_file_exists(path))