diff --git a/command.c b/command.c
index 805c5c6a0b..5f79d17da5 100644
--- a/command.c
+++ b/command.c
@@ -1448,8 +1448,8 @@ static bool command_event_save_core_config(void)
    }
 
    /* Infer file name based on libretro core. */
-   if (!string_is_empty(settings->path.libretro) 
-   && path_file_exists(settings->path.libretro))
+   if (!string_is_empty(config_get_active_core_path()) 
+         && path_file_exists(config_get_active_core_path()))
    {
       unsigned i;
       RARCH_LOG("%s\n", msg_hash_to_str(MSG_USING_CORE_NAME_FOR_NEW_CONFIG));
@@ -1461,7 +1461,7 @@ static bool command_event_save_core_config(void)
 
          fill_pathname_base_noext(
                config_name,
-               settings->path.libretro,
+               config_get_active_core_path(),
                sizeof(config_name));
 
          fill_pathname_join(config_path, config_dir, config_name,
@@ -1791,17 +1791,17 @@ bool command_event(enum event_command cmd, void *data)
                core_info_ctx_find_t info_find;
 
 #if defined(HAVE_DYNAMIC)
-               if (string_is_empty(settings->path.libretro))
+               if (string_is_empty(config_get_active_core_path()))
                   return false;
 
                libretro_get_system_info(
-                     settings->path.libretro,
+                     config_get_active_core_path(),
                      system,
                      ptr);
 #else
                libretro_get_system_info_static(system, ptr);
 #endif
-               info_find.path = settings->path.libretro;
+               info_find.path = config_get_active_core_path();
 
                if (!core_info_load(&info_find))
                   return false;
diff --git a/configuration.c b/configuration.c
index dda554e8df..1490e1d598 100644
--- a/configuration.c
+++ b/configuration.c
@@ -3146,6 +3146,22 @@ const char *config_get_active_core_path(void)
    return settings->path.libretro;
 }
 
+void config_set_active_core_path(const char *path)
+{
+   settings_t *settings        = config_get_ptr();
+   if (!settings)
+      return;
+   strlcpy(settings->path.libretro, path, sizeof(settings->path.libretro));
+}
+
+void config_clear_active_core_path(void)
+{
+   settings_t *settings        = config_get_ptr();
+   if (!settings)
+      return;
+   *settings->path.libretro = '\0';
+}
+
 const char *config_get_active_path(void)
 {
    settings_t *settings        = config_get_ptr();
diff --git a/configuration.h b/configuration.h
index bc561e5a60..a00df65372 100644
--- a/configuration.h
+++ b/configuration.h
@@ -600,6 +600,10 @@ const char *config_get_active_path(void);
 
 const char *config_get_active_core_path(void);
 
+void config_set_active_core_path(const char *path);
+
+void config_clear_active_core_path(void);
+
 void config_free_state(void);
 
 settings_t *config_get_ptr(void);
diff --git a/dynamic.c b/dynamic.c
index 5d74c15e68..d6b4f6d4e6 100644
--- a/dynamic.c
+++ b/dynamic.c
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ static void load_dynamic_core(void)
       retroarch_fail(1, "init_libretro_sym()");
    }
 
-   if (string_is_empty(settings->path.libretro))
+   if (string_is_empty(config_get_active_core_path()))
    {
       RARCH_ERR("RetroArch is built for dynamic libretro cores, but "
             "libretro_path is not set. Cannot continue.\n");
@@ -335,12 +335,12 @@ static void load_dynamic_core(void)
    path_resolve_realpath(settings->path.libretro, sizeof(settings->path.libretro));
 
    RARCH_LOG("Loading dynamic libretro core from: \"%s\"\n",
-         settings->path.libretro);
-   lib_handle = dylib_load(settings->path.libretro);
+         config_get_active_core_path());
+   lib_handle = dylib_load(config_get_active_core_path());
    if (!lib_handle)
    {
       RARCH_ERR("Failed to open libretro core: \"%s\"\n",
-            settings->path.libretro);
+            config_get_active_core_path());
       RARCH_ERR("Error(s): %s\n", dylib_error());
       retroarch_fail(1, "load_dynamic()");
    }
diff --git a/frontend/drivers/platform_linux.c b/frontend/drivers/platform_linux.c
index 0a70f3032d..b0e811b93a 100644
--- a/frontend/drivers/platform_linux.c
+++ b/frontend/drivers/platform_linux.c
@@ -1872,10 +1872,8 @@ static bool frontend_linux_set_fork(enum frontend_fork fork_mode)
 
          {
             char executable_path[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
-            settings_t                  *settings = config_get_ptr();
-
             fill_pathname_application_path(executable_path, sizeof(executable_path));
-            strlcpy(settings->path.libretro, executable_path, sizeof(settings->path.libretro));
+            config_set_active_core_path(executable_path);
          }
          command_event(CMD_EVENT_QUIT, NULL);
          break;
diff --git a/gfx/common/win32_common.cpp b/gfx/common/win32_common.cpp
index 03ae0b08ca..31cea3715e 100644
--- a/gfx/common/win32_common.cpp
+++ b/gfx/common/win32_common.cpp
@@ -236,10 +236,6 @@ static int win32_drag_query_file(HWND hwnd, WPARAM wparam)
       content_ctx_info_t content_info  = {0};
       core_info_list_t *core_info_list = NULL;
       const core_info_t *core_info     = NULL;
-      settings_t *settings             = config_get_ptr();
-
-	  if (!settings)
-		  return 0;
 
       DragQueryFile((HDROP)wparam, 0, szFilename, 1024);
 
@@ -253,7 +249,7 @@ static int win32_drag_query_file(HWND hwnd, WPARAM wparam)
 
       runloop_ctl(RUNLOOP_CTL_SET_CONTENT_PATH,szFilename);
 
-      if (!string_is_empty(settings->path.libretro))
+      if (!string_is_empty(config_get_active_core_path()))
       {
          unsigned i;
          core_info_t *current_core = NULL;
@@ -267,7 +263,7 @@ static int win32_drag_query_file(HWND hwnd, WPARAM wparam)
             if(!string_is_equal(info->systemname, current_core->systemname))
                break;
 
-            if(string_is_equal(settings->path.libretro, info->path))
+            if(string_is_equal(config_get_active_core_path(), info->path))
             {
                /* Our previous core supports the current rom */
                content_ctx_info_t content_info = {0};
@@ -318,7 +314,6 @@ static int win32_drag_query_file(HWND hwnd, WPARAM wparam)
 static LRESULT CALLBACK WndProcCommon(bool *quit, HWND hwnd, UINT message,
       WPARAM wparam, LPARAM lparam)
 {
-   settings_t *settings     = config_get_ptr();
 
    if (message == WM_NCLBUTTONDBLCLK)
       doubleclick_on_titlebar = true;
@@ -374,8 +369,11 @@ static LRESULT CALLBACK WndProcCommon(bool *quit, HWND hwnd, UINT message,
          *quit = true;
          break;
 	  case WM_COMMAND:
-         if (settings->ui.menubar_enable)
-            win32_menu_loop(main_window.hwnd, wparam);
+         {
+            settings_t *settings     = config_get_ptr();
+            if (settings->ui.menubar_enable)
+               win32_menu_loop(main_window.hwnd, wparam);
+         }
          break;
    }
    return 0;
@@ -433,7 +431,6 @@ LRESULT CALLBACK WndProcGL(HWND hwnd, UINT message,
 {
    LRESULT ret;
    bool quit = false;
-   settings_t *settings     = config_get_ptr();
 
    if (message == WM_NCLBUTTONDBLCLK)
       doubleclick_on_titlebar = true;
diff --git a/retroarch.c b/retroarch.c
index c88c2e33cc..f46c50ea14 100644
--- a/retroarch.c
+++ b/retroarch.c
@@ -846,7 +846,7 @@ static void retroarch_parse_input(int argc, char *argv[])
          case 'L':
             if (path_is_directory(optarg))
             {
-               *settings->path.libretro = '\0';
+               config_clear_active_core_path();
                strlcpy(settings->directory.libretro, optarg,
                      sizeof(settings->directory.libretro));
                global->has_set.libretro = true;
diff --git a/runloop.c b/runloop.c
index d0bbaca836..6ee95c8a33 100644
--- a/runloop.c
+++ b/runloop.c
@@ -741,7 +741,6 @@ static bool runloop_is_frame_count_end(void)
 
 bool runloop_ctl(enum runloop_ctl_state state, void *data)
 {
-   settings_t *settings                             = config_get_ptr();
 
    switch (state)
    {
@@ -910,10 +909,7 @@ bool runloop_ctl(enum runloop_ctl_state state, void *data)
             const char *fullpath = (const char*)data;
             if (!fullpath)
                return false;
-            strlcpy(
-                  settings->path.libretro,
-                  fullpath,
-                  sizeof(settings->path.libretro));
+            config_set_active_core_path(fullpath);
          }
          break;
       case RUNLOOP_CTL_CLEAR_CONTENT_PATH:
@@ -1056,9 +1052,11 @@ bool runloop_ctl(enum runloop_ctl_state state, void *data)
          break;
       case RUNLOOP_CTL_TASK_INIT:
          {
-            bool threaded_enable = false;
 #ifdef HAVE_THREADS
-            threaded_enable = settings->threaded_data_runloop_enable;
+            settings_t *settings = config_get_ptr();
+            bool threaded_enable = settings->threaded_data_runloop_enable;
+#else
+            bool threaded_enable = false;
 #endif
             task_queue_ctl(TASK_QUEUE_CTL_DEINIT, NULL);
             task_queue_ctl(TASK_QUEUE_CTL_INIT, &threaded_enable);
@@ -1134,6 +1132,7 @@ bool runloop_ctl(enum runloop_ctl_state state, void *data)
             bool ret                          = false;
             char buf[PATH_MAX_LENGTH]         = {0};
             global_t *global                  = global_get_ptr();
+            settings_t *settings              = config_get_ptr();
             const char *options_path          = settings->path.core_options;
             const struct retro_variable *vars = 
                (const struct retro_variable*)data;
diff --git a/tasks/task_content.c b/tasks/task_content.c
index bb29142850..c572063a54 100644
--- a/tasks/task_content.c
+++ b/tasks/task_content.c
@@ -810,7 +810,7 @@ static void content_push_to_history_playlist(bool do_push,
    playlist_push(g_defaults.history,
          path,
          NULL,
-         settings->path.libretro,
+         config_get_active_core_path(),
          info->library_name,
          NULL,
          NULL);
@@ -1572,8 +1572,8 @@ static void menu_content_environment_get(int *argc, char *argv[],
    if (fullpath && *fullpath)
       wrap_args->content_path  = fullpath;
    if (!global->has_set.libretro)
-      wrap_args->libretro_path = *settings->path.libretro 
-         ? settings->path.libretro : NULL;
+      wrap_args->libretro_path = string_is_empty(config_get_active_core_path()) ? NULL :
+         config_get_active_core_path();
 
 }
 #endif