diff --git a/libretro-common/file/config_file.c b/libretro-common/file/config_file.c
index f182c62cba..c5bad34073 100644
--- a/libretro-common/file/config_file.c
+++ b/libretro-common/file/config_file.c
@@ -574,14 +574,11 @@ error:
    return NULL;
 }
 
-void config_file_free(config_file_t *conf)
+static void config_file_deinitialize_internal(config_file_t *conf)
 {
    struct config_include_list *inc_tmp = NULL;
-   struct config_entry_list *tmp       = NULL;
-   if (!conf)
-      return;
+   struct config_entry_list *tmp       = conf->entries;
 
-   tmp = conf->entries;
    while (tmp)
    {
       struct config_entry_list *hold = NULL;
@@ -614,9 +611,24 @@ void config_file_free(config_file_t *conf)
 
    if (conf->path)
       free(conf->path);
+}
+
+void config_file_free(config_file_t *conf)
+{
+   if (!conf)
+      return;
+   config_file_deinitialize_internal(conf);
    free(conf);
 }
 
+bool config_file_deinitialize(config_file_t *conf)
+{
+   if (!conf)
+      return false;
+   config_file_deinitialize_internal(conf);
+   return true;
+}
+
 bool config_append_file(config_file_t *conf, const char *path)
 {
    config_file_t *new_conf = config_file_new_from_path_to_string(path);
diff --git a/libretro-common/include/file/config_file.h b/libretro-common/include/file/config_file.h
index 4f224c8940..b19539f18a 100644
--- a/libretro-common/include/file/config_file.h
+++ b/libretro-common/include/file/config_file.h
@@ -105,6 +105,8 @@ config_file_t *config_file_new_from_path_to_string(const char *path);
 /* Frees config file. */
 void config_file_free(config_file_t *conf);
 
+bool config_file_deinitialize(config_file_t *conf);
+
 /* Loads a new config, and appends its data to conf.
  * The key-value pairs of the new config file takes priority over the old. */
 bool config_append_file(config_file_t *conf, const char *path);