diff --git a/gfx/gfx_widgets.c b/gfx/gfx_widgets.c
index 3f149d9ef6..f544edf337 100644
--- a/gfx/gfx_widgets.c
+++ b/gfx/gfx_widgets.c
@@ -144,7 +144,6 @@ typedef struct dispgfx_widget
     * avoid confusing users */
    bool widgets_moving;
    bool widgets_inited;
-   bool widgets_persisting;
    bool msg_queue_has_icons;
 #ifdef HAVE_MENU
    bool load_content_animation_running;
@@ -331,12 +330,6 @@ void *dispwidget_get_ptr(void)
    return &dispwidget_st;
 }
 
-void gfx_widgets_set_persistence(bool persist)
-{
-   dispgfx_widget_t *p_dispwidget   = (dispgfx_widget_t*)dispwidget_get_ptr();
-   p_dispwidget->widgets_persisting = persist;
-}
-
 gfx_widget_font_data_t* gfx_widgets_get_font_regular(void *data)
 {
    dispgfx_widget_t *p_dispwidget   = (dispgfx_widget_t*)data;
@@ -2082,7 +2075,7 @@ error:
    return false;
 }
 
-bool gfx_widgets_deinit(void)
+bool gfx_widgets_deinit(bool widgets_persisting)
 {
    dispgfx_widget_t *p_dispwidget = (dispgfx_widget_t*)dispwidget_get_ptr();
    if (!p_dispwidget->widgets_inited)
@@ -2090,7 +2083,7 @@ bool gfx_widgets_deinit(void)
 
    gfx_widgets_context_destroy(p_dispwidget);
 
-   if (!p_dispwidget->widgets_persisting)
+   if (!widgets_persisting)
       gfx_widgets_free(p_dispwidget);
 
    return true;
diff --git a/gfx/gfx_widgets.h b/gfx/gfx_widgets.h
index 95d48d6c51..6b1d933094 100644
--- a/gfx/gfx_widgets.h
+++ b/gfx/gfx_widgets.h
@@ -159,15 +159,13 @@ void gfx_widgets_flush_text(
 
 typedef struct gfx_widget gfx_widget_t;
 
-void gfx_widgets_set_persistence(bool persist);
-
 bool gfx_widgets_init(
       uintptr_t widgets_active_ptr,
       bool video_is_threaded,
       unsigned width, unsigned height, bool fullscreen,
       const char *dir_assets, char *font_path);
 
-bool gfx_widgets_deinit(void);
+bool gfx_widgets_deinit(bool widgets_persisting);
 
 void gfx_widgets_msg_queue_push(
       retro_task_t *task, const char *msg,
diff --git a/retroarch.c b/retroarch.c
index ea4571586d..b0b7a57276 100644
--- a/retroarch.c
+++ b/retroarch.c
@@ -1827,6 +1827,7 @@ struct rarch_state
 
 #ifdef HAVE_GFX_WIDGETS
    bool widgets_active;
+   bool widgets_persisting;
 #endif
 #ifdef HAVE_NETWORKING
 /* Only used before init_netplay */
@@ -15742,7 +15743,7 @@ void main_exit(void *args)
 
 #if defined(HAVE_GFX_WIDGETS)
    /* Do not want display widgets to live any more. */
-   gfx_widgets_set_persistence(false);
+   p_rarch->widgets_persisting = false;
 #endif
 #ifdef HAVE_MENU
    /* Do not want menu context to live any more. */
@@ -32320,7 +32321,7 @@ static void drivers_init(struct rarch_state *p_rarch, int flags)
    bool menu_enable_widgets    = settings->bools.menu_enable_widgets;
 
    /* By default, we want display widgets to persist through driver reinits. */
-   gfx_widgets_set_persistence(true);
+   p_rarch->widgets_persisting = true;
 #endif
 
 #ifdef HAVE_MENU
@@ -32495,7 +32496,7 @@ static void driver_uninit(struct rarch_state *p_rarch, int flags)
    /* This absolutely has to be done before video_driver_free_internal()
     * is called/completes, otherwise certain menu drivers
     * (e.g. Vulkan) will segfault */
-   if (gfx_widgets_deinit())
+   if (gfx_widgets_deinit(p_rarch->widgets_persisting))
       p_rarch->widgets_active = false;
 #endif
 
@@ -32562,7 +32563,7 @@ static void retroarch_deinit_drivers(struct rarch_state *p_rarch)
     * in case the handle is lost in the threaded
     * video driver in the meantime
     * (breaking video_driver_has_widgets) */
-   if (gfx_widgets_deinit())
+   if (gfx_widgets_deinit(p_rarch->widgets_persisting))
       p_rarch->widgets_active = false;
 #endif