diff --git a/Makefile.common b/Makefile.common
index 76ed5fe6af..b04e7e22dc 100644
--- a/Makefile.common
+++ b/Makefile.common
@@ -575,6 +575,10 @@ ifeq ($(HAVE_THREADS), 1)
    endif
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(HAVE_THREAD_STORAGE), 1)
+   DEFINES += -DHAVE_THREAD_STORAGE
+endif
+
 ifeq ($(HAVE_WAYLAND), 1)
  OBJ += gfx/drivers_context/wayland_ctx.o
  DEFINES += $(WAYLAND_CFLAGS)
@@ -1064,7 +1068,7 @@ OBJ += $(ZLIB_OBJS)
 endif
 endif
 
-# Video4Linux 2 
+# Video4Linux 2
 
 ifeq ($(HAVE_V4L2),1)
    OBJ += camera/drivers/video4linux2.o
diff --git a/libretro-common/include/rthreads/rthreads.h b/libretro-common/include/rthreads/rthreads.h
index a960d7f8ec..9af41fd301 100644
--- a/libretro-common/include/rthreads/rthreads.h
+++ b/libretro-common/include/rthreads/rthreads.h
@@ -36,6 +36,10 @@ typedef struct sthread sthread_t;
 typedef struct slock slock_t;
 typedef struct scond scond_t;
 
+#ifdef HAVE_THREAD_STORAGE
+typedef unsigned sthread_tls_t;
+#endif
+
 /**
  * sthread_create:
  * @start_routine           : thread entry callback function
@@ -178,6 +182,48 @@ int scond_broadcast(scond_t *cond);
  **/
 void scond_signal(scond_t *cond);
 
+#ifdef HAVE_THREAD_STORAGE
+/**
+ * @brief Creates a thread local storage key
+ *
+ * This function shall create thread-specific data key visible to all threads in
+ * the process. The same key can be used by multiple threads to store
+ * thread-local data.
+ *
+ * When the key is created NULL shall be associated with it in all active
+ * threads. Whenever a new thread is spawned the all defined keys will be
+ * associated with NULL on that thread.
+ *
+ * @param tls
+ * @return whether the operation suceeded or not
+ */
+bool sthread_tls_create(sthread_tls_t *tls);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Deletes a thread local storage
+ * @param tls
+ * @return whether the operation suceeded or not
+ */
+bool sthread_tls_delete(sthread_tls_t *tls);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Retrieves thread specific data associated with a key
+ *
+ * There is no way to tell whether this function failed.
+ *
+ * @param tls
+ * @return
+ */
+void *sthread_tls_get(sthread_tls_t *tls);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Binds thread specific data to a key
+ * @param tls
+ * @return whether the operation suceeded or not
+ */
+bool sthread_tls_set(sthread_tls_t *tls, const void *data);
+#endif
+
 RETRO_END_DECLS
 
 #endif
diff --git a/libretro-common/rthreads/rthreads.c b/libretro-common/rthreads/rthreads.c
index 1c17d650b7..f8ea548be9 100644
--- a/libretro-common/rthreads/rthreads.c
+++ b/libretro-common/rthreads/rthreads.c
@@ -474,3 +474,41 @@ bool scond_wait_timeout(scond_t *cond, slock_t *lock, int64_t timeout_us)
    return (ret == 0);
 #endif
 }
+
+#ifdef HAVE_THREAD_STORAGE
+bool sthread_tls_create(sthread_tls_t *tls)
+{
+#ifdef USE_WIN32_THREADS
+   return (*tls = TlsAlloc()) != TLS_OUT_OF_INDEXES;
+#else
+   return pthread_key_create(tls, NULL) == 0;
+#endif
+}
+
+bool sthread_tls_delete(sthread_tls_t *tls)
+{
+#ifdef USE_WIN32_THREADS
+   return TlsFree(*tls) != 0;
+#else
+   return pthread_key_delete(*tls) == 0;
+#endif
+}
+
+void *sthread_tls_get(sthread_tls_t *tls)
+{
+#ifdef USE_WIN32_THREADS
+   return TlsGetValue(*tls);
+#else
+   return pthread_getspecific(*tls);
+#endif
+}
+
+bool sthread_tls_set(sthread_tls_t *tls, const void *data)
+{
+#ifdef USE_WIN32_THREADS
+   return TlsSetValue(*tls, (void*)data) != 0;
+#else
+   return pthread_setspecific(*tls, data) == 0;
+#endif
+}
+#endif
diff --git a/qb/config.libs.sh b/qb/config.libs.sh
index 3cf24ece08..c60c9a0218 100644
--- a/qb/config.libs.sh
+++ b/qb/config.libs.sh
@@ -150,9 +150,17 @@ fi
 
 if [ "$OS" = 'Win32' ]; then
    HAVE_THREADS=yes
+   HAVE_THREAD_STORAGE=yes
    HAVE_DYLIB=yes
 else
    check_lib THREADS "$PTHREADLIB" pthread_create
+
+   if [ "$HAVE_THREADS" = 'yes' ]; then
+      check_lib THREAD_STORAGE "$PTHREADLIB" pthread_key_create
+   else
+      HAVE_THREAD_STORAGE=no
+   fi
+
    check_lib DYLIB "$DYLIB" dlopen
 fi
 
diff --git a/qb/config.params.sh b/qb/config.params.sh
index a5d1d57481..61d5a41861 100644
--- a/qb/config.params.sh
+++ b/qb/config.params.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 HAVE_LIBRETRODB=yes        # Libretrodb support
 HAVE_RGUI=yes              # RGUI menu
-HAVE_MATERIALUI=auto       # MaterialUI menu 
+HAVE_MATERIALUI=auto       # MaterialUI menu
 HAVE_XMB=auto              # XMB menu
 HAVE_ZARCH=no              # Zarch menu
 HAVE_NUKLEAR=no            # Nuklear menu
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ HAVE_MAN_DIR=              # Manpage install directory
 HAVE_OPENGLES_LIBS=        # Link flags for custom GLES library
 HAVE_OPENGLES_CFLAGS=      # C-flags for custom GLES library
 HAVE_THREADS=auto          # Threading support
+HAVE_THREAD_STORAGE=auto   # Thread Local Storage support
 HAVE_FFMPEG=auto           # FFmpeg recording support
 C89_FFMPEG=no
 HAVE_SSA=auto              # SSA/ASS for FFmpeg subtitle support
diff --git a/retroarch.c b/retroarch.c
index f544a67ff2..2c8effecb5 100644
--- a/retroarch.c
+++ b/retroarch.c
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 #include <retro_stat.h>
 #include <retro_assert.h>
 #include <retro_miscellaneous.h>
-
+#include <rthreads/rthreads.h>
 #include <features/features_cpu.h>
 
 #ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
@@ -1108,6 +1108,10 @@ bool rarch_ctl(enum rarch_ctl_state state, void *data)
    static bool rarch_ips_pref              = false;
    static bool rarch_patch_blocked         = false;
    settings_t *settings                    = config_get_ptr();
+#ifdef HAVE_THREAD_STORAGE
+   static sthread_tls_t rarch_tls;
+   const void *MAGIC_POINTER = (void*)0xB16B00B5;
+#endif
 
    switch(state)
    {
@@ -1218,9 +1222,17 @@ bool rarch_ctl(enum rarch_ctl_state state, void *data)
          path_deinit_savefile();
 
          rarch_ctl(RARCH_CTL_UNSET_INITED, NULL);
+
+#ifdef HAVE_THREAD_STORAGE
+         sthread_tls_delete(&rarch_tls);
+#endif
          break;
       case RARCH_CTL_INIT:
          rarch_ctl(RARCH_CTL_DEINIT, NULL);
+#ifdef HAVE_THREAD_STORAGE
+         sthread_tls_create(&rarch_tls);
+         sthread_tls_set(&rarch_tls, MAGIC_POINTER);
+#endif
          retroarch_init_state();
          {
             unsigned i;
@@ -1306,6 +1318,12 @@ bool rarch_ctl(enum rarch_ctl_state state, void *data)
             command_event(CMD_EVENT_OVERLAY_INIT, NULL);
 #endif
          break;
+      case RARCH_CTL_IS_MAIN_THREAD:
+#ifdef HAVE_THREAD_STORAGE
+         return sthread_tls_get(&rarch_tls) == MAGIC_POINTER;
+#else
+         return true;
+#endif
       case RARCH_CTL_NONE:
       default:
          return false;
diff --git a/retroarch.h b/retroarch.h
index e8fb374033..15799c69fd 100644
--- a/retroarch.h
+++ b/retroarch.h
@@ -106,8 +106,9 @@ enum rarch_ctl_state
    /* Username */
    RARCH_CTL_HAS_SET_USERNAME,
    RARCH_CTL_USERNAME_SET,
-   RARCH_CTL_USERNAME_UNSET
+   RARCH_CTL_USERNAME_UNSET,
 
+   RARCH_CTL_IS_MAIN_THREAD
 };
 
 enum rarch_capabilities