diff --git a/input/common/udev_common.c b/input/common/udev_common.c
index 6cd24345cc..03b42c4ea2 100644
--- a/input/common/udev_common.c
+++ b/input/common/udev_common.c
@@ -5,14 +5,17 @@
 #include "udev_common.h"
 
 static bool udev_mon_inited;
+static bool udev_mon_first_inited_is_joypad;
 static struct udev_monitor *g_udev_mon;
 static struct udev *g_udev;
 
-bool udev_mon_new(void)
+bool udev_mon_new(bool is_joypad)
 {
    if (udev_mon_inited)
       return true;
 
+   udev_mon_first_inited_is_joypad = is_joypad;
+
    g_udev = udev_new();
    if (!g_udev)
       return false;
@@ -31,7 +34,7 @@ bool udev_mon_new(void)
 
 void udev_mon_free(bool is_joypad)
 {
-   if (!udev_mon_inited || is_joypad)
+   if (!udev_mon_inited || (is_joypad && !udev_mon_first_inited_is_joypad))
       return;
 
    if (g_udev_mon)
@@ -39,9 +42,10 @@ void udev_mon_free(bool is_joypad)
    if (g_udev)
       udev_unref(g_udev);
 
-   g_udev_mon      = NULL;
-   g_udev          = NULL;
-   udev_mon_inited = false;
+   g_udev_mon                      = NULL;
+   g_udev                          = NULL;
+   udev_mon_inited                 = false;
+   udev_mon_first_inited_is_joypad = false;
 }
 
 bool udev_mon_hotplug_available(void)
diff --git a/input/common/udev_common.h b/input/common/udev_common.h
index 83af7142f6..c8591fd761 100644
--- a/input/common/udev_common.h
+++ b/input/common/udev_common.h
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 
 #include <boolean.h>
 
-bool udev_mon_new(void);
+bool udev_mon_new(bool is_joypad);
 
 void udev_mon_free(bool is_joypad);
 
diff --git a/input/drivers/udev_input.c b/input/drivers/udev_input.c
index c0fd7d4012..16ab9f6dc3 100644
--- a/input/drivers/udev_input.c
+++ b/input/drivers/udev_input.c
@@ -621,7 +621,7 @@ static void *udev_input_init(void)
    if (!udev)
       return NULL;
 
-   if (!udev_mon_new())
+   if (!udev_mon_new(false))
       goto error;
 
 #ifdef HAVE_XKBCOMMON
diff --git a/input/drivers_joypad/udev_joypad.c b/input/drivers_joypad/udev_joypad.c
index 3557eda111..7c2b2c5956 100644
--- a/input/drivers_joypad/udev_joypad.c
+++ b/input/drivers_joypad/udev_joypad.c
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@ static bool udev_joypad_init(void *data)
    for (i = 0; i < MAX_USERS; i++)
       udev_pads[i].fd = -1;
 
-   if (!udev_mon_new())
+   if (!udev_mon_new(true))
       goto error;
 
    enumerate = udev_mon_enumerate();