diff --git a/driver.c b/driver.c
index cc53311d1e..072d9cc2be 100644
--- a/driver.c
+++ b/driver.c
@@ -1197,18 +1197,8 @@ void init_video_input(void)
    }
 
 #ifdef HAVE_OVERLAY
-   if (driver.overlay)
-   {
-      input_overlay_free(driver.overlay);
-      driver.overlay = NULL;
-   }
-
-   if (*g_settings.input.overlay)
-   {
-      driver.overlay = input_overlay_new(g_settings.input.overlay);
-      if (!driver.overlay)
-         RARCH_ERR("Failed to load overlay.\n");
-   }
+   rarch_main_command(RARCH_CMD_OVERLAY_FREE);
+   rarch_main_command(RARCH_CMD_OVERLAY_INIT);
 #endif
 
    g_extern.measure_data.frame_time_samples_count = 0;
@@ -1217,12 +1207,7 @@ void init_video_input(void)
 void uninit_video_input(void)
 {
 #ifdef HAVE_OVERLAY
-   if (driver.overlay)
-   {
-      input_overlay_free(driver.overlay);
-      driver.overlay = NULL;
-      memset(&driver.overlay_state, 0, sizeof(driver.overlay_state));
-   }
+   rarch_main_command(RARCH_CMD_OVERLAY_FREE);
 #endif
 
    if (!driver.input_data_own && driver.input_data != driver.video_data && driver.input && driver.input->free)
diff --git a/frontend/menu/backend/menu_common_backend.c b/frontend/menu/backend/menu_common_backend.c
index 8e04da5d66..12e42eebf5 100644
--- a/frontend/menu/backend/menu_common_backend.c
+++ b/frontend/menu/backend/menu_common_backend.c
@@ -3704,9 +3704,7 @@ static int menu_common_setting_set(unsigned setting, unsigned action)
                menu_common_setting_push_current_menu(driver.menu->menu_stack, g_extern.overlay_dir, setting, driver.menu->selection_ptr, action);
                break;
             case MENU_ACTION_START:
-               if (driver.overlay)
-                  input_overlay_free(driver.overlay);
-               driver.overlay = NULL;
+               rarch_main_command(RARCH_CMD_OVERLAY_FREE);
                *g_settings.input.overlay = '\0';
                break;
             default:
diff --git a/general.h b/general.h
index 25b4394e61..2d6c599643 100644
--- a/general.h
+++ b/general.h
@@ -104,6 +104,8 @@ enum basic_event
    RARCH_CMD_AUTOSAVE,
    RARCH_CMD_AUDIO_STOP,
    RARCH_CMD_AUDIO_START,
+   RARCH_CMD_OVERLAY_INIT,
+   RARCH_CMD_OVERLAY_FREE,
 };
 
 enum menu_enums
diff --git a/retroarch.c b/retroarch.c
index b6b85d364d..eeefe645c3 100644
--- a/retroarch.c
+++ b/retroarch.c
@@ -3211,6 +3211,24 @@ void rarch_main_command(unsigned action)
             g_extern.audio_active = false;
          }
          break;
+      case RARCH_CMD_OVERLAY_INIT:
+#ifdef HAVE_OVERLAY
+         if (*g_settings.input.overlay && g_settings.input.overlay[0] != '\0')
+         {
+            driver.overlay = input_overlay_new(g_settings.input.overlay);
+            if (!driver.overlay)
+               RARCH_ERR("Failed to load overlay.\n");
+         }
+#endif
+         break;
+      case RARCH_CMD_OVERLAY_FREE:
+#ifdef HAVE_OVERLAY
+         if (driver.overlay)
+            input_overlay_free(driver.overlay);
+         driver.overlay = NULL;
+         memset(&driver.overlay_state, 0, sizeof(driver.overlay_state));
+#endif
+         break;
    }
 }
 
diff --git a/settings_data.c b/settings_data.c
index 2bd6669b67..3c87c297e2 100644
--- a/settings_data.c
+++ b/settings_data.c
@@ -977,9 +977,11 @@ static void general_read_handler(const void *data)
 
 static void general_write_handler(const void *data)
 {
-   bool has_set_reinit   = false;
-   bool has_set_rewind   = false;
-   bool has_set_autosave = false;
+   bool has_set_reinit            = false;
+   bool has_set_rewind            = false;
+   bool has_set_autosave          = false;
+   bool has_set_overlay_init      = false;
+   bool has_set_overlay_free      = false;
    const rarch_setting_t *setting = (const rarch_setting_t*)data;
 
    if (!setting)
@@ -1144,11 +1146,8 @@ static void general_write_handler(const void *data)
    {
       strlcpy(g_settings.input.overlay, setting->value.string, sizeof(g_settings.input.overlay));
 
-      if (driver.overlay)
-         input_overlay_free(driver.overlay);
-
-      if (g_settings.input.overlay && g_settings.input.overlay[0] != '\0')
-         driver.overlay = input_overlay_new(g_settings.input.overlay);
+      has_set_overlay_free = false;
+      has_set_overlay_init = true;
    }
    else if (!strcmp(setting->name, "input_overlay_scale"))
    {
@@ -1338,6 +1337,10 @@ static void general_write_handler(const void *data)
       rarch_main_command(RARCH_CMD_REWIND);
    if (has_set_autosave)
       rarch_main_command(RARCH_CMD_AUTOSAVE);
+   if (has_set_overlay_free)
+      rarch_main_command(RARCH_CMD_OVERLAY_FREE);
+   if (has_set_overlay_init)
+      rarch_main_command(RARCH_CMD_OVERLAY_INIT);
 }
 
 #define NEXT (list[index++])