diff --git a/menu/menu_driver.c b/menu/menu_driver.c
index 17998ee759..07313e4de4 100644
--- a/menu/menu_driver.c
+++ b/menu/menu_driver.c
@@ -197,9 +197,6 @@ static bool menu_driver_pending_quick_menu      = false;
 
 static bool menu_driver_prevent_populate        = false;
 
-/* Is the menu driver still running? */
-static bool menu_driver_alive                   = false;
-
 /* A menu toggle has been requested; if the menu was running,
  * it will be closed; if the menu was not running, it will be opened */
 static bool menu_driver_toggled                 = false;
@@ -2023,17 +2020,6 @@ bool menu_driver_get_load_content_animation_data(menu_texture_item *icon, char *
       && menu_driver_ctx->get_load_content_animation_data(menu_userdata, icon, playlist_name);
 }
 
-void menu_driver_set_alive(bool val)
-{
-   menu_driver_alive = val;
-}
-
-/* Checks if the menu is still running */
-bool menu_driver_is_alive(void)
-{
-   return menu_driver_alive;
-}
-
 /* Checks if the menu framebuffer is set.
  * This would usually only return true
  * for framebuffer-based menu drivers, like RGUI. */
@@ -2249,7 +2235,6 @@ void menu_driver_destroy(void)
    menu_driver_pending_quit       = false;
    menu_driver_pending_shutdown   = false;
    menu_driver_prevent_populate   = false;
-   menu_driver_alive              = false;
    menu_driver_data_own           = false;
    menu_driver_ctx                = NULL;
    menu_userdata                  = NULL;
diff --git a/menu/menu_driver.h b/menu/menu_driver.h
index 2ddd1234b2..58c86c8037 100644
--- a/menu/menu_driver.h
+++ b/menu/menu_driver.h
@@ -517,10 +517,6 @@ bool menu_driver_get_load_content_animation_data(menu_texture_item *icon, char *
  * return true for RGUI, for instance. */
 bool menu_driver_is_texture_set(void);
 
-void menu_driver_set_alive(bool val);
-
-bool menu_driver_is_alive(void);
-
 bool menu_driver_iterate(menu_ctx_iterate_t *iterate);
 
 bool menu_driver_list_clear(file_list_t *list);
diff --git a/retroarch.c b/retroarch.c
index 0d6b1fde34..914dd68d01 100644
--- a/retroarch.c
+++ b/retroarch.c
@@ -921,6 +921,21 @@ enum menu_mouse_action
 static unsigned char menu_keyboard_key_state[RETROK_LAST]       = {0};
 
 static menu_input_t menu_input_state;
+
+/* Is the menu driver still running? */
+static bool menu_driver_alive                   = false;
+
+void menu_driver_set_alive(bool val)
+{
+   menu_driver_alive = val;
+}
+
+/* Checks if the menu is still running */
+bool menu_driver_is_alive(void)
+{
+   return menu_driver_alive;
+}
+
 #endif
 
 /* RECORDING GLOBAL VARIABLES */
@@ -3860,7 +3875,7 @@ bool command_event(enum event_command cmd, void *data)
          break;
       case CMD_EVENT_MENU_TOGGLE:
 #ifdef HAVE_MENU
-         if (menu_driver_is_alive())
+         if (menu_driver_alive)
             retroarch_menu_running_finished(false);
          else
             retroarch_menu_running();
@@ -3999,7 +4014,7 @@ bool command_event(enum event_command cmd, void *data)
             if (settings->bools.video_fullscreen)
                video_driver_hide_mouse();
 
-            if (menu_driver_is_alive())
+            if (menu_driver_alive)
                command_event(CMD_EVENT_VIDEO_SET_BLOCKING_STATE, NULL);
          }
 #endif
@@ -4427,7 +4442,7 @@ TODO: Add a setting for these tweaks */
          break;
       case CMD_EVENT_MENU_PAUSE_LIBRETRO:
 #ifdef HAVE_MENU
-         if (menu_driver_is_alive())
+         if (menu_driver_alive)
          {
             settings_t *settings      = configuration_settings;
             if (settings && settings->bools.menu_pause_libretro)
@@ -10119,7 +10134,7 @@ static void input_overlay_loaded(retro_task_t *task,
 
 #ifdef HAVE_MENU
    /* We can't display when the menu is up */
-   if (data->hide_in_menu && menu_driver_is_alive())
+   if (data->hide_in_menu && menu_driver_alive)
    {
       if (data->overlay_enable)
          goto abort_load;
@@ -10685,7 +10700,7 @@ static void input_driver_poll(void)
 #endif
 
 #ifdef HAVE_MENU
-   if (!menu_driver_is_alive())
+   if (!menu_driver_alive)
 #endif
    if (settings->bools.input_remap_binds_enable && input_driver_mapper)
    {
@@ -18348,7 +18363,7 @@ void video_driver_build_info(video_frame_info_t *video_info)
    video_info->msg_bgcolor_enable     = settings->bools.video_msg_bgcolor_enable;
 
 #ifdef HAVE_MENU
-   video_info->menu_is_alive          = menu_driver_is_alive();
+   video_info->menu_is_alive          = menu_driver_alive;
    video_info->menu_footer_opacity    = settings->floats.menu_footer_opacity;
    video_info->menu_header_opacity    = settings->floats.menu_header_opacity;
    video_info->materialui_color_theme = settings->uints.menu_materialui_color_theme;
@@ -19842,6 +19857,7 @@ bool driver_ctl(enum driver_ctl_state state, void *data)
 
 #ifdef HAVE_MENU
          menu_driver_destroy();
+         menu_driver_alive         = false;
 #endif
          location_driver_active    = false;
          location_driver           = NULL;
@@ -21647,7 +21663,7 @@ bool retroarch_main_init(int argc, char *argv[])
       /* Check if menu was active prior to core initialization */
       if (!content_launched_from_cli()
 #ifdef HAVE_MENU
-          || menu_driver_is_alive()
+          || menu_driver_alive
 #endif
          )
       {
@@ -22900,7 +22916,7 @@ static enum runloop_state runloop_check_state(
    bool rarch_is_initialized           = rarch_is_inited;
 #ifdef HAVE_MENU
    bool menu_driver_binding_state      = menu_driver_is_binding_state();
-   bool menu_is_alive                  = menu_driver_is_alive();
+   bool menu_is_alive                  = menu_driver_alive;
    unsigned menu_toggle_gamepad_combo  = settings->uints.input_menu_toggle_gamepad_combo;
 #ifdef HAVE_EASTEREGG
    static uint64_t seq                 = 0;
@@ -23291,7 +23307,7 @@ static enum runloop_state runloop_check_state(
 
       if (menu_keyboard_key_state[RETROK_F1] == 1)
       {
-         if (menu_driver_is_alive())
+         if (menu_driver_alive)
          {
             if (rarch_is_initialized && !core_type_is_dummy)
             {
@@ -23304,7 +23320,7 @@ static enum runloop_state runloop_check_state(
                (pressed && !old_pressed)) ||
             core_type_is_dummy)
       {
-         if (menu_driver_is_alive())
+         if (menu_driver_alive)
          {
             if (rarch_is_initialized && !core_type_is_dummy)
                retroarch_menu_running_finished(false);
@@ -23382,7 +23398,7 @@ static enum runloop_state runloop_check_state(
    /* Check if we have pressed the netplay host toggle button */
    HOTKEY_CHECK(RARCH_NETPLAY_HOST_TOGGLE, CMD_EVENT_NETPLAY_HOST_TOGGLE, true, NULL);
 
-   if (menu_driver_is_alive())
+   if (menu_driver_alive)
    {
       if (!settings->bools.menu_throttle_framerate && !fastforward_ratio)
          return RUNLOOP_STATE_MENU_ITERATE;
diff --git a/retroarch.h b/retroarch.h
index 5feefc4088..d6756e2af4 100644
--- a/retroarch.h
+++ b/retroarch.h
@@ -2101,6 +2101,10 @@ const void *camera_driver_find_handle(int index);
  **/
 const char *camera_driver_find_ident(int index);
 
+void menu_driver_set_alive(bool val);
+
+bool menu_driver_is_alive(void);
+
 RETRO_END_DECLS
 
 #endif