diff --git a/menu/menu_common.c b/menu/menu_common.c
index fd57af6ecd..1cf43f3058 100644
--- a/menu/menu_common.c
+++ b/menu/menu_common.c
@@ -166,7 +166,6 @@ void *menu_init(const void *data)
 #ifdef HAVE_SHADER_MANAGER
    menu->shader = (struct gfx_shader*)calloc(1, sizeof(struct gfx_shader));
 #endif
-   menu->cheats = cheat_manager_new(0); 
    menu->push_start_screen = g_settings.menu_show_start_screen;
    g_settings.menu_show_start_screen = false;
 
@@ -219,10 +218,6 @@ void menu_free(void *data)
    menu->shader = NULL;
 #endif
 
-   if (menu->cheats)
-      cheat_manager_free(menu->cheats);
-   menu->cheats = NULL;
-
    if (driver.menu_ctx && driver.menu_ctx->free)
       driver.menu_ctx->free(menu);
 
diff --git a/menu/menu_driver.h b/menu/menu_driver.h
index 490d54e392..06a1c0b6cc 100644
--- a/menu/menu_driver.h
+++ b/menu/menu_driver.h
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <boolean.h>
 #include "menu_list.h"
-#include "../cheats.h"
 #include "../settings_list.h"
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
@@ -109,7 +108,6 @@ typedef struct
    bool load_no_content;
 
    struct gfx_shader *shader;
-   cheat_manager_t *cheats;
 
    struct menu_bind_state binds;
 
diff --git a/menu/menu_entries_cbs.c b/menu/menu_entries_cbs.c
index 4e7f83ac0d..d62241884f 100644
--- a/menu/menu_entries_cbs.c
+++ b/menu/menu_entries_cbs.c
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ static int action_ok_shader_apply_changes(const char *path,
 static int action_ok_cheat_apply_changes(const char *path,
       const char *label, unsigned type, size_t idx)
 {
-   cheat_manager_t *cheat = driver.menu->cheats;
+   cheat_manager_t *cheat = g_extern.cheat;
 
    if (!cheat)
       return -1;
@@ -1198,7 +1198,7 @@ static int action_start_shader_num_passes(unsigned type, const char *label,
 static int action_start_cheat_num_passes(unsigned type, const char *label,
       unsigned action)
 {
-   cheat_manager_t *cheat = driver.menu->cheats;
+   cheat_manager_t *cheat = g_extern.cheat;
 
    if (!cheat)
       return -1;
@@ -1216,7 +1216,7 @@ static int action_toggle_cheat_num_passes(unsigned type, const char *label,
       unsigned action)
 {
    unsigned new_size = 0;
-   cheat_manager_t *cheat = driver.menu->cheats;
+   cheat_manager_t *cheat = g_extern.cheat;
 
    if (!cheat)
       return -1;
@@ -1896,14 +1896,23 @@ static int deferred_push_core_cheat_options(void *data, void *userdata,
 {
    unsigned i;
    file_list_t *list      = (file_list_t*)data;
-   cheat_manager_t *cheat = driver.menu->cheats;
+   cheat_manager_t *cheat = g_extern.cheat;
 
    (void)userdata;
    (void)type;
 
-   if (!list || !cheat)
+   if (!list)
       return -1;
 
+   if (!cheat)
+   {
+      g_extern.cheat = cheat_manager_new(0);
+
+      if (!g_extern.cheat)
+         return -1;
+      cheat = g_extern.cheat;
+   }
+
    menu_list_clear(list);
    menu_list_push(list, "Cheat File Load", "cheat_file_load",
          MENU_SETTING_ACTION, 0);
diff --git a/menu/menu_input_line_cb.c b/menu/menu_input_line_cb.c
index 8195714a5e..3325f64c97 100644
--- a/menu/menu_input_line_cb.c
+++ b/menu/menu_input_line_cb.c
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ void st_string_callback(void *userdata, const char *str)
 void st_cheat_callback(void *userdata, const char *str)
 {
    menu_handle_t *menu = (menu_handle_t*)userdata;
-   cheat_manager_t *cheat = (cheat_manager_t*)menu->cheats;
+   cheat_manager_t *cheat = g_extern.cheat;
  
    if (cheat && str && *str)
    {
diff --git a/settings_data.c b/settings_data.c
index bf6b961c72..f50458fe50 100644
--- a/settings_data.c
+++ b/settings_data.c
@@ -2399,16 +2399,16 @@ void setting_data_get_label(char *type_str,
    else
 #endif
    if (!strcmp(label, "cheat_num_passes"))
-      snprintf(type_str, type_str_size, "%u", driver.menu->cheats->buf_size);
+      snprintf(type_str, type_str_size, "%u", g_extern.cheat->buf_size);
    else if (type >= MENU_SETTINGS_CHEAT_BEGIN
          && type <= MENU_SETTINGS_CHEAT_END)
    {
       unsigned cheat_index = type - MENU_SETTINGS_CHEAT_BEGIN;
-      if (cheat_index < driver.menu->cheats->buf_size)
+      if (cheat_index < g_extern.cheat->buf_size)
          snprintf(type_str, type_str_size, "%s",
                (
-                (driver.menu->cheats->cheats[cheat_index].code != NULL)
-               ) ? driver.menu->cheats->cheats[cheat_index].code : "N/A");
+                (g_extern.cheat->cheats[cheat_index].code != NULL)
+               ) ? g_extern.cheat->cheats[cheat_index].code : "N/A");
    }
    else if (type >= MENU_SETTINGS_PERF_COUNTERS_BEGIN
          && type <= MENU_SETTINGS_PERF_COUNTERS_END)