diff --git a/retroarch.c b/retroarch.c
index f544a67ff2..558172462b 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_THREADS
+   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_THREADS
+         sthread_tls_delete(&rarch_tls);
+#endif
          break;
       case RARCH_CTL_INIT:
          rarch_ctl(RARCH_CTL_DEINIT, NULL);
+#ifdef HAVE_THREADS
+         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_THREADS
+         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