diff --git a/Makefile.common b/Makefile.common
index c73350c8b6..f3ca6f44bc 100644
--- a/Makefile.common
+++ b/Makefile.common
@@ -336,13 +336,17 @@ OBJ += \
        gfx/video_driver.o \
        gfx/gfx_display.o \
        gfx/gfx_animation.o \
-       gfx/gfx_thumbnail_path.o \
-       gfx/gfx_thumbnail.o \
        configuration.o \
        $(LIBRETRO_COMM_DIR)/dynamic/dylib.o \
        cores/dynamic_dummy.o \
        $(LIBRETRO_COMM_DIR)/queues/message_queue.o
 
+ifeq ($(HAVE_MENU), 1)
+   OBJ += \
+       gfx/gfx_thumbnail_path.o \
+       gfx/gfx_thumbnail.o
+endif
+
 ifeq ($(HAVE_MICROPHONE), 1)
    DEFINES += -DHAVE_MICROPHONE
    OBJ += audio/microphone_driver.o
@@ -2166,9 +2170,12 @@ ifeq ($(HAVE_NETWORKING), 1)
           tasks/task_http.o \
           tasks/task_netplay_lan_scan.o \
           tasks/task_netplay_nat_traversal.o \
-	  tasks/task_pl_thumbnail_download.o \
           tasks/task_netplay_find_content.o
 
+   ifeq ($(HAVE_MENU), 1)
+      OBJ += tasks/task_pl_thumbnail_download.o
+   endif
+
    ifeq ($(HAVE_MENU_COMMON), 1)
       OBJ += tasks/task_core_updater.o
    endif
diff --git a/gfx/drivers/d3d10.c b/gfx/drivers/d3d10.c
index 36417ea100..207534dcdb 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers/d3d10.c
+++ b/gfx/drivers/d3d10.c
@@ -2173,7 +2173,11 @@ static bool d3d10_gfx_frame(
       *osd_params             = (struct font_params*)
       &video_info->osd_stat_params;
    const char *stat_text      = video_info->stat_text;
+#ifdef HAVE_MENU
    bool menu_is_alive         = (video_info->menu_st_flags & MENU_ST_FLAG_ALIVE) ? true : false;
+#else
+   bool menu_is_alive         = false;
+#endif
    bool overlay_behind_menu   = video_info->overlay_behind_menu;
    unsigned black_frame_insertion = video_info->black_frame_insertion;
    int bfi_light_frames;
diff --git a/gfx/drivers/d3d9cg.c b/gfx/drivers/d3d9cg.c
index 360d6579f1..5f7f8c9cc5 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers/d3d9cg.c
+++ b/gfx/drivers/d3d9cg.c
@@ -2043,7 +2043,11 @@ static bool d3d9_cg_frame(void *data, const void *frame,
    struct font_params *osd_params      = (struct font_params*)
       &video_info->osd_stat_params;
    const char *stat_text               = video_info->stat_text;
+#ifdef HAVE_MENU
    bool menu_is_alive                  = (video_info->menu_st_flags & MENU_ST_FLAG_ALIVE) ? true : false;
+#else
+   bool menu_is_alive                  = false;
+#endif
    bool overlay_behind_menu            = video_info->overlay_behind_menu;
 #ifdef HAVE_GFX_WIDGETS
    bool widgets_active                 = video_info->widgets_active;
diff --git a/gfx/drivers/d3d9hlsl.c b/gfx/drivers/d3d9hlsl.c
index d9c7f7ae23..af05a8d2d7 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers/d3d9hlsl.c
+++ b/gfx/drivers/d3d9hlsl.c
@@ -1636,7 +1636,11 @@ static bool d3d9_hlsl_frame(void *data, const void *frame,
    struct font_params *osd_params      = (struct font_params*)
       &video_info->osd_stat_params;
    const char *stat_text               = video_info->stat_text;
+#ifdef HAVE_MENU
    bool menu_is_alive                  = (video_info->menu_st_flags & MENU_ST_FLAG_ALIVE) ? true : false;
+#else
+   bool menu_is_alive                  = false;
+#endif
    bool overlay_behind_menu            = video_info->overlay_behind_menu;
 #ifdef HAVE_GFX_WIDGETS
    bool widgets_active                 = video_info->widgets_active;
diff --git a/gfx/video_driver.c b/gfx/video_driver.c
index 31595ffb20..7fd30956d8 100644
--- a/gfx/video_driver.c
+++ b/gfx/video_driver.c
@@ -3626,6 +3626,7 @@ void video_driver_frame(const void *data, unsigned width,
       video_driver_pix_fmt        = video_st->pix_fmt;
    bool runloop_idle              = (runloop_st->flags & RUNLOOP_FLAG_IDLE) ? true : false;
    bool video_driver_active       = (video_st->flags   & VIDEO_FLAG_ACTIVE) ? true : false;
+   bool menu_is_alive             = false;
 #if defined(HAVE_GFX_WIDGETS)
    dispgfx_widget_t *p_dispwidget = dispwidget_get_ptr();
    bool widgets_active            = p_dispwidget->active;
@@ -3668,6 +3669,10 @@ void video_driver_frame(const void *data, unsigned width,
 
    video_driver_build_info(&video_info);
 
+#ifdef HAVE_MENU
+   menu_is_alive = (video_info.menu_st_flags & MENU_ST_FLAG_ALIVE) ? true : false;
+#endif
+
    /* Take target refresh rate as initial FPS value instead of 0.00 */
    if (!last_fps)
       last_fps = video_info.refresh_rate;
@@ -3682,15 +3687,11 @@ void video_driver_frame(const void *data, unsigned width,
     *   current frame is not (i.e. if core was
     *   previously sending duped frames, ensure
     *   that the next frame update is captured) */
-#if HAVE_MENU
-   if (   video_info.input_driver_nonblock_state
-       && video_info.fastforward_frameskip
-       &&  !((video_info.menu_st_flags & MENU_ST_FLAG_ALIVE)
-       ||   (last_frame_duped && !!data)))
-#else
-   if (   video_info.input_driver_nonblock_state
-       && video_info.fastforward_frameskip)
-#endif
+   if (     video_info.input_driver_nonblock_state
+         && video_info.fastforward_frameskip
+         && !( menu_is_alive
+            || (last_frame_duped && !!data))
+      )
    {
       uint16_t frame_time_accumulator_prev = frame_time_accumulator;
       uint16_t frame_time_delta            = new_time - last_time;
@@ -3762,7 +3763,7 @@ void video_driver_frame(const void *data, unsigned width,
 
       /* Consider frame dropped when frame time exceeds 1.75x target */
       if (     video_st->frame_count > 4
-            && !(video_info.menu_st_flags & MENU_ST_FLAG_ALIVE)
+            && !menu_is_alive
             && frame_time > 1000000.0f / video_info.refresh_rate * 1.75f)
          video_st->frame_drop_count++;
 
@@ -4008,11 +4009,7 @@ void video_driver_frame(const void *data, unsigned width,
                   msg_entry.category,
                   msg_entry.prio,
                   false,
-#if HAVE_MENU
-                  (video_info.menu_st_flags & MENU_ST_FLAG_ALIVE) ? true : false
-#else
-                  false
-#endif
+                  menu_is_alive
             );
       }
       /* ...otherwise, just output message via