diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/GCPadEmu.cpp b/Source/Core/Core/HW/GCPadEmu.cpp
index 22c416c7b9..f8f8c47d54 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/HW/GCPadEmu.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/GCPadEmu.cpp
@@ -83,6 +83,10 @@ GCPad::GCPad(const unsigned int index) : m_index(index)
 
   // options
   groups.emplace_back(m_options = new ControllerEmu::ControlGroup(_trans("Options")));
+  m_options->boolean_settings.emplace_back(
+      // i18n: Treat a controller as always being connected regardless of what
+      // devices the user actually has plugged in
+      m_always_connected = new ControllerEmu::BooleanSetting(_trans("Always Connected"), false));
   m_options->boolean_settings.emplace_back(std::make_unique<ControllerEmu::BooleanSetting>(
       _trans("Iterative Input"), false, ControllerEmu::SettingType::VIRTUAL));
 }
@@ -124,6 +128,12 @@ GCPadStatus GCPad::GetInput() const
   ControlState x, y, triggers[2];
   GCPadStatus pad = {};
 
+  if (!(m_always_connected->GetValue() || IsDefaultDeviceConnected()))
+  {
+    pad.isConnected = false;
+    return pad;
+  }
+
   // buttons
   m_buttons->GetState(&pad.button, button_bitmasks);
 
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/GCPadEmu.h b/Source/Core/Core/HW/GCPadEmu.h
index ad3f3a48a2..c5a10acfa6 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/HW/GCPadEmu.h
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/GCPadEmu.h
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 #include <string>
 
+#include "InputCommon/ControllerEmu/ControlGroup/ControlGroup.h"
 #include "InputCommon/ControllerEmu/ControllerEmu.h"
 
 struct GCPadStatus;
@@ -14,7 +15,6 @@ namespace ControllerEmu
 {
 class AnalogStick;
 class Buttons;
-class ControlGroup;
 class MixedTriggers;
 }
 
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ private:
   ControllerEmu::ControlGroup* m_rumble;
   ControllerEmu::Buttons* m_mic;
   ControllerEmu::ControlGroup* m_options;
+  ControllerEmu::BooleanSetting* m_always_connected;
 
   const unsigned int m_index;
 
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/SI/SI_DeviceGCController.cpp b/Source/Core/Core/HW/SI/SI_DeviceGCController.cpp
index d921ea2937..5d1ccacfb5 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/HW/SI/SI_DeviceGCController.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/SI/SI_DeviceGCController.cpp
@@ -47,6 +47,14 @@ int CSIDevice_GCController::RunBuffer(u8* buffer, int length)
   // For debug logging only
   ISIDevice::RunBuffer(buffer, length);
 
+  GCPadStatus pad_status = GetPadStatus();
+  if (!pad_status.isConnected)
+  {
+    constexpr u32 reply = SI_ERROR_NO_RESPONSE;
+    std::memcpy(buffer, &reply, sizeof(reply));
+    return 4;
+  }
+
   // Read the command
   EBufferCommands command = static_cast<EBufferCommands>(buffer[3]);
 
@@ -165,6 +173,13 @@ GCPadStatus CSIDevice_GCController::GetPadStatus()
 bool CSIDevice_GCController::GetData(u32& hi, u32& low)
 {
   GCPadStatus pad_status = GetPadStatus();
+
+  if (!pad_status.isConnected)
+  {
+    hi = 0x80000000;
+    return true;
+  }
+
   if (HandleButtonCombos(pad_status) == COMBO_ORIGIN)
     pad_status.button |= PAD_GET_ORIGIN;
 
diff --git a/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerEmu/ControllerEmu.cpp b/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerEmu/ControllerEmu.cpp
index cf70fa8468..98b9e5828b 100644
--- a/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerEmu/ControllerEmu.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerEmu/ControllerEmu.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ std::unique_lock<std::recursive_mutex> EmulatedController::GetStateLock()
 void EmulatedController::UpdateReferences(const ControllerInterface& devi)
 {
   const auto lock = GetStateLock();
+  m_default_device_is_connected = devi.HasConnectedDevice(m_default_device);
+
   for (auto& ctrlGroup : groups)
   {
     for (auto& control : ctrlGroup->controls)
@@ -48,6 +50,11 @@ void EmulatedController::UpdateReferences(const ControllerInterface& devi)
   }
 }
 
+bool EmulatedController::IsDefaultDeviceConnected() const
+{
+  return m_default_device_is_connected;
+}
+
 const ciface::Core::DeviceQualifier& EmulatedController::GetDefaultDevice() const
 {
   return m_default_device;
diff --git a/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerEmu/ControllerEmu.h b/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerEmu/ControllerEmu.h
index c9faf4457c..8b7925f7df 100644
--- a/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerEmu/ControllerEmu.h
+++ b/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerEmu/ControllerEmu.h
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ public:
   virtual void LoadConfig(IniFile::Section* sec, const std::string& base = "");
   virtual void SaveConfig(IniFile::Section* sec, const std::string& base = "");
 
+  bool IsDefaultDeviceConnected() const;
   const ciface::Core::DeviceQualifier& GetDefaultDevice() const;
   void SetDefaultDevice(const std::string& device);
   void SetDefaultDevice(ciface::Core::DeviceQualifier devq);
@@ -49,5 +50,6 @@ public:
 
 private:
   ciface::Core::DeviceQualifier m_default_device;
+  bool m_default_device_is_connected{false};
 };
 }  // namespace ControllerEmu
diff --git a/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerInterface/Device.cpp b/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerInterface/Device.cpp
index f83dae268e..48d40cb9af 100644
--- a/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerInterface/Device.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerInterface/Device.cpp
@@ -199,5 +199,11 @@ Device::Output* DeviceContainer::FindOutput(const std::string& name, const Devic
 {
   return def_dev->FindOutput(name);
 }
+
+bool DeviceContainer::HasConnectedDevice(const DeviceQualifier& qualifier) const
+{
+  const auto device = FindDevice(qualifier);
+  return device != nullptr && device->IsValid();
+}
 }
 }
diff --git a/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerInterface/Device.h b/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerInterface/Device.h
index 7b601cc775..5482b93ac0 100644
--- a/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerInterface/Device.h
+++ b/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerInterface/Device.h
@@ -158,6 +158,8 @@ public:
   std::string GetDefaultDeviceString() const;
   std::shared_ptr<Device> FindDevice(const DeviceQualifier& devq) const;
 
+  bool HasConnectedDevice(const DeviceQualifier& qualifier) const;
+
 protected:
   mutable std::mutex m_devices_mutex;
   std::vector<std::shared_ptr<Device>> m_devices;