diff --git a/general.h b/general.h
index 25f7c74084..12a6bedc1f 100644
--- a/general.h
+++ b/general.h
@@ -469,6 +469,8 @@ struct global
 
    cheat_manager_t *cheat;
 
+   bool block_config_read;
+
    // Settings and/or global state that is specific to a console-style implementation.
    struct
    {
diff --git a/retroarch.c b/retroarch.c
index 176ba244ed..ed351c26b0 100644
--- a/retroarch.c
+++ b/retroarch.c
@@ -2672,10 +2672,7 @@ int rarch_main_init(int argc, char *argv[])
    }
 
    validate_cpu_features();
-#ifndef RARCH_CONSOLE
-   /* we already do this at startup */
    config_load();
-#endif
 
    init_libretro_sym();
    rarch_init_system_info();
diff --git a/settings.c b/settings.c
index 98f88128f4..6d9414a9f8 100644
--- a/settings.c
+++ b/settings.c
@@ -309,6 +309,8 @@ void config_set_defaults(void)
 #ifdef HAVE_ZLIB
    g_extern.file_state.zip_extract_mode = 0;
 #endif
+
+   g_extern.block_config_read = true;
 #endif
 
    rarch_init_msg_queue();
@@ -318,8 +320,11 @@ static void parse_config_file(void);
 
 void config_load(void)
 {
-   config_set_defaults();
-   parse_config_file();
+   if (!g_extern.block_config_read)
+   {
+      config_set_defaults();
+      parse_config_file();
+   }
 }
 
 static config_file_t *open_default_config_file(void)