diff --git a/dynamic.c b/dynamic.c
index 8ff20e6480..74224bfb62 100644
--- a/dynamic.c
+++ b/dynamic.c
@@ -1046,11 +1046,11 @@ bool rarch_environment_cb(unsigned cmd, void *data)
             *g_extern.fullpath = '\0';
 
 #if defined(RARCH_CONSOLE)
-         g_extern.lifecycle_state &= ~(1ULL << MODE_GAME);
-         g_extern.lifecycle_state |= (1ULL << MODE_EXITSPAWN);
+         rarch_main_set_state(RARCH_ACTION_STATE_STOP_CONTENT);
+         rarch_main_set_state(RARCH_ACTION_STATE_EXITSPAWN);
          g_extern.lifecycle_state |= (1ULL << MODE_EXITSPAWN_START_GAME);
 #elif defined(HAVE_DYNAMIC)
-         g_extern.lifecycle_state |= (1ULL << MODE_LOAD_GAME);
+         rarch_main_set_state(RARCH_ACTION_STATE_LOAD_CONTENT);
 #endif
 
          if (cmd == RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_EXEC_ESCAPE)
diff --git a/frontend/frontend.c b/frontend/frontend.c
index af0883b3b7..88029715cf 100644
--- a/frontend/frontend.c
+++ b/frontend/frontend.c
@@ -103,13 +103,14 @@ static int main_entry_iterate_shutdown(args_type() args)
 
 static int main_entry_iterate_content(args_type() args)
 {
-   if (rarch_main_iterate())
+   if (!rarch_main_iterate())
    {
-      if (driver.frontend_ctx && driver.frontend_ctx->process_events)
-         driver.frontend_ctx->process_events(args);
+      rarch_main_set_state(RARCH_ACTION_STATE_RUNNING_FINISHED);
+      return 0;
    }
-   else
-      g_extern.lifecycle_state &= ~(1ULL << MODE_GAME);
+
+   if (driver.frontend_ctx && driver.frontend_ctx->process_events)
+      driver.frontend_ctx->process_events(args);
 
    return 0;
 }
@@ -120,7 +121,7 @@ static int main_entry_iterate_load_content(args_type() args)
    if (!load_menu_content())
       g_extern.lifecycle_state = (1ULL << MODE_MENU_PREINIT);
 
-   g_extern.lifecycle_state &= ~(1ULL << MODE_LOAD_GAME);
+   rarch_main_set_state(RARCH_ACTION_STATE_LOAD_CONTENT_FINISHED);
 
    return 0;
 }
@@ -153,8 +154,8 @@ static int main_entry_iterate_menu_preinit(args_type() args)
    driver.menu->need_refresh = true;
    driver.menu->old_input_state |= 1ULL << RARCH_MENU_TOGGLE;
 
-   g_extern.lifecycle_state &= ~(1ULL << MODE_MENU_PREINIT);
-   g_extern.lifecycle_state |= (1ULL << MODE_MENU);
+   rarch_main_set_state(RARCH_ACTION_STATE_MENU_PREINIT_FINISHED);
+   rarch_main_set_state(RARCH_ACTION_STATE_MENU_RUNNING);
 
    return 0;
 }
@@ -168,7 +169,7 @@ static int main_entry_iterate_menu(args_type() args)
       return 0;
    }
 
-   g_extern.lifecycle_state &= ~(1ULL << MODE_MENU);
+   rarch_main_set_state(RARCH_ACTION_STATE_MENU_RUNNING_FINISHED);
    driver_set_nonblock_state(driver.nonblock_state);
 
    rarch_main_command(RARCH_CMD_AUDIO_START);
diff --git a/frontend/menu/backend/menu_common_backend.c b/frontend/menu/backend/menu_common_backend.c
index 46982951a7..1240ab46f0 100644
--- a/frontend/menu/backend/menu_common_backend.c
+++ b/frontend/menu/backend/menu_common_backend.c
@@ -1907,7 +1907,7 @@ static int menu_action_ok(const char *dir,
          /* No content needed for this core, load core immediately. */
          if (driver.menu->load_no_content)
          {
-            g_extern.lifecycle_state |= (1ULL << MODE_LOAD_GAME);
+            rarch_main_set_state(RARCH_ACTION_STATE_LOAD_CONTENT);
             *g_extern.fullpath = '\0';
             driver.menu->msg_force = true;
             return -1;
@@ -1976,7 +1976,7 @@ static int menu_action_ok(const char *dir,
          {
             fill_pathname_join(g_extern.fullpath, dir, path,
                   sizeof(g_extern.fullpath));
-            g_extern.lifecycle_state |= (1ULL << MODE_LOAD_GAME);
+            rarch_main_set_state(RARCH_ACTION_STATE_LOAD_CONTENT);
 
             menu_flush_stack_type(driver.menu->menu_stack,MENU_SETTINGS);
             driver.menu->msg_force = true;
diff --git a/frontend/menu/backend/menu_lakka_backend.c b/frontend/menu/backend/menu_lakka_backend.c
index c7b46e5f10..bec56acabc 100644
--- a/frontend/menu/backend/menu_lakka_backend.c
+++ b/frontend/menu/backend/menu_lakka_backend.c
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ static int menu_lakka_iterate(unsigned action)
 
 #ifdef HAVE_DYNAMIC
                      rarch_main_command(RARCH_CMD_LOAD_CORE);
-                     g_extern.lifecycle_state |= (1ULL << MODE_LOAD_GAME);
+                     rarch_main_set_state(RARCH_ACTION_STATE_LOAD_CONTENT);
 #endif
                   }
                   return -1;
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ static int menu_lakka_iterate(unsigned action)
          else if (depth == 0 && menu_active_category == 0 && active_category->active_item == active_category->num_items-1)
          {
             add_tween(DELAY, 1.0, &global_alpha, &inOutQuad, NULL);
-            g_extern.lifecycle_state &= ~(1ULL << MODE_GAME);
+            rarch_main_set_state(RARCH_ACTION_STATE_RUNNING_FINISHED);
             return -1;
          }
          break;
diff --git a/frontend/menu/menu_common.c b/frontend/menu/menu_common.c
index 536267eb0e..e8886934b1 100644
--- a/frontend/menu/menu_common.c
+++ b/frontend/menu/menu_common.c
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ bool menu_iterate(void)
    if (g_extern.lifecycle_state & (1ULL << MODE_MENU_PREINIT))
    {
       driver.menu->need_refresh = true;
-      g_extern.lifecycle_state &= ~(1ULL << MODE_MENU_PREINIT);
+      rarch_main_set_state(RARCH_ACTION_STATE_MENU_PREINIT_FINISHED);
       driver.menu->old_input_state |= 1ULL << RARCH_MENU_TOGGLE;
    }
 
diff --git a/general.h b/general.h
index bba17b6dee..4ab3cfe4f1 100644
--- a/general.h
+++ b/general.h
@@ -135,9 +135,13 @@ enum action_state
 {
    RARCH_ACTION_STATE_NONE = 0,
    RARCH_ACTION_STATE_MENU_PREINIT,
+   RARCH_ACTION_STATE_MENU_PREINIT_FINISHED,
    RARCH_ACTION_STATE_LOAD_CONTENT,
-   RARCH_ACTION_STATE_RUN_CONTENT,
-   RARCH_ACTION_STATE_STOP_CONTENT,
+   RARCH_ACTION_STATE_LOAD_CONTENT_FINISHED,
+   RARCH_ACTION_STATE_RUNNING,
+   RARCH_ACTION_STATE_RUNNING_FINISHED,
+   RARCH_ACTION_STATE_MENU_RUNNING,
+   RARCH_ACTION_STATE_MENU_RUNNING_FINISHED,
    RARCH_ACTION_STATE_EXITSPAWN,
    RARCH_ACTION_STATE_QUIT,
 };
diff --git a/retroarch.c b/retroarch.c
index 26ae0ce4c6..656fd8c4f4 100644
--- a/retroarch.c
+++ b/retroarch.c
@@ -3292,15 +3292,27 @@ void rarch_main_set_state(unsigned cmd)
       case RARCH_ACTION_STATE_MENU_PREINIT:
          g_extern.lifecycle_state |= (1ULL << MODE_MENU_PREINIT);
          break;
+      case RARCH_ACTION_STATE_MENU_PREINIT_FINISHED:
+         g_extern.lifecycle_state &= ~(1ULL << MODE_MENU_PREINIT);
+         break;
       case RARCH_ACTION_STATE_LOAD_CONTENT:
          g_extern.lifecycle_state |= (1ULL << MODE_LOAD_GAME);
          break;
-      case RARCH_ACTION_STATE_RUN_CONTENT:
+      case RARCH_ACTION_STATE_LOAD_CONTENT_FINISHED:
+         g_extern.lifecycle_state &= ~(1ULL << MODE_LOAD_GAME);
+         break;
+      case RARCH_ACTION_STATE_RUNNING:
          g_extern.lifecycle_state |= (1ULL << MODE_GAME);
          break;
-      case RARCH_ACTION_STATE_STOP_CONTENT:
+      case RARCH_ACTION_STATE_RUNNING_FINISHED:
          g_extern.lifecycle_state &= ~(1ULL << MODE_GAME);
          break;
+      case RARCH_ACTION_STATE_MENU_RUNNING:
+         g_extern.lifecycle_state |= (1ULL << MODE_MENU);
+         break;
+      case RARCH_ACTION_STATE_MENU_RUNNING_FINISHED:
+         g_extern.lifecycle_state &= ~(1ULL << MODE_MENU);
+         break;
       case RARCH_ACTION_STATE_EXITSPAWN:
          g_extern.lifecycle_state |= (1ULL << MODE_EXITSPAWN);
          break;
@@ -3520,7 +3532,7 @@ void rarch_main_command(unsigned cmd)
          rarch_main_set_state(RARCH_ACTION_STATE_QUIT);
          break;
       case RARCH_CMD_RESUME:
-         rarch_main_set_state(RARCH_ACTION_STATE_RUN_CONTENT);
+         rarch_main_set_state(RARCH_ACTION_STATE_RUNNING);
          break;
       case RARCH_CMD_RESTART_RETROARCH:
 #if defined(GEKKO) && defined(HW_RVL)
@@ -3528,7 +3540,7 @@ void rarch_main_command(unsigned cmd)
                SALAMANDER_FILE,
                sizeof(g_extern.fullpath));
 #endif
-         rarch_main_set_state(RARCH_ACTION_STATE_STOP_CONTENT);
+         rarch_main_set_state(RARCH_ACTION_STATE_RUNNING_FINISHED);
          rarch_main_set_state(RARCH_ACTION_STATE_EXITSPAWN);
          break;
       case RARCH_CMD_MENU_SAVE_CONFIG: