diff --git a/driver.h b/driver.h
index e944fe0b3e..f8eb37fea4 100644
--- a/driver.h
+++ b/driver.h
@@ -212,9 +212,8 @@ typedef struct driver
    void *location_data;
    void *resampler_data;
    void *recording_data;
-#ifdef HAVE_NETPLAY
    void *netplay_data;
-#endif
+   void *ui_companion_data;
 
    bool audio_active;
    bool video_active;
diff --git a/frontend/frontend.c b/frontend/frontend.c
index d9a717a9b0..e053a41e6a 100644
--- a/frontend/frontend.c
+++ b/frontend/frontend.c
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ void main_exit(args_type() args)
    settings_t *settings                  = config_get_ptr();
    global_t   *global                    = global_get_ptr();
    const frontend_ctx_driver_t *frontend = frontend_get_ptr();
+   const ui_companion_driver_t *ui       = ui_companion_get_ptr();
 
    global->system.shutdown         = false;
 
@@ -123,6 +124,12 @@ void main_exit(args_type() args)
 
    rarch_main_free();
 
+   if (ui)
+   {
+      if (ui->deinit)
+         ui->deinit(driver->ui_companion_data);
+   }
+
    if (frontend)
    {
       if (frontend->shutdown)
@@ -333,6 +340,9 @@ returntype main_entry(signature())
                &global->system.info);
    }
 
+   if (driver)
+      driver->ui_companion = (ui_companion_driver_t*)ui_companion_init_first();
+
 #if defined(HAVE_MAIN_LOOP)
    while (rarch_main_iterate() != -1);
 
diff --git a/ui/drivers/ui_null.c b/ui/drivers/ui_null.c
index d4e67ba085..430674bb43 100644
--- a/ui/drivers/ui_null.c
+++ b/ui/drivers/ui_null.c
@@ -16,19 +16,33 @@
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <boolean.h>
 #include <stddef.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
 #include <file/file_path.h>
 #include "../ui_companion_driver.h"
 
+typedef struct ui_companion_null
+{
+   void *empty;
+} ui_companion_null_t;
+
 static void ui_companion_null_deinit(void *data)
 {
-   (void)data;
+   ui_companion_null_t *handle = (ui_companion_null_t*)data;
+
+   if (handle)
+      free(handle);
 }
 
-static void ui_companion_null_init(void *data)
+static void *ui_companion_null_init(void)
 {
-   (void)data;
+   ui_companion_null_t *handle = (ui_companion_null_t*)calloc(1, sizeof(*handle));
+
+   if (!handle)
+      return NULL;
+
+   return handle;
 }
 
 const ui_companion_driver_t ui_companion_null = {
diff --git a/ui/ui_companion_driver.c b/ui/ui_companion_driver.c
index c748be54db..3e99e79798 100644
--- a/ui/ui_companion_driver.c
+++ b/ui/ui_companion_driver.c
@@ -57,15 +57,11 @@ const ui_companion_driver_t *ui_companion_find_driver(const char *ident)
 const ui_companion_driver_t *ui_companion_init_first(void)
 {
    unsigned i;
-   const ui_companion_driver_t *ui_companion = NULL;
 
    for (i = 0; ui_companion_drivers[i]; i++)
-   {
-      ui_companion = ui_companion_drivers[i];
-      break;
-   }
+      return ui_companion_drivers[i];
 
-   return ui_companion;
+   return NULL;
 }
 
 const ui_companion_driver_t *ui_companion_get_ptr(void)
diff --git a/ui/ui_companion_driver.h b/ui/ui_companion_driver.h
index f2dee7cb29..e863352fce 100644
--- a/ui/ui_companion_driver.h
+++ b/ui/ui_companion_driver.h
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ extern "C" {
 
 typedef struct ui_companion_driver
 {
-   void (*init)(void *data);
+   void *(*init)(void);
    void (*deinit)(void *data);
    void (*toggle_companion_ui)(void);
    void (*notify_content_loaded)(void);