diff --git a/UI/MiscScreens.cpp b/UI/MiscScreens.cpp
index 577e1cedd6..fa6980f0f4 100644
--- a/UI/MiscScreens.cpp
+++ b/UI/MiscScreens.cpp
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ static const uint32_t colors[4] = {
 
 static std::unique_ptr<ManagedTexture> bgTexture;
 
+static bool backgroundInited;
+
 void UIBackgroundInit(UIContext &dc) {
 	const std::string bgPng = GetSysDirectory(DIRECTORY_SYSTEM) + "background.png";
 	const std::string bgJpg = GetSysDirectory(DIRECTORY_SYSTEM) + "background.jpg";
@@ -82,9 +84,15 @@ void UIBackgroundInit(UIContext &dc) {
 
 void UIBackgroundShutdown() {
 	bgTexture.reset(nullptr);
+	backgroundInited = false;
 }
 
 void DrawBackground(UIContext &dc, float alpha) {
+	if (!backgroundInited) {
+		UIBackgroundInit(dc);
+		backgroundInited = true;
+	}
+
 	static float xbase[100] = {0};
 	static float ybase[100] = {0};
 	float xres = dc.GetBounds().w;
diff --git a/UI/NativeApp.cpp b/UI/NativeApp.cpp
index 59344be74e..cbfceed7c2 100644
--- a/UI/NativeApp.cpp
+++ b/UI/NativeApp.cpp
@@ -664,8 +664,6 @@ bool NativeInitGraphics(GraphicsContext *graphicsContext) {
 	screenManager->setDrawContext(g_draw);
 	screenManager->setPostRenderCallback(&RenderOverlays, nullptr);
 
-	UIBackgroundInit(*uiContext);
-
 #ifdef _WIN32
 	winAudioBackend = CreateAudioBackend((AudioBackendType)g_Config.iAudioBackend);
 #if PPSSPP_PLATFORM(UWP)