diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOAndroid.h b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOAndroid.h
index 1802002a42..4447d6ba3e 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOAndroid.h
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOAndroid.h
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ public:
   bool IsReady() const override { return true; }
   void FindWiimotes(std::vector<Wiimote*>&, Wiimote*&) override;
   void Update() override {}
+  void RequestStopSearching() override {}
 };
 }  // namespace WiimoteReal
 
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IODummy.h b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IODummy.h
index 3d85fb94c9..9e4423ece6 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IODummy.h
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IODummy.h
@@ -16,5 +16,6 @@ public:
   bool IsReady() const override { return false; }
   void FindWiimotes(std::vector<Wiimote*>&, Wiimote*&) override {}
   void Update() override {}
+  void RequestStopSearching() override {}
 };
 }  // namespace WiimoteReal
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOLinux.h b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOLinux.h
index 665e91bd4d..0269991740 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOLinux.h
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOLinux.h
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@ public:
   ~WiimoteScannerLinux() override;
   bool IsReady() const override;
   void FindWiimotes(std::vector<Wiimote*>&, Wiimote*&) override;
-  void Update() override {}  // not needed on Linux
+  void Update() override {}                // not needed on Linux
+  void RequestStopSearching() override {}  // not needed on Linux
 private:
   int m_device_id;
   int m_device_sock;
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOWin.h b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOWin.h
index bdca060553..fdad972f74 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOWin.h
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOWin.h
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ public:
   bool IsReady() const override;
   void FindWiimotes(std::vector<Wiimote*>&, Wiimote*&) override;
   void Update() override;
+  void RequestStopSearching() override {}
 };
 }  // namespace WiimoteReal
 
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOdarwin.h b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOdarwin.h
index ee0b4b9273..fd474b6048 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOdarwin.h
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOdarwin.h
@@ -7,18 +7,28 @@
 #ifdef __APPLE__
 #include "Core/HW/WiimoteReal/WiimoteReal.h"
 
+#ifdef __OBJC__
+#import <IOBluetooth/IOBluetooth.h>
+#else
+// IOBluetooth's types won't be defined in pure C++ mode.
+typedef void IOBluetoothHostController;
+#endif
+
 namespace WiimoteReal
 {
 class WiimoteScannerDarwin final : public WiimoteScannerBackend
 {
 public:
-  WiimoteScannerDarwin() = default;
+  WiimoteScannerDarwin();
   ~WiimoteScannerDarwin() override;
   bool IsReady() const override;
   void FindWiimotes(std::vector<Wiimote*>&, Wiimote*&) override;
   void Update() override {}  // not needed
+  void RequestStopSearching() override { m_stop_scanning = true; }
+
 private:
-  bool stopScanning = false;
+  IOBluetoothHostController* m_host_controller;
+  bool m_stop_scanning = false;
 };
 }  // namespace WiimoteReal
 
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOdarwin.mm b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOdarwin.mm
index a5b2891a32..34d10b083d 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOdarwin.mm
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOdarwin.mm
@@ -21,28 +21,41 @@
 
 namespace WiimoteReal
 {
+WiimoteScannerDarwin::WiimoteScannerDarwin()
+{
+  m_host_controller = [IOBluetoothHostController defaultController];
+  if (![m_host_controller addressAsString])
+  {
+    WARN_LOG_FMT(WIIMOTE, "No Bluetooth host controller");
+
+    [m_host_controller release];
+    m_host_controller = nil;
+
+    return;
+  }
+
+  [m_host_controller retain];
+}
+
 WiimoteScannerDarwin::~WiimoteScannerDarwin()
 {
-  stopScanning = true;
+  [m_host_controller release];
+  m_host_controller = nil;
+
+  m_stop_scanning = true;
 }
 
 void WiimoteScannerDarwin::FindWiimotes(std::vector<Wiimote*>& found_wiimotes,
                                         Wiimote*& found_board)
 {
-  // TODO: find the device in the constructor and save it for later
-  IOBluetoothHostController* bth;
-  IOBluetoothDeviceInquiry* bti;
-  found_board = nullptr;
-
-  bth = [[IOBluetoothHostController alloc] init];
-  bool btFailed = [bth addressAsString] == nil;
-  if (btFailed)
+  if (!m_host_controller)
   {
-    WARN_LOG_FMT(WIIMOTE, "No Bluetooth host controller");
-    [bth release];
     return;
   }
 
+  IOBluetoothDeviceInquiry* bti;
+  found_board = nullptr;
+
   SearchBT* sbt = [[SearchBT alloc] init];
   sbt->maxDevices = 32;
   bti = [[IOBluetoothDeviceInquiry alloc] init];
@@ -52,15 +65,15 @@ void WiimoteScannerDarwin::FindWiimotes(std::vector<Wiimote*>& found_wiimotes,
   if ([bti start] != kIOReturnSuccess)
   {
     ERROR_LOG_FMT(WIIMOTE, "Unable to do Bluetooth discovery");
-    [bth release];
     [sbt release];
-    btFailed = true;
+
+    return;
   }
 
   do
   {
     CFRunLoopRunInMode(kCFRunLoopDefaultMode, 0, false);
-  } while (!sbt->done && !stopScanning);
+  } while (!sbt->done && !m_stop_scanning);
 
   int found_devices = [[bti foundDevices] count];
 
@@ -86,15 +99,13 @@ void WiimoteScannerDarwin::FindWiimotes(std::vector<Wiimote*>& found_wiimotes,
     }
   }
 
-  [bth release];
   [bti release];
   [sbt release];
 }
 
 bool WiimoteScannerDarwin::IsReady() const
 {
-  // TODO: only return true when a BT device is present
-  return true;
+  return m_host_controller != nil;
 }
 
 WiimoteDarwin::WiimoteDarwin(IOBluetoothDevice* device) : m_btd(device)
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOdarwin_private.h b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOdarwin_private.h
index 05b6503b48..cbed1752e9 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOdarwin_private.h
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOdarwin_private.h
@@ -4,13 +4,6 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
-// Work around an Apple bug: for some reason, IOBluetooth.h errors on
-// inclusion in Mavericks, but only in Objective-C++ C++11 mode.  I filed
-// this as <rdar://15312520>; in the meantime...
-#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
-#undef NS_ENUM_AVAILABLE
-#define NS_ENUM_AVAILABLE(...)
-// end hack
 #import <IOBluetooth/IOBluetooth.h>
 #include <IOKit/pwr_mgt/IOPMLib.h>
 
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOhidapi.h b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOhidapi.h
index d414acdf8a..2cc4505533 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOhidapi.h
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/IOhidapi.h
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@ public:
   ~WiimoteScannerHidapi();
   bool IsReady() const override;
   void FindWiimotes(std::vector<Wiimote*>&, Wiimote*&) override;
-  void Update() override {}  // not needed for hidapi
+  void Update() override {}                // not needed for hidapi
+  void RequestStopSearching() override {}  // not needed for hidapi
 };
 }  // namespace WiimoteReal
 
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/WiimoteReal.cpp b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/WiimoteReal.cpp
index 83d262ebeb..397cc0774e 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/WiimoteReal.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/WiimoteReal.cpp
@@ -545,6 +545,12 @@ void WiimoteScanner::StopThread()
   if (m_scan_thread_running.TestAndClear())
   {
     SetScanMode(WiimoteScanMode::DO_NOT_SCAN);
+
+    for (const auto& backend : m_backends)
+    {
+      backend->RequestStopSearching();
+    }
+
     m_scan_thread.join();
   }
 }
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/WiimoteReal.h b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/WiimoteReal.h
index 701371d4bd..9756ff6204 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/WiimoteReal.h
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/WiimoteReal.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright 2008 Dolphin Emulator Project
+// Copyright 2008 Dolphin Emulator Project
 // Licensed under GPLv2+
 // Refer to the license.txt file included.
 
@@ -155,6 +155,8 @@ public:
   virtual void FindWiimotes(std::vector<Wiimote*>&, Wiimote*&) = 0;
   // function called when not looking for more Wiimotes
   virtual void Update() = 0;
+  // requests the backend to stop scanning if FindWiimotes is blocking
+  virtual void RequestStopSearching() = 0;
 };
 
 enum class WiimoteScanMode