diff --git a/midi_driver.h b/midi_driver.h
index 00b3396e31..eda442f007 100644
--- a/midi_driver.h
+++ b/midi_driver.h
@@ -230,8 +230,10 @@ bool midi_driver_set_volume(unsigned volume);
 bool midi_driver_set_input(const char *input);
 bool midi_driver_set_output(void *data, const char *output);
 
-/* Opens the devices on behalf of a core, now or at the next driver init */
-void midi_driver_request(void);
+/* true: opens the devices on behalf of a core, now or at the next
+ * driver init, and at every driver init until the core is unloaded.
+ * false: the core is unloaded; the next driver init leaves them shut. */
+void midi_driver_request(bool requested);
 
 /**
  * midi_driver_get_event_size:
diff --git a/retroarch.c b/retroarch.c
index d5f9040352..2e1859b17e 100644
--- a/retroarch.c
+++ b/retroarch.c
@@ -1025,10 +1025,10 @@ static bool midi_driver_init(void *data)
    return true;
 }
 
-void midi_driver_request(void)
+void midi_driver_request(bool requested)
 {
-   rarch_midi_drv_requested = true;
-   if (rarch_midi_drv_inited)
+   rarch_midi_drv_requested = requested;
+   if (requested && rarch_midi_drv_inited)
       midi_driver_open(config_get_ptr());
 }
 
@@ -2254,13 +2254,11 @@ void driver_uninit(int flags, enum driver_lifetime_flags lifetime_flags)
       microphone_driver_deinit(lifetime_flags & DRIVER_LIFETIME_RESET);
 #endif
 
+   /* The core's request outlives this: a staged content load frees
+    * the drivers after the new core has asked, and drivers_init
+    * reopens for it. The request ends with the core's unload. */
    if (flags & DRIVER_MIDI_MASK)
-   {
       midi_driver_free();
-      /* Reopen after a reinit, not after the core is unloaded */
-      if (!(lifetime_flags & DRIVER_LIFETIME_RESET))
-         rarch_midi_drv_requested = false;
-   }
 
 #ifdef HAVE_LAKKA
    cpu_scaling_driver_free();
diff --git a/runloop.c b/runloop.c
index 37cda99a37..786d501ca0 100644
--- a/runloop.c
+++ b/runloop.c
@@ -4041,7 +4041,7 @@ bool runloop_environment_cb(unsigned cmd, void *data)
 
          if (midi_interface)
          {
-            midi_driver_request();
+            midi_driver_request(true);
             midi_interface->input_enabled  = midi_driver_input_enabled;
             midi_interface->output_enabled = midi_driver_output_enabled;
             midi_interface->read           = midi_driver_read;
@@ -5732,6 +5732,8 @@ void runloop_event_deinit_core(void)
     * follows to write that. */
    input_driver_flush_rumble();
    led_driver_flush();
+   /* After retro_deinit, which may still send its notes-off */
+   midi_driver_request(false);
 
    /* retro_deinit() may call
     * RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_FASTFORWARDING_OVERRIDE
diff --git a/samples/tasks/content_load/content_load_test.c b/samples/tasks/content_load/content_load_test.c
index e9f85fbd03..152b01a9a0 100644
--- a/samples/tasks/content_load/content_load_test.c
+++ b/samples/tasks/content_load/content_load_test.c
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@
  *    refused, and the first still completes;
  *  - reinit deferred: a driver reinit asked for while the load is in
  *    flight leaves the drivers as they are - the load rebuilds them;
+ *  - midi requested: a core that asks for the MIDI interface while it
+ *    loads has the output open once the load has rebuilt the drivers;
+ *    the next core, which does not ask, has it shut;
  *  - fallback: a core that cannot be loaded ends on the dummy core
  *    with the drivers rebuilt and the menu up;
  *  - not a core: a library that opens but lacks retro_init does the
@@ -66,6 +69,7 @@
 #include "../../../verbosity.h"
 #include "../../../gfx/video_driver.h"
 #include "../../../audio/audio_driver.h"
+#include "../../../midi_driver.h"
 #include "../../../gfx/video_defines.h"
 #include "../../../menu/menu_driver.h"
 #include "../../../tasks/task_content.h"
@@ -496,6 +500,45 @@ static void lane_audio_kept(void)
             " a content load; with keeping off it is closed and opened\n");
 }
 
+/* The MIDI device of a core that asks for the interface while it loads:
+ * the ask comes before the load rebuilds the drivers, and the device
+ * is open on the rebuilt ones. A core that does not ask leaves it shut. */
+static void lane_midi_requested(void)
+{
+   struct load_frame log[LOAD_FRAMES];
+   unsigned had = failures;
+   unsigned n;
+
+   putenv((char*)"HARNESS_CORE_MIDI=1");
+   open_menu();
+   CHECK(task_push_load_contentless_core_from_menu(core_path),
+         "the load was not started");
+   n = run_load(log, LOAD_FRAMES);
+   CHECK(n < LOAD_FRAMES && core_is_up(),
+         "the load did not bring the core up within %u frames", LOAD_FRAMES);
+   CHECK(midi_driver_output_enabled(),
+         "the core asked for MIDI while loading, and no output is open "
+         "after the load");
+   pump(2);
+   CHECK(midi_driver_output_enabled(),
+         "the MIDI output closed once the core ran");
+
+   putenv((char*)"HARNESS_CORE_MIDI=");
+   open_menu();
+   CHECK(task_push_load_contentless_core_from_menu(core_path),
+         "the second load was not started");
+   n = run_load(log, LOAD_FRAMES);
+   CHECK(n < LOAD_FRAMES && core_is_up(),
+         "the second load did not bring the core up within %u frames",
+         LOAD_FRAMES);
+   CHECK(!midi_driver_output_enabled(),
+         "the MIDI output is open for a core that never asked for it");
+
+   if (failures == had)
+      fprintf(stderr, "[pass] midi requested lane: the output is open for"
+            " a core that asks while loading, shut for one that does not\n");
+}
+
 
 #if defined(HAVE_DYNAMIC)
 static void harness_sibling(char *s, size_t len, const char *name)
@@ -2735,6 +2778,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
       fprintf(cfg, "savestate_auto_save = \"false\"\n");
       fprintf(cfg, "menu_show_load_content_animation = \"false\"\n");
       fprintf(cfg, "threaded_data_runloop_enable = \"false\"\n");
+      /* The null MIDI driver's one output: the MIDI lane's device */
+      fprintf(cfg, "midi_driver = \"null\"\n");
+      fprintf(cfg, "midi_output = \"Null\"\n");
       /* The records of the cores asked live next to the info cache */
       fprintf(cfg, "libretro_info_path = \"%s\"\n", dir);
       /* Where a contentless core's states go, named after the core:
@@ -2809,6 +2855,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
    lane_staged();
    lane_core_opened_once();
    lane_audio_kept();
+   lane_midi_requested();
 #if defined(HAVE_DYNAMIC)
    lane_probe_cached();
 #endif
diff --git a/samples/tasks/content_load/harness_core.c b/samples/tasks/content_load/harness_core.c
index ec4b511213..57e9947102 100644
--- a/samples/tasks/content_load/harness_core.c
+++ b/samples/tasks/content_load/harness_core.c
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
  * content, pushes a frame per retro_run, and counts its own
  * retro_init calls behind an export, so the harness can tell exactly
  * which frame the frontend brought it up on. */
+#include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <libretro.h>
@@ -188,6 +189,16 @@ bool retro_load_game(const struct retro_game_info *game)
    hw.context_destroy = hw_context_destroy;
    environ_cb(RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_SET_HW_RENDER, &hw);
 #endif
+   /* HARNESS_CORE_MIDI set: the MIDI interface is asked for here, as
+    * cores that play music through it do */
+   {
+      const char *midi = getenv("HARNESS_CORE_MIDI");
+      if (midi && *midi)
+      {
+         struct retro_midi_interface midi_cb;
+         environ_cb(RETRO_ENVIRONMENT_GET_MIDI_INTERFACE, &midi_cb);
+      }
+   }
    (void)game;
    return true;
 }