diff --git a/gfx/video_driver.c b/gfx/video_driver.c
index 55e6729382..effc8edecf 100644
--- a/gfx/video_driver.c
+++ b/gfx/video_driver.c
@@ -2280,6 +2280,15 @@ void video_driver_build_info(video_frame_info_t *video_info)
    video_info->height                = video_driver_height;
 
    video_info->use_rgba              = video_driver_supports_rgba();
+
+   video_info->libretro_running       = false;
+#ifdef HAVE_MENU
+   video_info->menu_wallpaper_opacity = settings->menu.wallpaper.opacity;
+
+   if (!settings->menu.pause_libretro)
+      video_info->libretro_running    = (rarch_ctl(RARCH_CTL_IS_INITED, NULL)
+            && !rarch_ctl(RARCH_CTL_IS_DUMMY_CORE, NULL));
+#endif
    video_driver_threaded_unlock();
 }
 
diff --git a/gfx/video_driver.h b/gfx/video_driver.h
index b08039dabd..5dd0e66cfb 100644
--- a/gfx/video_driver.h
+++ b/gfx/video_driver.h
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ typedef struct video_info
 
 typedef struct video_frame_info
 {
+   float menu_wallpaper_opacity;
    float refresh_rate;
    bool shared_context;
    bool black_frame_insertion;
@@ -112,6 +113,7 @@ typedef struct video_frame_info
    float font_msg_color_g;
    float font_msg_color_b;
    bool use_rgba;
+   bool libretro_running;
 } video_frame_info_t;
 
 /* Optionally implemented interface to poke more
diff --git a/menu/drivers/materialui.c b/menu/drivers/materialui.c
index b3beea073d..6def8f3047 100644
--- a/menu/drivers/materialui.c
+++ b/menu/drivers/materialui.c
@@ -924,7 +924,8 @@ static int mui_get_core_title(char *s, size_t len)
    return 0;
 }
 
-static void mui_draw_bg(menu_display_ctx_draw_t *draw)
+static void mui_draw_bg(menu_display_ctx_draw_t *draw,
+      video_frame_info_t *video_info)
 {
    menu_display_blend_begin();
 
@@ -933,7 +934,7 @@ static void mui_draw_bg(menu_display_ctx_draw_t *draw)
    draw->pipeline.id     = 0;
    draw->pipeline.active = false;
 
-   menu_display_draw_bg(draw, false);
+   menu_display_draw_bg(draw, video_info, false);
    menu_display_draw(draw);
    menu_display_blend_end();
 }
@@ -1039,7 +1040,7 @@ static void mui_frame(void *data, video_frame_info_t *video_info)
    uint64_t frame_count            = video_info->frame_count;
    settings_t *settings            = config_get_ptr();
    bool background_rendered        = false;
-   bool libretro_running           = menu_display_libretro_running();
+   bool libretro_running           = video_info->libretro_running;
 
    /* Default is blue theme */
    float *header_bg_color          = NULL;
@@ -1226,10 +1227,7 @@ static void mui_frame(void *data, video_frame_info_t *video_info)
       draw.vertex_count       = 4;
       draw.prim_type          = MENU_DISPLAY_PRIM_TRIANGLESTRIP;
 
-      if (!menu_display_libretro_running() && draw.texture)
-         draw.color             = &white_bg[0];
-
-      mui_draw_bg(&draw);
+      mui_draw_bg(&draw, video_info);
    }
    else
    {
@@ -1252,10 +1250,10 @@ static void mui_frame(void *data, video_frame_info_t *video_info)
          draw.vertex_count       = 4;
          draw.prim_type          = MENU_DISPLAY_PRIM_TRIANGLESTRIP;
 
-         if (!menu_display_libretro_running() && draw.texture)
-            draw.color             = &white_bg[0];
+         if (draw.texture)
+            draw.color           = &white_bg[0];
 
-         mui_draw_bg(&draw);
+         mui_draw_bg(&draw, video_info);
 
          /* Restore opacity of transposed white background */
          menu_display_set_alpha(white_transp_bg, 0.90);
diff --git a/menu/drivers/nuklear.c b/menu/drivers/nuklear.c
index 618385a713..77c0020076 100644
--- a/menu/drivers/nuklear.c
+++ b/menu/drivers/nuklear.c
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ static void nk_menu_frame(void *data, video_frame_info_t *video_info)
    settings_t *settings   = config_get_ptr();
    unsigned width         = video_info->width;
    unsigned height        = video_info->height;
-   bool libretro_running  = menu_display_libretro_running();
+   bool libretro_running  = video_info->libretro_running;
    float white_bg[16]     =  {
       0.98, 0.98, 0.98, 1,
       0.98, 0.98, 0.98, 1,
diff --git a/menu/drivers/xmb.c b/menu/drivers/xmb.c
index 109c65f068..7c6c8fc956 100644
--- a/menu/drivers/xmb.c
+++ b/menu/drivers/xmb.c
@@ -2424,7 +2424,7 @@ static void xmb_draw_bg(
    RARCH_LOG("DRAW BG %d %d \n",width,height);
 #endif
 
-   bool running              = menu_display_libretro_running();
+   bool running              = video_info->libretro_running;
 
    draw.x                    = 0;
    draw.y                    = 0;
@@ -2454,7 +2454,7 @@ static void xmb_draw_bg(
       else
          menu_display_set_alpha(draw.color, coord_white[3]);
 
-      menu_display_draw_gradient(&draw);
+      menu_display_draw_gradient(&draw, video_info);
 
       draw.pipeline.id = VIDEO_SHADER_MENU_2;
 
@@ -2492,7 +2492,7 @@ static void xmb_draw_bg(
          menu_display_set_alpha(draw.color, coord_white[3]);
 
       if (settings->menu.xmb.menu_color_theme != XMB_THEME_WALLPAPER)
-         menu_display_draw_gradient(&draw);
+         menu_display_draw_gradient(&draw, video_info);
 
       {
          bool add_opacity = false;
@@ -2505,7 +2505,7 @@ static void xmb_draw_bg(
          if (settings->menu.xmb.menu_color_theme == XMB_THEME_WALLPAPER)
             add_opacity = true;
 
-         menu_display_draw_bg(&draw, add_opacity);
+         menu_display_draw_bg(&draw, video_info, add_opacity);
       }
    }
 
diff --git a/menu/drivers/zarch.c b/menu/drivers/zarch.c
index 2581eb7a6f..0d47a9719f 100644
--- a/menu/drivers/zarch.c
+++ b/menu/drivers/zarch.c
@@ -970,13 +970,13 @@ static void zarch_frame(void *data, video_frame_info_t *video_info)
    draw.vertex_count       = 4;
    draw.prim_type          = MENU_DISPLAY_PRIM_TRIANGLESTRIP;
 
-   if (!menu_display_libretro_running() && draw.texture)
-      draw.color             = &coord_color2[0];
+   if (!video_info->libretro_running && draw.texture)
+      draw.color           = &coord_color2[0];
 
    menu_display_blend_begin();
    draw.x              = 0;
    draw.y              = 0;
-   menu_display_draw_bg(&draw, false);
+   menu_display_draw_bg(&draw, video_info, false);
    menu_display_draw(&draw);
    menu_display_blend_end();
 
diff --git a/menu/menu_display.c b/menu/menu_display.c
index 38171cdd5f..025957f8ee 100644
--- a/menu/menu_display.c
+++ b/menu/menu_display.c
@@ -495,7 +495,8 @@ void menu_display_draw_pipeline(menu_display_ctx_draw_t *draw)
    menu_disp->draw_pipeline(draw);
 }
 
-void menu_display_draw_bg(menu_display_ctx_draw_t *draw, bool add_opacity_to_wallpaper)
+void menu_display_draw_bg(menu_display_ctx_draw_t *draw, 
+      video_frame_info_t *video_info, bool add_opacity_to_wallpaper)
 {
    static struct video_coords coords;
    const float *new_vertex       = NULL;
@@ -519,7 +520,7 @@ void menu_display_draw_bg(menu_display_ctx_draw_t *draw, bool add_opacity_to_wal
 
    draw->coords      = &coords;
 
-   if (!menu_display_libretro_running() && !draw->pipeline.active)
+   if (!video_info->libretro_running && !draw->pipeline.active)
       add_opacity_to_wallpaper = true;
 
    if (add_opacity_to_wallpaper)
@@ -534,13 +535,14 @@ void menu_display_draw_bg(menu_display_ctx_draw_t *draw, bool add_opacity_to_wal
    draw->matrix_data = (math_matrix_4x4*)menu_disp->get_default_mvp();
 }
 
-void menu_display_draw_gradient(menu_display_ctx_draw_t *draw)
+void menu_display_draw_gradient(menu_display_ctx_draw_t *draw,
+      video_frame_info_t *video_info)
 {
    draw->texture       = 0;
    draw->x             = 0;
    draw->y             = 0;
 
-   menu_display_draw_bg(draw, false);
+   menu_display_draw_bg(draw, video_info, false);
    menu_display_draw(draw);
 }
 
diff --git a/menu/menu_display.h b/menu/menu_display.h
index 0f4f5a300b..93b926b944 100644
--- a/menu/menu_display.h
+++ b/menu/menu_display.h
@@ -240,8 +240,13 @@ void menu_display_clear_color(menu_display_ctx_clearcolor_t *color);
 void menu_display_draw(menu_display_ctx_draw_t *draw);
 
 void menu_display_draw_pipeline(menu_display_ctx_draw_t *draw);
-void menu_display_draw_bg(menu_display_ctx_draw_t *draw, bool add_opacity);
-void menu_display_draw_gradient(menu_display_ctx_draw_t *draw);
+void menu_display_draw_bg(
+      menu_display_ctx_draw_t *draw,
+      video_frame_info_t *video_info,
+      bool add_opacity);
+void menu_display_draw_gradient(
+      menu_display_ctx_draw_t *draw,
+      video_frame_info_t *video_info);
 void menu_display_draw_quad(int x, int y, unsigned w, unsigned h,
       unsigned width, unsigned height,
       float *color);