diff --git a/src/citra/config.cpp b/src/citra/config.cpp
index 846479fd7..a2256b001 100644
--- a/src/citra/config.cpp
+++ b/src/citra/config.cpp
@@ -82,6 +82,9 @@ void Config::ReadValues() {
     // System Region
     Settings::values.region_value = glfw_config->GetInteger("System Region", "region_value", 1);
 
+    // Input Backend
+    Settings::values.input_backend = glfw_config->GetInteger("Input Backend", "input_backend", 0);
+
     // Miscellaneous
     Settings::values.log_filter = glfw_config->Get("Miscellaneous", "log_filter", "*:Info");
 }
diff --git a/src/citra/default_ini.h b/src/citra/default_ini.h
index fd5a90d56..5129e613d 100644
--- a/src/citra/default_ini.h
+++ b/src/citra/default_ini.h
@@ -62,6 +62,11 @@ use_virtual_sd =
 # 0: Japan, 1: USA (default), 2: Europe, 3: Australia, 4: China, 5: Korea, 6: Taiwan
 region_value =
 
+[Input Backend]
+# Input system Citra will use during emulation
+# 0: Keyboard (default), 1: SDL2 (gamepad)
+input_backend =
+
 [Miscellaneous]
 # A filter which removes logs below a certain logging level.
 # Examples: *:Debug Kernel.SVC:Trace Service.*:Critical
diff --git a/src/citra/emu_window/emu_window_glfw.cpp b/src/citra/emu_window/emu_window_glfw.cpp
index 1dbd1a00d..900e1cfc3 100644
--- a/src/citra/emu_window/emu_window_glfw.cpp
+++ b/src/citra/emu_window/emu_window_glfw.cpp
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ void EmuWindow_GLFW::SwapBuffers() {
 /// Polls window events
 void EmuWindow_GLFW::PollEvents() {
     glfwPollEvents();
-    InputCommon::g_user_input->Poll();
+    if(InputCommon::g_user_input) InputCommon::g_user_input->Poll();
 }
 
 /// Makes the GLFW OpenGL context current for the caller thread
diff --git a/src/citra_qt/bootmanager.cpp b/src/citra_qt/bootmanager.cpp
index 998cb1b18..bfd82c6e0 100644
--- a/src/citra_qt/bootmanager.cpp
+++ b/src/citra_qt/bootmanager.cpp
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ void GRenderWindow::DoneCurrent()
 }
 
 void GRenderWindow::PollEvents() {
-    InputCommon::g_user_input->Poll();
+    if(InputCommon::g_user_input) InputCommon::g_user_input->Poll();
 }
 
 // On Qt 5.0+, this correctly gets the size of the framebuffer (pixels).
diff --git a/src/citra_qt/config.cpp b/src/citra_qt/config.cpp
index 460f4ec07..5f3be1210 100644
--- a/src/citra_qt/config.cpp
+++ b/src/citra_qt/config.cpp
@@ -69,6 +69,10 @@ void Config::ReadValues() {
     Settings::values.region_value = qt_config->value("region_value", 1).toInt();
     qt_config->endGroup();
 
+    qt_config->beginGroup("Input Backend");
+    Settings::values.input_backend = qt_config->value("input_backend", 0).toInt();
+    qt_config->endGroup();
+
     qt_config->beginGroup("Miscellaneous");
     Settings::values.log_filter = qt_config->value("log_filter", "*:Info").toString().toStdString();
     qt_config->endGroup();
@@ -123,6 +127,10 @@ void Config::SaveValues() {
     qt_config->setValue("region_value", Settings::values.region_value);
     qt_config->endGroup();
 
+    qt_config->beginGroup("Input Backend");
+    qt_config->setValue("input_backend", Settings::values.input_backend);
+    qt_config->endGroup();
+
     qt_config->beginGroup("Miscellaneous");
     qt_config->setValue("log_filter", QString::fromStdString(Settings::values.log_filter));
     qt_config->endGroup();
diff --git a/src/core/settings.h b/src/core/settings.h
index 54c1023b8..8f65a5cc4 100644
--- a/src/core/settings.h
+++ b/src/core/settings.h
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ struct Values {
     float bg_green;
     float bg_blue;
 
+    // Input backend
+    int input_backend;
+
     std::string log_filter;
 } extern values;
 
diff --git a/src/core/system.cpp b/src/core/system.cpp
index 50ef00e84..4b0209896 100644
--- a/src/core/system.cpp
+++ b/src/core/system.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ void Init(EmuWindow* emu_window) {
     Kernel::Init();
     HLE::Init();
     VideoCore::Init(emu_window);
-    InputCommon::Init(InputCommon::InputBackends::SDL2);
+    InputCommon::Init();
 }
 
 void Shutdown() {
diff --git a/src/input_common/input_common.cpp b/src/input_common/input_common.cpp
index 47df0babf..3520a7c83 100644
--- a/src/input_common/input_common.cpp
+++ b/src/input_common/input_common.cpp
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
     #include "input_common/sdl_input/sdl_input.h"
 #endif
 
+#include "core/settings.h"
+
 namespace InputCommon {
 
 // User input system
@@ -21,8 +23,13 @@ const Service::HID::PadState& InputBase::GetPadState() const {
     return controller.pad_state;
 }
 
-void Init(InputBackends backend) {
-    switch (backend) {
+void Init() {
+    // Initialize backend based on configuration settings
+    // Convert int into a strongly typed enum first
+
+    std::cout<<"Setting -> " << Settings::values.input_backend << "\n";
+
+    switch (static_cast<InputBackends>(Settings::values.input_backend)) {
         #ifdef HAS_SDL
             // SDL2 backend selected
             case InputBackends::SDL2:
@@ -41,10 +48,7 @@ void Init(InputBackends backend) {
     }
 
     // Shutdown immediately if backend failed to initialize
-    if (!g_user_input && !g_user_input->activated) {
-        Shutdown();
-        return;
-    }
+    if (!g_user_input) Shutdown();
 }
 
 void Shutdown() {
diff --git a/src/input_common/input_common.h b/src/input_common/input_common.h
index ea8f40a7c..c15665623 100644
--- a/src/input_common/input_common.h
+++ b/src/input_common/input_common.h
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ namespace InputCommon {
 
 /// Enum defining available backends
 enum class InputBackends {
-    NONE,
-    SDL2
+    NONE = 0,
+    SDL2 = 1
 };
 
 class InputBase : NonCopyable {
@@ -44,9 +44,6 @@ public:
      */
     const Service::HID::PadState& GetPadState() const;
 
-    /// Current input system activation status
-    bool activated;
-
 protected:
     /// Internal name of currently selected device
     std::string device_name;
@@ -55,11 +52,8 @@ protected:
     ControllerState controller;
 };
 
-/**
- * Initializes the user input system
- * @param backend Enumeration of the backend to use
- */
-void Init(InputBackends backend);
+/// Initialize the user input system
+void Init();
 
 /// Deactive the user input system
 void Shutdown();
diff --git a/src/input_common/sdl_input/sdl_input.cpp b/src/input_common/sdl_input/sdl_input.cpp
index 1b18ce0ad..9a6422be6 100644
--- a/src/input_common/sdl_input/sdl_input.cpp
+++ b/src/input_common/sdl_input/sdl_input.cpp
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ SDLController::SDLController() {
     controller.touch_screen_x = 0;
     controller.touch_screen_y = 0;
 
-    activated = Init();
+    Init();
 }
 
 SDLController::~SDLController() {
@@ -127,6 +127,10 @@ void SDLController::ProcessInput() {
             pad_id = 300;
             pad_id += input_event.jhat.hat * 4;
 
+            // It is physically impossible for a hat/"dpad" to have certain inputs activated
+            // That is to say when "left" is activated, "right" must be deactivated
+            // All of these activate/deactivate combos must be accounted for hat input
+            // For hats, pad_ids are L/R/U/D, e.g. L = pad_id, R = pad_id + 1, and so on
             switch (input_event.jhat.value) {
                 case SDL_HAT_CENTERED:
                     controller.pad_state.hex &= ~KeyMap::GetPadKey({pad_id, joypad_id}).hex;