diff --git a/include/mapper.h b/include/mapper.h
index 674a9363..975d865d 100644
--- a/include/mapper.h
+++ b/include/mapper.h
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ void MAPPER_BindKeys();
 void MAPPER_StartUp(Section * sec);
 void MAPPER_Run(bool pressed);
 void MAPPER_DisplayUI();
-void MAPPER_LosingFocus(void);
+void MAPPER_LosingFocus();
+bool MAPPER_IsUsingJoysticks();
 std::vector<std::string> MAPPER_GetEventNames(const std::string &prefix);
 void MAPPER_AutoType(std::vector<std::string> &sequence,
                      const uint32_t wait_ms,
diff --git a/src/gui/sdl_mapper.cpp b/src/gui/sdl_mapper.cpp
index 0d549c8d..e884de5a 100644
--- a/src/gui/sdl_mapper.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/sdl_mapper.cpp
@@ -2500,9 +2500,10 @@ void BIND_MappingEvents() {
 /**
  *  Queries SDL's joysticks and sets joytype accordingly.
  *  If no joysticks are valid then joytype is left at JOY_NONE.
- *  Also resets mapper.sticks.num_groups to 0 and
- *  mapper.sticks.num to the number of found SDL joysticks.
- */
+ *  Also resets mapper.sticks.num_groups to 0, mapper.sticks.num
+ *  to the number of found SDL joysticks, and enables the boolean
+ *  joysticks_active if joystick support is enabled and are present.
+ */ 
 static void QueryJoysticks() {
 	// Initialize SDL's Joystick and Event subsystems, if needed
 	if (SDL_WasInit(SDL_INIT_JOYSTICK) != SDL_INIT_JOYSTICK)
@@ -2597,6 +2598,10 @@ static void CreateBindGroups() {
 	}
 }
 
+bool MAPPER_IsUsingJoysticks() {
+	return (mapper.sticks.num > 0);
+}
+
 #if defined (REDUCE_JOYSTICK_POLLING)
 void MAPPER_UpdateJoysticks() {
 	for (Bitu i=0; i<mapper.sticks.num_groups; i++) {
diff --git a/src/gui/sdlmain.cpp b/src/gui/sdlmain.cpp
index fb020d6a..1fe9def5 100644
--- a/src/gui/sdlmain.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/sdlmain.cpp
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
 #include "cross.h"
 #include "video.h"
 #include "mouse.h"
+#include "joystick.h"
 #include "pic.h"
 #include "timer.h"
 #include "setup.h"
@@ -62,7 +63,6 @@
 #include "../libs/ppscale/ppscale.h"
 
 #define MAPPERFILE "mapper-sdl2-" VERSION ".map"
-//#define DISABLE_JOYSTICK
 
 #if C_OPENGL
 //Define to disable the usage of the pixel buffer object
@@ -344,7 +344,6 @@ struct SDL_Block {
 	int  ppscale_x, ppscale_y; /* x and y scales for pixel-perfect     */
 	bool double_h, double_w;   /* double-height and double-width flags */
 	SDL_Rect updateRects[1024];
-	Bitu num_joysticks;
 #if defined (WIN32)
 	// Time when sdl regains focus (alt-tab) in windowed mode
 	Bit32u focus_ticks;
@@ -2457,12 +2456,14 @@ void GFX_Events() {
 
 	SDL_Event event;
 #if defined (REDUCE_JOYSTICK_POLLING)
-	static int poll_delay = 0;
-	int time = GetTicks();
-	if (time - poll_delay > 20) {
-		poll_delay = time;
-		if (sdl.num_joysticks > 0) SDL_JoystickUpdate();
-		MAPPER_UpdateJoysticks();
+	if (MAPPER_IsUsingJoysticks()) {
+		static int poll_delay = 0;
+		int time = GetTicks();
+		if (time - poll_delay > 20) {
+			poll_delay = time;
+			SDL_JoystickUpdate();
+			MAPPER_UpdateJoysticks();
+		}
 	}
 #endif
 	while (SDL_PollEvent(&event)) {
@@ -3151,18 +3152,9 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
 	// Once initialized, ensure we clean up SDL for all exit conditions
 	atexit(SDL_Quit);
 
-#ifndef DISABLE_JOYSTICK
-	//Initialise Joystick separately. This way we can warn when it fails instead
-	//of exiting the application
-	if( SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_JOYSTICK) < 0 )
-		LOG_MSG("Failed to init joystick support");
-#endif
-
 	sdl.laltstate = SDL_KEYUP;
 	sdl.raltstate = SDL_KEYUP;
 
-	sdl.num_joysticks=SDL_NumJoysticks();
-
 	CROSS_DetermineConfigPaths();
 
 	/* Parse configuration files */