diff --git a/dynamic.c b/dynamic.c
index 57860599b6..2a5af5ade5 100644
--- a/dynamic.c
+++ b/dynamic.c
@@ -700,6 +700,8 @@ bool rarch_environment_cb(unsigned cmd, void *data)
             }
          }
 
+         g_extern.has_set_input_descriptors = true;
+
          break;
       }
 
diff --git a/general.h b/general.h
index 4e2c94d3cc..5de5819e58 100644
--- a/general.h
+++ b/general.h
@@ -484,6 +484,7 @@ struct global
    char gb_rom_path[PATH_MAX];
    char bsx_rom_path[PATH_MAX];
    char sufami_rom_path[2][PATH_MAX];
+   bool has_set_input_descriptors;
    bool has_set_save_path;
    bool has_set_state_path;
    bool has_set_libretro_device[MAX_PLAYERS];
diff --git a/settings.c b/settings.c
index b30aa2adf7..989a7cb3bd 100644
--- a/settings.c
+++ b/settings.c
@@ -442,6 +442,7 @@ static void config_set_defaults(void)
    g_settings.camera.allow = false;
 
    g_settings.input.input_descriptor_label_show = input_descriptor_label_show;
+
    rarch_assert(sizeof(g_settings.input.binds[0]) >= sizeof(retro_keybinds_1));
    rarch_assert(sizeof(g_settings.input.binds[1]) >= sizeof(retro_keybinds_rest));
    memcpy(g_settings.input.binds[0], retro_keybinds_1, sizeof(retro_keybinds_1));
@@ -1531,6 +1532,9 @@ void config_load(void)
          g_settings.config_save_on_exit && g_settings.core_specific_config)
       config_save_file(g_extern.core_specific_config_path);
 
+   /* Flush out some states that could have been set by core environment variables */
+   g_extern.has_set_input_descriptors = false;
+
    if (!g_extern.block_config_read)
    {
       config_set_defaults();
diff --git a/settings_data.c b/settings_data.c
index 60d57e9e30..d05b7a4ffb 100644
--- a/settings_data.c
+++ b/settings_data.c
@@ -4537,10 +4537,13 @@ static bool setting_data_append_list_input_options(
          if (!keybind || keybind->meta)
             continue;
 
-         if (g_settings.input.input_descriptor_label_show)
+         if (
+               g_settings.input.input_descriptor_label_show
+               && (i < RARCH_FIRST_CUSTOM_BIND)
+               && (g_extern.has_set_input_descriptors)
+               )
             snprintf(label, sizeof(label), "%s %s", buffer[player],
-                  g_extern.system.input_desc_btn[player][i] 
-                  ? g_extern.system.input_desc_btn[player][i] : keybind->desc);
+                  g_extern.system.input_desc_btn[player][i] ? g_extern.system.input_desc_btn[player][i] : "N/A");
          else
             snprintf(label, sizeof(label), "%s %s", buffer[player], keybind->desc);