diff --git a/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_left.c b/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_left.c
index f509e7e3fd..4c97ce189d 100644
--- a/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_left.c
+++ b/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_left.c
@@ -240,12 +240,11 @@ static int action_left_cheat_num_passes(unsigned type, const char *label,
       bool wraparound)
 {
    unsigned new_size = 0;
-   menu_handle_t *menu    = menu_driver_get_ptr();
 
    if (cheat_manager_get_size())
       new_size = cheat_manager_get_size() - 1;
    menu_entries_set_refresh(false);
-   menu->prevent_populate = true;
+   menu_driver_ctl(RARCH_MENU_CTL_SET_PREVENT_POPULATE, NULL);
    cheat_manager_realloc(new_size);
 
    return 0;
@@ -267,7 +266,7 @@ static int action_left_shader_num_passes(unsigned type, const char *label,
    if (shader->passes)
       shader->passes--;
    menu_entries_set_refresh(false);
-   menu->prevent_populate = true;
+   menu_driver_ctl(RARCH_MENU_CTL_SET_PREVENT_POPULATE, NULL);
    video_shader_resolve_parameters(NULL, menu->shader);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_right.c b/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_right.c
index 402f3009bf..e822a1a602 100644
--- a/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_right.c
+++ b/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_right.c
@@ -257,11 +257,10 @@ static int action_right_cheat_num_passes(unsigned type, const char *label,
       bool wraparound)
 {
    unsigned new_size = 0;
-   menu_handle_t *menu    = menu_driver_get_ptr();
 
    new_size = cheat_manager_get_size() + 1;
    menu_entries_set_refresh(false);
-   menu->prevent_populate = true;
+   menu_driver_ctl(RARCH_MENU_CTL_SET_PREVENT_POPULATE, NULL);
    cheat_manager_realloc(new_size);
 
    return 0;
@@ -283,7 +282,7 @@ static int action_right_shader_num_passes(unsigned type, const char *label,
    if ((shader->passes < GFX_MAX_SHADERS))
       shader->passes++;
    menu_entries_set_refresh(false);
-   menu->prevent_populate = true;
+   menu_driver_ctl(RARCH_MENU_CTL_SET_PREVENT_POPULATE, NULL);
    video_shader_resolve_parameters(NULL, menu->shader);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/menu/drivers/xmb.c b/menu/drivers/xmb.c
index 07819491d5..635aeb3eea 100644
--- a/menu/drivers/xmb.c
+++ b/menu/drivers/xmb.c
@@ -1139,7 +1139,7 @@ static void xmb_refresh_horizontal_list(xmb_handle_t *xmb,
       free(xmb->horizontal_list);
    xmb->horizontal_list = NULL;
 
-   menu->prevent_populate = true;
+   menu_driver_ctl(RARCH_MENU_CTL_SET_PREVENT_POPULATE, NULL);
 
    xmb_init_horizontal_list(menu, xmb);
    xmb_context_reset_horizontal_list(xmb, menu, themepath);
@@ -1232,10 +1232,10 @@ static void xmb_populate_entries(const char *path,
    if (!xmb)
       return;
 
-   if (menu->prevent_populate)
+   if (menu_driver_ctl(RARCH_MENU_CTL_IS_PREVENT_POPULATE, NULL))
    {
       xmb_selection_pointer_changed(false);
-      menu->prevent_populate = false;
+      menu_driver_ctl(RARCH_MENU_CTL_UNSET_PREVENT_POPULATE, NULL);
       if (settings->menu.boxart_enable)
          xmb_update_boxart_image(xmb);
       return;
@@ -1984,7 +1984,7 @@ static void *xmb_init(void)
    xmb->depth                   = 1;
    xmb->old_depth               = 1;
    xmb->alpha                   = 0;
-   menu->prevent_populate       = false;
+   menu_driver_ctl(RARCH_MENU_CTL_UNSET_PREVENT_POPULATE, NULL);
 
    /* TODO/FIXME - we don't use framebuffer at all
     * for XMB, we should refactor this dependency
@@ -2565,6 +2565,7 @@ static void xmb_context_destroy(void)
 
 static void xmb_toggle(bool menu_on)
 {
+   bool tmp             = false;
    xmb_handle_t *xmb    = NULL;
    menu_handle_t *menu  = menu_driver_get_ptr();
 
@@ -2587,7 +2588,12 @@ static void xmb_toggle(bool menu_on)
    menu_animation_push(XMB_DELAY, 1.0f,
          &xmb->alpha, EASING_IN_OUT_QUAD, -1, NULL);
 
-   menu->prevent_populate = !menu_entries_needs_refresh();
+   tmp = !menu_entries_needs_refresh();
+
+   if (tmp)
+      menu_driver_ctl(RARCH_MENU_CTL_SET_PREVENT_POPULATE, NULL);
+   else
+      menu_driver_ctl(RARCH_MENU_CTL_UNSET_PREVENT_POPULATE, NULL);
 
    xmb_toggle_horizontal_list(xmb, menu);
 }
diff --git a/menu/menu_driver.c b/menu/menu_driver.c
index 0f23dc4868..7722d7eb10 100644
--- a/menu/menu_driver.c
+++ b/menu/menu_driver.c
@@ -627,6 +627,7 @@ error:
 
 bool menu_driver_ctl(enum rarch_menu_ctl_state state, void *data)
 {
+   static bool menu_driver_prevent_populate       = false;
    static bool menu_driver_load_no_content        = false;
    static bool menu_driver_alive                  = false;
    static bool menu_driver_data_own               = false;
@@ -635,10 +636,11 @@ bool menu_driver_ctl(enum rarch_menu_ctl_state state, void *data)
    switch (state)
    {
       case RARCH_MENU_CTL_DESTROY:
-         menu_driver_load_no_content = false;
-         menu_driver_alive           = false;
-         menu_driver_data_own        = false;
-         menu_driver_ctx             = NULL;
+         menu_driver_prevent_populate = false;
+         menu_driver_load_no_content  = false;
+         menu_driver_alive            = false;
+         menu_driver_data_own         = false;
+         menu_driver_ctx              = NULL;
          break;
       case RARCH_MENU_CTL_FRAME:
          if (!menu_driver_alive)
@@ -646,6 +648,14 @@ bool menu_driver_ctl(enum rarch_menu_ctl_state state, void *data)
          if (driver->frame)
             driver->frame();
          break;
+      case RARCH_MENU_CTL_SET_PREVENT_POPULATE:
+         menu_driver_prevent_populate = true;
+         break;
+      case RARCH_MENU_CTL_UNSET_PREVENT_POPULATE:
+         menu_driver_prevent_populate = false;
+         break;
+      case RARCH_MENU_CTL_IS_PREVENT_POPULATE:
+         return menu_driver_prevent_populate;
       case RARCH_MENU_CTL_SET_TOGGLE:
          menu_driver_toggle(true);
          break;
diff --git a/menu/menu_driver.h b/menu/menu_driver.h
index 6ad3dc41bc..c4a124415b 100644
--- a/menu/menu_driver.h
+++ b/menu/menu_driver.h
@@ -96,6 +96,9 @@ enum rarch_menu_ctl_state
    RARCH_MENU_CTL_NONE = 0,
    RARCH_MENU_CTL_DEINIT,
    RARCH_MENU_CTL_FRAME,
+   RARCH_MENU_CTL_SET_PREVENT_POPULATE,
+   RARCH_MENU_CTL_UNSET_PREVENT_POPULATE,
+   RARCH_MENU_CTL_IS_PREVENT_POPULATE,
    RARCH_MENU_CTL_SET_TEXTURE,
    RARCH_MENU_CTL_SET_TOGGLE,
    RARCH_MENU_CTL_UNSET_TOGGLE,
@@ -245,8 +248,6 @@ typedef struct
 
    content_playlist_t *playlist;
    char db_playlist_file[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
-
-   bool prevent_populate; /* xmb hack */
 } menu_handle_t;
 
 typedef struct menu_ctx_driver