diff --git a/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_ok.c b/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_ok.c
index 35a9c6038a..180ceeace8 100644
--- a/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_ok.c
+++ b/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_ok.c
@@ -4640,37 +4640,10 @@ default_action_ok_download(action_ok_update_databases, MENU_ENUM_LABEL_CB_UPDATE
 default_action_ok_download(action_ok_update_cheats, MENU_ENUM_LABEL_CB_UPDATE_CHEATS)
 default_action_ok_download(action_ok_update_autoconfig_profiles, MENU_ENUM_LABEL_CB_UPDATE_AUTOCONFIG_PROFILES)
 
-/* creates folder and core options stub file for subsequent runs */
 static int action_ok_option_create(const char *path,
       const char *label, unsigned type, size_t idx, size_t entry_idx)
 {
-   char game_path[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
-   config_file_t *conf             = NULL;
-
-   game_path[0] = '\0';
-
-   if (!retroarch_validate_game_options(game_path, sizeof(game_path), true))
-   {
-      runloop_msg_queue_push(
-            msg_hash_to_str(MSG_ERROR_SAVING_CORE_OPTIONS_FILE),
-            1, 100, true,
-            NULL, MESSAGE_QUEUE_ICON_DEFAULT, MESSAGE_QUEUE_CATEGORY_INFO);
-      return 0;
-   }
-
-   if (!(conf = config_file_new_from_path_to_string(game_path)))
-      if (!(conf = config_file_new_alloc()))
-         return false;
-
-   if (config_file_write(conf, game_path, true))
-   {
-      runloop_msg_queue_push(
-            msg_hash_to_str(MSG_CORE_OPTIONS_FILE_CREATED_SUCCESSFULLY),
-            1, 100, true,
-            NULL, MESSAGE_QUEUE_ICON_DEFAULT, MESSAGE_QUEUE_CATEGORY_INFO);
-      path_set(RARCH_PATH_CORE_OPTIONS, game_path);
-   }
-   config_file_free(conf);
+   create_folder_and_core_options();
 
    return 0;
 }
diff --git a/retroarch.c b/retroarch.c
index e9cad2b88a..a1ba412700 100644
--- a/retroarch.c
+++ b/retroarch.c
@@ -26169,7 +26169,7 @@ static void retroarch_parse_input_and_config(int argc, char *argv[])
       dir_set(RARCH_DIR_SAVESTATE, global->name.savestate);
 }
 
-bool retroarch_validate_game_options(char *s, size_t len, bool mkdir)
+static bool retroarch_validate_game_options(char *s, size_t len, bool mkdir)
 {
    char *config_directory                 = NULL;
    size_t str_size                        = PATH_MAX_LENGTH * sizeof(char);
@@ -29678,3 +29678,37 @@ void reset_gamepad_input_override(void)
     gamepad_input_override = 0;
 }
 #endif
+
+/* creates folder and core options stub file for subsequent runs */
+bool create_folder_and_core_options(void)
+{
+   char game_path[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
+   config_file_t *conf             = NULL;
+
+   game_path[0] = '\0';
+
+   if (!retroarch_validate_game_options(game_path, sizeof(game_path), true))
+   {
+      runloop_msg_queue_push(
+            msg_hash_to_str(MSG_ERROR_SAVING_CORE_OPTIONS_FILE),
+            1, 100, true,
+            NULL, MESSAGE_QUEUE_ICON_DEFAULT, MESSAGE_QUEUE_CATEGORY_INFO);
+      return false;
+   }
+
+   if (!(conf = config_file_new_from_path_to_string(game_path)))
+      if (!(conf = config_file_new_alloc()))
+         return false;
+
+   if (config_file_write(conf, game_path, true))
+   {
+      runloop_msg_queue_push(
+            msg_hash_to_str(MSG_CORE_OPTIONS_FILE_CREATED_SUCCESSFULLY),
+            1, 100, true,
+            NULL, MESSAGE_QUEUE_ICON_DEFAULT, MESSAGE_QUEUE_CATEGORY_INFO);
+      path_set(RARCH_PATH_CORE_OPTIONS, game_path);
+   }
+   config_file_free(conf);
+
+   return true;
+}
diff --git a/retroarch.h b/retroarch.h
index d381d679ad..db93f87d15 100644
--- a/retroarch.h
+++ b/retroarch.h
@@ -301,8 +301,6 @@ void retroarch_override_setting_unset(enum rarch_override_setting enum_idx, void
 
 bool retroarch_override_setting_is_set(enum rarch_override_setting enum_idx, void *data);
 
-bool retroarch_validate_game_options(char *s, size_t len, bool mkdir);
-
 bool retroarch_is_forced_fullscreen(void);
 
 void retroarch_set_current_core_type(
@@ -2007,6 +2005,8 @@ void retroarch_init_task_queue(void);
 
 bool is_input_keyboard_display_on(void);
 
+/* creates folder and core options stub file for subsequent runs */
+bool create_folder_and_core_options(void);
 
 /* Input overrides  */
 
diff --git a/ui/drivers/qt/coreoptionsdialog.cpp b/ui/drivers/qt/coreoptionsdialog.cpp
index 3d5a560f3a..4d26f80789 100644
--- a/ui/drivers/qt/coreoptionsdialog.cpp
+++ b/ui/drivers/qt/coreoptionsdialog.cpp
@@ -122,38 +122,8 @@ void CoreOptionsDialog::reload()
 
 void CoreOptionsDialog::onSaveGameSpecificOptions()
 {
-   char game_path[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
-   config_file_t *conf = NULL;
-
-   game_path[0] = '\0';
-
-   if (!retroarch_validate_game_options(game_path, sizeof(game_path), true))
-   {
+   if (!create_folder_and_core_options())
       QMessageBox::critical(this, msg_hash_to_str(MSG_ERROR), msg_hash_to_str(MSG_ERROR_SAVING_CORE_OPTIONS_FILE));
-      return;
-   }
-
-   if (!(conf = config_file_new_from_path_to_string(game_path)))
-   {
-      if (!(conf = config_file_new_alloc()))
-      {
-         QMessageBox::critical(this, msg_hash_to_str(MSG_ERROR), msg_hash_to_str(MSG_ERROR_SAVING_CORE_OPTIONS_FILE));
-         return;
-      }
-   }
-
-   if (config_file_write(conf, game_path, true))
-   {
-      runloop_msg_queue_push(
-            msg_hash_to_str(MSG_CORE_OPTIONS_FILE_CREATED_SUCCESSFULLY),
-            1, 100, true, NULL,
-            MESSAGE_QUEUE_ICON_DEFAULT,
-            MESSAGE_QUEUE_CATEGORY_INFO
-            );
-      path_set(RARCH_PATH_CORE_OPTIONS, game_path);
-   }
-
-   config_file_free(conf);
 }
 
 void CoreOptionsDialog::onCoreOptionComboBoxCurrentIndexChanged(int index)