diff --git a/configuration.c b/configuration.c
index 490263a7e3..b3cb84050d 100644
--- a/configuration.c
+++ b/configuration.c
@@ -1768,7 +1768,7 @@ static bool config_load_file(const char *path, bool set_defaults)
    config_get_path(conf, "joypad_autoconfig_dir",
          settings->input.autoconfig_dir, sizeof(settings->input.autoconfig_dir));
 
-   if (!global->has_set.username)
+   if (!rarch_ctl(RARCH_CTL_HAS_SET_USERNAME, NULL))
       config_get_path(conf, "netplay_nickname",  settings->username, sizeof(settings->username));
    CONFIG_GET_INT_BASE(conf, settings, user_language, "user_language");
 #ifdef HAVE_NETPLAY
diff --git a/retroarch.c b/retroarch.c
index 04041efa06..092411b8ea 100644
--- a/retroarch.c
+++ b/retroarch.c
@@ -689,7 +689,9 @@ static void parse_input(int argc, char *argv[])
    global->has_set.verbosity             = false;
 
    global->has_set.netplay_mode          = false;
-   global->has_set.username              = false;
+
+   rarch_ctl(RARCH_CTL_USERNAME_UNSET, NULL);
+
    global->has_set.netplay_ip_address    = false;
    global->has_set.netplay_delay_frames  = false;
    global->has_set.netplay_ip_port       = false;
@@ -945,7 +947,7 @@ static void parse_input(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 #endif
          case RA_OPT_NICK:
-            global->has_set.username = true;
+            rarch_ctl(RARCH_CTL_USERNAME_SET, NULL);
             strlcpy(settings->username, optarg,
                   sizeof(settings->username));
             break;
@@ -1364,6 +1366,7 @@ static void rarch_main_deinit(void)
 
 bool rarch_ctl(enum rarch_ctl_state state, void *data)
 {
+   static bool has_set_username            = false;
    static bool rarch_is_inited             = false;
    static bool rarch_error_on_init         = false;
    static bool rarch_block_config_read     = false;
@@ -1391,6 +1394,14 @@ bool rarch_ctl(enum rarch_ctl_state state, void *data)
          return (current_core_type == CORE_TYPE_PLAIN);
       case RARCH_CTL_IS_DUMMY_CORE:
          return (current_core_type == CORE_TYPE_DUMMY);
+      case RARCH_CTL_USERNAME_SET:
+         has_set_username = true;
+         break;
+      case RARCH_CTL_USERNAME_UNSET:
+         has_set_username = false;
+         break;
+      case RARCH_CTL_HAS_SET_USERNAME:
+         return has_set_username;
       case RARCH_CTL_IS_INITED:
          return rarch_is_inited;
       case RARCH_CTL_UNSET_INITED:
@@ -1403,6 +1414,7 @@ bool rarch_ctl(enum rarch_ctl_state state, void *data)
          {
             int flags = DRIVERS_CMD_ALL;
 
+            has_set_username        = false;
             rarch_is_inited         = false;
             rarch_error_on_init     = false;
             rarch_block_config_read = false;
diff --git a/retroarch.h b/retroarch.h
index c58fb58944..6305227873 100644
--- a/retroarch.h
+++ b/retroarch.h
@@ -129,6 +129,12 @@ enum rarch_ctl_state
 
    RARCH_CTL_UNSET_ERROR_ON_INIT,
 
+   RARCH_CTL_HAS_SET_USERNAME,
+
+   RARCH_CTL_USERNAME_SET,
+
+   RARCH_CTL_USERNAME_UNSET,
+
    RARCH_CTL_IS_ERROR_ON_INIT
 };
 
diff --git a/runloop.h b/runloop.h
index 68b4b0a28a..29747212bf 100644
--- a/runloop.h
+++ b/runloop.h
@@ -186,13 +186,13 @@ typedef struct global
    {
       bool save_path;
       bool state_path;
+      bool verbosity;
+
       bool libretro_device[MAX_USERS];
       bool libretro;
       bool libretro_directory;
-      bool verbosity;
 
       bool netplay_mode;
-      bool username;
       bool netplay_ip_address;
       bool netplay_delay_frames;
       bool netplay_ip_port;