diff --git a/menu/menu.c b/menu/menu.c
index 0a90cf50df..fd9866d97a 100644
--- a/menu/menu.c
+++ b/menu/menu.c
@@ -258,6 +258,21 @@ void menu_free(menu_handle_t *menu)
    free(menu);
 }
 
+int menu_refresh(void)
+{
+   menu_handle_t *menu  = menu_driver_get_ptr();
+   if (!menu->need_refresh)
+      return -1;
+   if (menu->nonblocking_refresh)
+      return -1;
+   if (menu->input.joypad == MENU_ACTION_MESSAGE)
+      return -1;
+
+   menu_entry_iterate(MENU_ACTION_REFRESH);
+
+   return 0;
+}
+
 /**
  * menu_iterate:
  * @input                    : input sample for this frame
@@ -275,7 +290,6 @@ int menu_iterate(retro_input_t input,
    static retro_time_t last_clock_update = 0;
    int32_t ret          = 0;
    unsigned action      = 0;
-   runloop_t *runloop   = rarch_main_get_ptr();
    menu_handle_t *menu  = menu_driver_get_ptr();
    settings_t *settings = config_get_ptr();
 
@@ -297,16 +311,8 @@ int menu_iterate(retro_input_t input,
 
    action = menu->input.joypad;
 
-   if (menu->need_refresh && !menu->nonblocking_refresh && action != MENU_ACTION_MESSAGE)
-      action = MENU_ACTION_REFRESH;
-
    menu_entry_iterate(action);
 
-   if (runloop->is_menu && !runloop->is_idle)
-      menu_display_fb();
-
-   menu_driver_set_texture();
-
    if (ret)
       return -1;
 
diff --git a/menu/menu.h b/menu/menu.h
index 577713391e..9d563fafe1 100644
--- a/menu/menu.h
+++ b/menu/menu.h
@@ -154,6 +154,8 @@ typedef enum
  **/
 void *menu_init(const void *data);
 
+int menu_refresh(void);
+
 /**
  * menu_iterate:
  * @input                    : input sample for this frame
diff --git a/menu/menu_display.c b/menu/menu_display.c
index 14d879e1a6..c7fae9277d 100644
--- a/menu/menu_display.c
+++ b/menu/menu_display.c
@@ -206,3 +206,13 @@ void menu_display_unset_viewport(void)
    video_driver_set_viewport(global->video_data.width,
          global->video_data.height, false, true);
 }
+
+void menu_display_frame(void)
+{
+   runloop_t *runloop   = rarch_main_get_ptr();
+
+   if (runloop->is_menu && !runloop->is_idle)
+      menu_display_fb();
+
+   menu_driver_set_texture();
+}
diff --git a/menu/menu_display.h b/menu/menu_display.h
index c80ffd6d9c..8aeb10b6bb 100644
--- a/menu/menu_display.h
+++ b/menu/menu_display.h
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ void menu_display_set_viewport(void);
 
 void menu_display_unset_viewport(void);
 
+void menu_display_frame(void);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/runloop.c b/runloop.c
index 5a68951982..24919fbfdd 100644
--- a/runloop.c
+++ b/runloop.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 
 #ifdef HAVE_MENU
 #include "menu/menu.h"
+#include "menu/menu_display.h"
 #endif
 
 #ifdef HAVE_NETPLAY
@@ -1113,15 +1114,20 @@ int rarch_main_iterate(void)
    rarch_main_data_iterate();
 
 #ifdef HAVE_MENU
-   if (runloop->is_menu)
+   if (menu_refresh() == -1)
    {
-      menu_handle_t *menu = menu_driver_get_ptr();
-      if (menu)
+      if (runloop->is_menu)
+      {
          if (menu_iterate(input, old_input, trigger_input) == -1)
             rarch_main_set_state(RARCH_ACTION_STATE_MENU_RUNNING_FINISHED);
+      }
+   }
 
+   if (runloop->is_menu)
+   {
       if (!input && settings->menu.pause_libretro)
-        ret = 1;
+         ret = 1;
+      menu_display_frame();
       goto success;
    }
 #endif