diff --git a/apple/OSX/platform.h b/apple/OSX/platform.h
index 706148dfcf..8190fc9213 100644
--- a/apple/OSX/platform.h
+++ b/apple/OSX/platform.h
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
 + (RetroArch_OSX*)get;
 
 - (void)loadingCore:(NSString*)core withFile:(const char*)file;
-- (void)unloadingCore:(NSString*)core;
+- (void)unloadingCore;
 
 @end
 
diff --git a/apple/OSX/platform.m b/apple/OSX/platform.m
index 7af425f8ca..c3f13e0bca 100644
--- a/apple/OSX/platform.m
+++ b/apple/OSX/platform.m
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ static char** waiting_argv;
       [[NSDocumentController sharedDocumentController] noteNewRecentDocumentURL:[NSURL fileURLWithPath:BOXSTRING(file)]];
 }
 
-- (void)unloadingCore:(const NSString*)core
+- (void)unloadingCore
 {
    if (g_extern.system.shutdown)
       [[NSApplication sharedApplication] terminate:nil];
diff --git a/apple/common/RetroArch_Apple.h b/apple/common/RetroArch_Apple.h
index a30f7b6d98..db833d25f9 100644
--- a/apple/common/RetroArch_Apple.h
+++ b/apple/common/RetroArch_Apple.h
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 
 @protocol RetroArch_Platform
 - (void)loadingCore:(NSString*)core withFile:(const char*)file;
-- (void)unloadingCore:(NSString*)core;
+- (void)unloadingCore;
 @end
 
 #ifdef IOS
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 #endif
 
 extern char** apple_argv;
-extern NSString* apple_core;
+extern char apple_core[PATH_MAX];
 
 extern id<RetroArch_Platform> apple_platform;
 
diff --git a/apple/common/main.m b/apple/common/main.m
index 9c2cd20da9..4d4a45ae13 100644
--- a/apple/common/main.m
+++ b/apple/common/main.m
@@ -23,17 +23,11 @@
 id<RetroArch_Platform> apple_platform;
 
 #pragma mark EMULATION
-NSString* apple_core;
+char apple_core[PATH_MAX];
 
 void apple_rarch_exited(void)
 {
-   NSString *used_core = (NSString*)apple_core;
-   apple_core = 0;
-   [apple_platform unloadingCore:used_core];
-   
-#ifdef OSX
-   [used_core release];
-#endif
+   [apple_platform unloadingCore];
 }
 
 void apple_run_core(NSString* core, const char* file)
@@ -44,16 +38,17 @@ void apple_run_core(NSString* core, const char* file)
     
     [apple_platform loadingCore:core withFile:file];
     
-    apple_core = core;
+    if (core.UTF8String && core.UTF8String[0] != '\0')
+       strlcpy(apple_core, core.UTF8String, sizeof(apple_core));
 
    if (file && core)
    {
-      strlcpy(core_path, apple_core.UTF8String, sizeof(core_path));
+      strlcpy(core_path, apple_core, sizeof(core_path));
       strlcpy(file_path, file, sizeof(file_path));
    }
    
-    if (core_info_has_custom_config(apple_core.UTF8String))
-        core_info_get_custom_config(apple_core.UTF8String, config_path, sizeof(config_path));
+    if (core_info_has_custom_config(apple_core))
+        core_info_get_custom_config(apple_core, config_path, sizeof(config_path));
     else
         strlcpy(config_path, g_defaults.config_path, sizeof(config_path));
     
diff --git a/apple/iOS/menu.m b/apple/iOS/menu.m
index 95947f873c..6bc79c50fb 100644
--- a/apple/iOS/menu.m
+++ b/apple/iOS/menu.m
@@ -550,7 +550,7 @@ static void RunActionSheet(const char* title, const struct string_list* items, U
                                  nil]];
       
       [settings addObject:[RAMenuItemBasic itemWithDescription:BOXSTRING("Core")
-                              action:^{ [weakSelf.navigationController pushViewController:[[RACoreSettingsMenu alloc] initWithCore:apple_core] animated:YES]; }]];
+                              action:^{ [weakSelf.navigationController pushViewController:[[RACoreSettingsMenu alloc] initWithCore:BOXSTRING(apple_core)] animated:YES]; }]];
       [settings addObject:[RAMenuItemBasic itemWithDescription:BOXSTRING("Core Options")
                               action:^{ [weakSelf.navigationController pushViewController:[RACoreOptionsMenu new] animated:YES]; }]];
    }
diff --git a/apple/iOS/platform.h b/apple/iOS/platform.h
index 77c4dd580b..0bf7845ef6 100644
--- a/apple/iOS/platform.h
+++ b/apple/iOS/platform.h
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ const void* apple_get_frontend_settings(void);
 - (void)showGameView;
 
 - (void)loadingCore:(NSString*)core withFile:(const char*)file;
-- (void)unloadingCore:(NSString*)core;
+- (void)unloadingCore;
 
 - (void)refreshSystemConfig;
 
diff --git a/apple/iOS/platform.m b/apple/iOS/platform.m
index ed5cdb6657..ccc7a46160 100644
--- a/apple/iOS/platform.m
+++ b/apple/iOS/platform.m
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ static void handle_touch_event(NSArray* touches)
    [self showGameView];
 }
 
-- (void)unloadingCore:(NSString*)core
+- (void)unloadingCore
 {
    [self showPauseMenu:self];