diff --git a/menu/drivers/glui.c b/menu/drivers/glui.c
index 1c51e28061..02c05561db 100644
--- a/menu/drivers/glui.c
+++ b/menu/drivers/glui.c
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ static void glui_frame(void)
 
    glui = (glui_handle_t*)menu->userdata;
 
-   if (menu->need_refresh
+   if (menu_needs_refresh()
          && runloop->is_menu
          && !menu->msg_force
          && !glui->box_message[0])
diff --git a/menu/drivers/rgui.c b/menu/drivers/rgui.c
index 8f23d2c269..092bdc8d89 100644
--- a/menu/drivers/rgui.c
+++ b/menu/drivers/rgui.c
@@ -343,8 +343,7 @@ static void rgui_render(void)
    if (!menu)
       return;
 
-   if (menu->need_refresh && runloop->is_menu
-         && !menu->msg_force)
+   if (menu_needs_refresh() && runloop->is_menu && !menu->msg_force)
       return;
 
    if (runloop->is_idle)
diff --git a/menu/drivers/rmenu.c b/menu/drivers/rmenu.c
index 11b2c00210..309f107d39 100644
--- a/menu/drivers/rmenu.c
+++ b/menu/drivers/rmenu.c
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ static void rmenu_render(void)
       return;
    }
 
-   if (menu->need_refresh && runloop->is_menu
+   if (menu_needs_refresh() && runloop->is_menu
          && !menu->msg_force)
       return;
 
diff --git a/menu/drivers/rmenu_xui.cpp b/menu/drivers/rmenu_xui.cpp
index 923b28b6db..12c6f5da98 100644
--- a/menu/drivers/rmenu_xui.cpp
+++ b/menu/drivers/rmenu_xui.cpp
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@ static void rmenu_xui_render(void)
 
    if (!menu)
       return;
-	if (menu->need_refresh && 
+	if (menu_needs_refresh() && 
 		runloop->is_menu && !menu->msg_force)
 		return;
 
diff --git a/menu/drivers/xmb.c b/menu/drivers/xmb.c
index 7affae5f57..2e8a26853e 100644
--- a/menu/drivers/xmb.c
+++ b/menu/drivers/xmb.c
@@ -1885,7 +1885,7 @@ static void xmb_toggle(bool menu_on)
    menu_animation_push(menu->animation, XMB_DELAY, 1.0f,
          &xmb->alpha, EASING_IN_OUT_QUAD, NULL);
 
-   xmb->prevent_populate = !menu->need_refresh;
+   xmb->prevent_populate = !menu_needs_refresh();
 
    for (i = 0; i < menu->categories.size; i++)
    {
diff --git a/menu/menu.c b/menu/menu.c
index 7b5e6ec517..4e962b9d5e 100644
--- a/menu/menu.c
+++ b/menu/menu.c
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ int menu_iterate(retro_input_t input,
 
    action = menu->input.joypad;
 
-   if (menu->need_refresh && !menu->nonblocking_refresh && action != MENU_ACTION_MESSAGE)
+   if (menu_needs_refresh() && !menu->nonblocking_refresh && action != MENU_ACTION_MESSAGE)
       action = MENU_ACTION_REFRESH;
 
    ret = menu_entry_iterate(action);
@@ -313,6 +313,14 @@ int menu_iterate(retro_input_t input,
    return 0;
 }
 
+bool menu_needs_refresh(void)
+{
+   menu_handle_t *menu  = menu_driver_get_ptr();
+   if (!menu)
+      return false;
+   return menu->need_refresh;
+}
+
 void menu_set_refresh(void)
 {
    menu_handle_t *menu  = menu_driver_get_ptr();
diff --git a/menu/menu.h b/menu/menu.h
index 4b299f1e63..66be2d0119 100644
--- a/menu/menu.h
+++ b/menu/menu.h
@@ -188,6 +188,8 @@ bool menu_load_content(void);
 
 void menu_update_system_info(menu_handle_t *menu, bool *load_no_content);
 
+bool menu_needs_refresh(void);
+
 void menu_set_refresh(void);
 
 void menu_unset_refresh(void);
diff --git a/menu/menu_entries_cbs_toggle.c b/menu/menu_entries_cbs_toggle.c
index 534c023332..96cd56f5db 100644
--- a/menu/menu_entries_cbs_toggle.c
+++ b/menu/menu_entries_cbs_toggle.c
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ static int action_toggle_cheat_num_passes(unsigned type, const char *label,
          break;
    }
 
-   if (menu->need_refresh)
+   if (menu_needs_refresh())
       cheat_manager_realloc(cheat, new_size);
 
    return 0;
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ static int action_toggle_shader_num_passes(unsigned type, const char *label,
          break;
    }
 
-   if (menu->need_refresh)
+   if (menu_needs_refresh())
       video_shader_resolve_parameters(NULL, menu->shader);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/menu/menu_entry.c b/menu/menu_entry.c
index 026c0bbd37..4754e1d1e2 100644
--- a/menu/menu_entry.c
+++ b/menu/menu_entry.c
@@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ int menu_entry_iterate(unsigned action)
    if (!menu_list)
       return -1;
 
-   if (action != MENU_ACTION_NOOP || menu->need_refresh || menu_display_update_pending())
+   if (action != MENU_ACTION_NOOP || menu_needs_refresh() || menu_display_update_pending())
       menu->framebuf.dirty   = true;
 
    cbs = (menu_file_list_cbs_t*)menu_list_get_last_stack_actiondata(menu_list);