diff --git a/driver.c b/driver.c
index 9506810d10..3d3de1b9f7 100644
--- a/driver.c
+++ b/driver.c
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ void init_drivers(int flags)
    if (flags & DRIVER_CAMERA)
       camera_driver_ctl(RARCH_CAMERA_CTL_UNSET_OWN_DRIVER, NULL);
    if (flags & DRIVER_LOCATION)
-      driver->location_data_own = false;
+      location_driver_ctl(RARCH_LOCATION_CTL_UNSET_OWN_DRIVER, NULL);
 
 #ifdef HAVE_MENU
    /* By default, we want the menu to persist through driver reinits. */
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ void init_drivers(int flags)
       init_camera();
 
    /* Only initialize location driver if we're ever going to use it. */
-   if ((flags & DRIVER_LOCATION) && driver->location_active)
+   if ((flags & DRIVER_LOCATION) && location_driver_ctl(RARCH_LOCATION_CTL_IS_ACTIVE, NULL))
       init_location();
 
 #ifdef HAVE_MENU
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@ void uninit_drivers(int flags)
    }
 #endif
 
-   if ((flags & DRIVER_LOCATION) && !driver->location_data_own)
+   if ((flags & DRIVER_LOCATION) && !location_driver_ctl(RARCH_LOCATION_CTL_OWNS_DRIVER, NULL))
    {
       uninit_location();
       driver->location_data = NULL;
diff --git a/driver.h b/driver.h
index ba26e1717d..703ef41395 100644
--- a/driver.h
+++ b/driver.h
@@ -189,8 +189,6 @@ typedef struct driver
 
    const location_driver_t *location;
    void *location_data;
-   bool location_active;
-   bool location_data_own;
 
    const record_driver_t *recording;
    void *recording_data;
diff --git a/dynamic.c b/dynamic.c
index 135b262163..596b1c9628 100644
--- a/dynamic.c
+++ b/dynamic.c
@@ -509,8 +509,6 @@ void init_libretro_sym(enum rarch_core_type type)
  **/
 void uninit_libretro_sym(void)
 {
-   driver_t            *driver = driver_get_ptr();
-
 #ifdef HAVE_DYNAMIC
    if (lib_handle)
       dylib_close(lib_handle);
@@ -546,7 +544,7 @@ void uninit_libretro_sym(void)
    rarch_system_info_free();
 
    camera_driver_ctl(RARCH_CAMERA_CTL_UNSET_ACTIVE, NULL);
-   driver->location_active = false;
+   location_driver_ctl(RARCH_LOCATION_CTL_UNSET_ACTIVE, NULL);
 
    /* Performance counters no longer valid. */
    retro_perf_clear();
@@ -1140,7 +1138,8 @@ bool rarch_environment_cb(unsigned cmd, void *data)
          cb->get_position          = driver_location_get_position;
          cb->set_interval          = driver_location_set_interval;
          system->location_callback = *cb;
-         driver->location_active   = true;
+
+         location_driver_ctl(RARCH_LOCATION_CTL_UNSET_ACTIVE, NULL);
          break;
       }
 
diff --git a/location/location_driver.c b/location/location_driver.c
index f75cb33c2a..5679223a17 100644
--- a/location/location_driver.c
+++ b/location/location_driver.c
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ void init_location(void)
    if (!driver->location_data)
    {
       RARCH_ERR("Failed to initialize location driver. Will continue without location.\n");
-      driver->location_active = false;
+      location_driver_ctl(RARCH_LOCATION_CTL_UNSET_ACTIVE, NULL);
    }
 
    if (system->location_callback.initialized)
@@ -226,3 +226,33 @@ void uninit_location(void)
    }
    driver->location_data = NULL;
 }
+
+bool location_driver_ctl(enum rarch_location_ctl_state state, void *data)
+{
+   static bool location_driver_active              = false;
+   static bool location_driver_data_own            = false;
+
+   switch (state)
+   {
+      case RARCH_LOCATION_CTL_SET_OWN_DRIVER:
+         location_driver_data_own = true;
+         break;
+      case RARCH_LOCATION_CTL_UNSET_OWN_DRIVER:
+         location_driver_data_own = false;
+         break;
+      case RARCH_LOCATION_CTL_OWNS_DRIVER:
+         return location_driver_data_own;
+      case RARCH_LOCATION_CTL_SET_ACTIVE:
+         location_driver_active = true; 
+         break;
+      case RARCH_LOCATION_CTL_UNSET_ACTIVE:
+         location_driver_active = false; 
+         break;
+      case RARCH_LOCATION_CTL_IS_ACTIVE:
+        return location_driver_active; 
+      default:
+         break;
+   }
+   
+   return false;
+}
diff --git a/location/location_driver.h b/location/location_driver.h
index 7b4a42838c..827a9620ff 100644
--- a/location/location_driver.h
+++ b/location/location_driver.h
@@ -25,6 +25,17 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
+enum rarch_location_ctl_state
+{
+   RARCH_LOCATION_CTL_NONE = 0,
+   RARCH_LOCATION_CTL_SET_OWN_DRIVER,
+   RARCH_LOCATION_CTL_UNSET_OWN_DRIVER,
+   RARCH_LOCATION_CTL_OWNS_DRIVER,
+   RARCH_LOCATION_CTL_SET_ACTIVE,
+   RARCH_LOCATION_CTL_UNSET_ACTIVE,
+   RARCH_LOCATION_CTL_IS_ACTIVE
+};
+
 typedef struct location_driver
 {
    void *(*init)(void);
@@ -126,6 +137,8 @@ void init_location(void);
 
 void uninit_location(void);
 
+bool location_driver_ctl(enum rarch_location_ctl_state state, void *data);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif