diff --git a/command.c b/command.c
index 8b9d903622..dab3fbc862 100644
--- a/command.c
+++ b/command.c
@@ -1295,31 +1295,13 @@ static void command_event_disable_overrides(void)
       return;
 
    /* reload the original config */
-
    config_unload_override();
    rarch_ctl(RARCH_CTL_UNSET_OVERRIDES_ACTIVE, NULL);
 }
 
 static void command_event_restore_default_shader_preset(void)
 {
-   if (!path_is_empty(RARCH_PATH_DEFAULT_SHADER_PRESET))
-   {
-      /* auto shader preset: reload the original shader */
-      settings_t *settings      = config_get_ptr();
-      const char *shader_preset = path_get(RARCH_PATH_DEFAULT_SHADER_PRESET);
-
-      if (!string_is_empty(shader_preset))
-      {
-         RARCH_LOG("%s %s\n",
-               msg_hash_to_str(MSG_RESTORING_DEFAULT_SHADER_PRESET_TO),
-               shader_preset);
-         strlcpy(settings->paths.path_shader,
-               shader_preset,
-               sizeof(settings->paths.path_shader));
-      }
-   }
-
-   path_clear(RARCH_PATH_DEFAULT_SHADER_PRESET);
+   retroarch_unset_shader_preset();
 }
 
 static void command_event_restore_remaps(void)
diff --git a/configuration.c b/configuration.c
index 8c7b513302..7e4d3360a5 100644
--- a/configuration.c
+++ b/configuration.c
@@ -1070,6 +1070,8 @@ static struct config_path_setting *populate_settings_path(settings_t *settings,
          settings->paths.path_core_options, false, NULL, true);
    SETTING_PATH("libretro_info_path",
          settings->paths.path_libretro_info, false, NULL, true);
+   SETTING_PATH("video_shader",
+         settings->paths.path_shader, false, NULL, true);
    SETTING_PATH("content_database_path",
          settings->paths.path_content_database, false, NULL, true);
    SETTING_PATH("cheat_database_path",
@@ -2873,41 +2875,28 @@ static bool config_load_file(const char *path, bool set_defaults,
 
    config_read_keybinds_conf(conf);
 
-   ret = true;
 
-   /* Find a compatible startup shader*/
-   if (!string_is_empty(settings->paths.directory_video_shader))
+   const char *shader_ext = path_get_extension(settings->paths.path_shader);
+
+   if (!string_is_empty(shader_ext))
    {
-      /* Get the config filename */
-      const char *s = path_basename(path_get(RARCH_PATH_CONFIG));
-      strlcpy (tmp_str, s, PATH_MAX_LENGTH);
-      path_remove_extension(tmp_str);
-
       for(i = FILE_PATH_CGP_EXTENSION; i <= FILE_PATH_SLANGP_EXTENSION; i++)
       {
-         if (!check_shader_compatibility((enum file_path_enum)(i)))
+         enum file_path_enum ext = (enum file_path_enum)(i);
+         if(!strstr(file_path_str(ext), shader_ext))
             continue;
 
-         /* Build up the startup shader path from the config name and the
-            supported extensions */
-         fill_pathname_join_special_ext(settings->paths.path_shader,
-               settings->paths.directory_video_shader, "", tmp_str,
-               file_path_str((enum file_path_enum)(i)),
-               sizeof(settings->paths.path_shader));
-
-         /* Check if the shader exists */
-         if (!path_is_valid(settings->paths.path_shader))
-         {
-            RARCH_LOG("Shaders: no startup shader found at %s.\n", settings->paths.path_shader);
+         if (check_shader_compatibility(ext))
             continue;
-         }
 
-         /* Game shader preset exists, load it */
-         RARCH_LOG("Shaders: startup shader found at %s.\n", settings->paths.path_shader);
-
-         path_set(RARCH_PATH_DEFAULT_SHADER_PRESET, settings->paths.path_shader);
-      }
+         RARCH_LOG("Incompatible shader for backend %s, clearing...\n",
+               settings->arrays.video_driver);
+         settings->paths.path_shader[0] = '\0';
+         break;
    }
+}
+
+   ret = true;
 
 
 end:
@@ -3302,9 +3291,7 @@ bool config_load_shader_preset(void)
 
       /* Game shader preset exists, load it. */
       RARCH_LOG("Shaders: game-specific shader preset found at %s.\n", game_path);
-
-      path_set(RARCH_PATH_DEFAULT_SHADER_PRESET, settings->paths.path_shader);
-      strlcpy(settings->paths.path_shader, game_path, sizeof(settings->paths.path_shader));
+      retroarch_set_shader_preset(game_path);
       goto success;
    }
 
@@ -3328,10 +3315,9 @@ bool config_load_shader_preset(void)
          continue;
       }
 
-      /* Core shader preset exists, load it. */
+      /* Parent-dir shader preset exists, load it. */
       RARCH_LOG("Shaders: parent-dir-specific shader preset found at %s.\n", parent_path);
-      path_set(RARCH_PATH_DEFAULT_SHADER_PRESET, settings->paths.path_shader);
-      strlcpy(settings->paths.path_shader, parent_path, sizeof(settings->paths.path_shader));
+      retroarch_set_shader_preset(parent_path);
       goto success;
    }
 
@@ -3357,8 +3343,7 @@ bool config_load_shader_preset(void)
 
       /* Core shader preset exists, load it. */
       RARCH_LOG("Shaders: core-specific shader preset found at %s.\n", core_path);
-      path_set(RARCH_PATH_DEFAULT_SHADER_PRESET, settings->paths.path_shader);
-      strlcpy(settings->paths.path_shader, core_path, sizeof(settings->paths.path_shader));
+      retroarch_set_shader_preset(core_path);
       goto success;
    }
 
diff --git a/gfx/drivers/d3d9.c b/gfx/drivers/d3d9.c
index 8a0c81cf83..a95ca5a9aa 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers/d3d9.c
+++ b/gfx/drivers/d3d9.c
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@
 
 #include "../../core.h"
 #include "../../verbosity.h"
+#include "../../retroarch.h"
 
 static LPDIRECT3D9 g_pD3D9;
 
@@ -1081,7 +1082,7 @@ static bool d3d9_init_internal(d3d_video_t *d3d,
    if (settings->bools.video_shader_enable)
    {
       enum rarch_shader_type type =
-         video_shader_parse_type(settings->paths.path_shader,
+         video_shader_parse_type(retroarch_get_shader_preset(),
                RARCH_SHADER_NONE);
 
       switch (type)
@@ -1089,8 +1090,8 @@ static bool d3d9_init_internal(d3d_video_t *d3d,
          case RARCH_SHADER_CG:
             if (!string_is_empty(d3d->shader_path))
                free(d3d->shader_path);
-            if (!string_is_empty(settings->paths.path_shader))
-               d3d->shader_path = strdup(settings->paths.path_shader);
+            if (!string_is_empty(retroarch_get_shader_preset()))
+               d3d->shader_path = strdup(retroarch_get_shader_preset());
             break;
          default:
             break;
diff --git a/gfx/drivers/gl.c b/gfx/drivers/gl.c
index 48a813a675..202e43ab4c 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers/gl.c
+++ b/gfx/drivers/gl.c
@@ -379,8 +379,7 @@ static bool gl_shader_init(gl_t *gl, const gfx_ctx_driver_t *ctx_driver,
 {
    video_shader_ctx_init_t init_data;
    settings_t *settings            = config_get_ptr();
-   const char *shader_path         = (settings->bools.video_shader_enable
-         && *settings->paths.path_shader) ? settings->paths.path_shader : NULL;
+   const char *shader_path         = retroarch_get_shader_preset();
    enum rarch_shader_type type     = video_shader_parse_type(shader_path,
          gl->core_context_in_use
          ? RARCH_SHADER_GLSL : DEFAULT_SHADER_TYPE);
diff --git a/gfx/drivers/vulkan.c b/gfx/drivers/vulkan.c
index 4351f5562d..5b2de52fa6 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers/vulkan.c
+++ b/gfx/drivers/vulkan.c
@@ -810,8 +810,7 @@ static bool vulkan_init_filter_chain_preset(vk_t *vk, const char *shader_path)
 static bool vulkan_init_filter_chain(vk_t *vk)
 {
    settings_t *settings = config_get_ptr();
-   const char *shader_path = (settings->bools.video_shader_enable && *settings->paths.path_shader) ?
-      settings->paths.path_shader : NULL;
+   const char *shader_path = retroarch_get_shader_preset();
 
    enum rarch_shader_type type = video_shader_parse_type(shader_path, RARCH_SHADER_NONE);
 
diff --git a/gfx/drivers_renderchain/d3d9_hlsl_renderchain.c b/gfx/drivers_renderchain/d3d9_hlsl_renderchain.c
index 4d8b433960..100f6c60d3 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers_renderchain/d3d9_hlsl_renderchain.c
+++ b/gfx/drivers_renderchain/d3d9_hlsl_renderchain.c
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ static bool hlsl_d3d9_renderchain_init_shader(void *data,
 
    init.shader_type               = RARCH_SHADER_HLSL;
    init.data                      = data;
-   init.path                      = settings->paths.path_shader;
+   init.path                      = retroarch_get_shader_preset();
    init.shader                    = &hlsl_backend;
 
    RARCH_LOG("D3D]: Using HLSL shader backend.\n");
diff --git a/menu/menu_shader.c b/menu/menu_shader.c
index 2f3982c345..6fee9be4f2 100644
--- a/menu/menu_shader.c
+++ b/menu/menu_shader.c
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ bool menu_shader_manager_init(void)
 #ifdef HAVE_SHADER_MANAGER
    settings_t *settings        = config_get_ptr();
    const char *config_path     = path_get(RARCH_PATH_CONFIG);
-   const char *path_shader     = settings->paths.path_shader;
+   const char *path_shader     = retroarch_get_shader_preset();
 
    menu_shader_manager_free();
 
diff --git a/retroarch.c b/retroarch.c
index a5afe79e6e..bc75699272 100644
--- a/retroarch.c
+++ b/retroarch.c
@@ -182,6 +182,7 @@ static jmp_buf error_sjlj_context;
 static enum rarch_core_type current_core_type           = CORE_TYPE_PLAIN;
 static enum rarch_core_type explicit_current_core_type  = CORE_TYPE_PLAIN;
 static char error_string[255]                           = {0};
+static char runtime_shader_preset[255]                          = {0};
 
 #ifdef HAVE_THREAD_STORAGE
 static sthread_tls_t rarch_tls;
@@ -1924,6 +1925,36 @@ void retroarch_unset_forced_fullscreen(void)
    rarch_force_fullscreen = false;
 }
 
+/* set a runtime shader preset without overwriting the settings value */
+void retroarch_set_shader_preset(char* preset)
+{
+   if (!string_is_empty(preset))
+      strlcpy(runtime_shader_preset, preset, sizeof(runtime_shader_preset));
+   else
+      runtime_shader_preset[0] = '\0';
+}
+
+/* unset a runtime shader preset */
+void retroarch_unset_shader_preset(void)
+{
+   runtime_shader_preset[0] = '\0';
+}
+
+/* get the name of the current shader preset */
+char* retroarch_get_shader_preset(void)
+{
+   settings_t *settings = config_get_ptr();
+   if (!settings->bools.video_shader_enable)
+      return "";
+
+   if (!string_is_empty(runtime_shader_preset))
+      return runtime_shader_preset;
+   else if (!string_is_empty(settings->paths.path_shader))
+      return settings->paths.path_shader;
+   else
+      return "";
+}
+
 bool retroarch_override_setting_is_set(enum rarch_override_setting enum_idx, void *data)
 {
    switch (enum_idx)
diff --git a/retroarch.h b/retroarch.h
index 78c0459c0f..38b40cbe31 100644
--- a/retroarch.h
+++ b/retroarch.h
@@ -288,6 +288,12 @@ void retroarch_unset_forced_fullscreen(void);
 
 void retroarch_set_current_core_type(enum rarch_core_type type, bool explicitly_set);
 
+void retroarch_set_shader_preset(char* preset);
+
+void retroarch_unset_shader_preset(void);
+
+char* retroarch_get_shader_preset(void);
+
 /**
  * retroarch_fail:
  * @error_code  : Error code.