diff --git a/audio/audio_dsp_filter.c b/audio/audio_dsp_filter.c
index 6f49734f2e..e837b39015 100644
--- a/audio/audio_dsp_filter.c
+++ b/audio/audio_dsp_filter.c
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ rarch_dsp_filter_t *rarch_dsp_filter_new(
    if (!frontend_driver_get_core_extension(ext_name, sizeof(ext_name)))
          goto error;
 
-   plugs = dir_list_new(basedir, ext_name, false, false);
+   plugs = dir_list_new(basedir, ext_name, false, false, false);
    if (!plugs)
       goto error;
 #endif
diff --git a/cores/libretro-imageviewer/image_core.c b/cores/libretro-imageviewer/image_core.c
index a5f5fb2eb9..7033e6abec 100644
--- a/cores/libretro-imageviewer/image_core.c
+++ b/cores/libretro-imageviewer/image_core.c
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ bool IMAGE_CORE_PREFIX(retro_load_game)(const struct retro_game_info *info)
    path_basedir(dir);
 
    file_list = dir_list_new(dir, IMAGE_CORE_PREFIX(valid_extensions),
-         false,false);
+         false,false,false);
    dir_list_sort(file_list, false);
    free(dir);
 
diff --git a/database_info.c b/database_info.c
index 7532dca02c..e426b14de2 100644
--- a/database_info.c
+++ b/database_info.c
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ database_info_handle_t *database_info_dir_init(const char *dir,
    if (!db)
       return NULL;
 
-   db->list           = dir_list_new_special(dir, DIR_LIST_CORE_INFO, NULL);
+   db->list           = dir_list_new_special(dir, DIR_LIST_RECURSIVE, NULL);
 
    if (!db->list)
       goto error;
diff --git a/gfx/drivers_context/drm_ctx.c b/gfx/drivers_context/drm_ctx.c
index 7690b613c2..3878dfc387 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers_context/drm_ctx.c
+++ b/gfx/drivers_context/drm_ctx.c
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ static void *gfx_ctx_drm_init(void *video_driver)
       return NULL;
 
    fd   = -1;
-   gpu_descriptors = dir_list_new("/dev/dri", NULL, false, false);
+   gpu_descriptors = dir_list_new("/dev/dri", NULL, false, false, false);
 
 nextgpu:
    free_drm_resources(drm);
diff --git a/gfx/video_filter.c b/gfx/video_filter.c
index 90e78572ec..98d13d82f2 100644
--- a/gfx/video_filter.c
+++ b/gfx/video_filter.c
@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@ rarch_softfilter_t *rarch_softfilter_new(const char *filter_config,
    if (!frontend_driver_get_core_extension(ext_name, sizeof(ext_name)))
          goto error;
 
-   plugs = dir_list_new(basedir, ext_name, false, false);
+   plugs = dir_list_new(basedir, ext_name, false, false, false);
 
    if (!plugs)
    {
diff --git a/libretro-common/include/lists/dir_list.h b/libretro-common/include/lists/dir_list.h
index 2ef8f9ff81..771e0e2e1f 100644
--- a/libretro-common/include/lists/dir_list.h
+++ b/libretro-common/include/lists/dir_list.h
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ RETRO_BEGIN_DECLS
  * NULL in case of error. Has to be freed manually.
  **/
 struct string_list *dir_list_new(const char *dir, const char *ext,
-      bool include_dirs, bool include_compressed);
+      bool include_dirs, bool include_compressed, bool recursive);
 
 /**
  * dir_list_sort:
@@ -63,6 +63,17 @@ void dir_list_sort(struct string_list *list, bool dir_first);
  **/
 void dir_list_free(struct string_list *list);
 
+/**
+ * dir_list_read:
+ * @dir                : directory path.
+ * @list               : the string list to add files to
+ *
+ * Add files within a directory to an existing string list
+ *
+ * Returns: -1 on error, 0 on success.
+ **/
+int dir_list_read(const char *dir, struct string_list *list, struct string_list *ext_list, bool include_dirs, bool include_compressed, bool recursive);
+
 RETRO_END_DECLS
 
 #endif
diff --git a/libretro-common/lists/dir_list.c b/libretro-common/lists/dir_list.c
index 80fa09b3cd..3a32be9bac 100644
--- a/libretro-common/lists/dir_list.c
+++ b/libretro-common/lists/dir_list.c
@@ -159,9 +159,8 @@ static int parse_dir_entry(const char *name, char *file_path,
  * NULL in case of error. Has to be freed manually.
  **/
 struct string_list *dir_list_new(const char *dir,
-      const char *ext, bool include_dirs, bool include_compressed)
+      const char *ext, bool include_dirs, bool include_compressed, bool recursive)
 {
-   struct RDIR *entry             = NULL;
    struct string_list *ext_list   = NULL;
    struct string_list *list       = NULL;
 
@@ -171,13 +170,40 @@ struct string_list *dir_list_new(const char *dir,
    if (ext)
       ext_list = string_split(ext, "|");
 
-   entry = retro_opendir(dir);
+   if(dir_list_read(dir, list, ext_list, include_dirs, include_compressed, recursive) == -1) {
+      string_list_free(list);
+      string_list_free(ext_list);
+      return NULL;
+   }
+
+   string_list_free(ext_list);
+   return list;
+}
+
+/**
+ * dir_list_read:
+ * @dir                : directory path.
+ * @list               : the string list to add files to
+ * @ext_list           : the string list of extensions to include
+ * @include_dirs       : include directories as part of the finished directory listing?
+ * @include_compressed : Only include files which match ext. Do not try to match compressed files, etc.
+ *
+ * Add files within a directory to an existing string list
+ *
+ * Returns: -1 on error, 0 on success.
+ **/
+int dir_list_read(const char *dir, struct string_list *list, struct string_list *ext_list, bool include_dirs, bool include_compressed, bool recursive)
+{
+   struct RDIR *entry = retro_opendir(dir);
 
    if (!entry)
-      goto error;
+      return -1;
 
    if (retro_dirent_error(entry))
-      goto error;
+   {
+      retro_closedir(entry);
+      return -1;
+   }
 
    while (retro_readdir(entry))
    {
@@ -190,11 +216,21 @@ struct string_list *dir_list_new(const char *dir,
       fill_pathname_join(file_path, dir, name, sizeof(file_path));
       is_dir = retro_dirent_is_dir(entry, file_path);
 
+      if(is_dir && recursive) {
+         if(strncmp(name, ".", 1) == 0 || strncmp(name, "..", 2) == 0)
+            continue;
+
+         dir_list_read(file_path, list, ext_list, include_dirs, include_compressed, recursive);
+      }
+
       ret    = parse_dir_entry(name, file_path, is_dir,
             include_dirs, include_compressed, list, ext_list, file_ext);
 
       if (ret == -1)
-         goto error;
+      {
+         retro_closedir(entry);
+         return -1;
+      }
 
       if (ret == 1)
          continue;
@@ -202,13 +238,5 @@ struct string_list *dir_list_new(const char *dir,
 
    retro_closedir(entry);
 
-   string_list_free(ext_list);
-   return list;
-
-error:
-   retro_closedir(entry);
-
-   string_list_free(list);
-   string_list_free(ext_list);
-   return NULL;
+   return 0;
 }
diff --git a/list_special.c b/list_special.c
index 0f43dbe451..bfac49b46e 100644
--- a/list_special.c
+++ b/list_special.c
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ struct string_list *dir_list_new_special(const char *input_dir,
    const char *dir                   = NULL;
    const char *exts                  = NULL;
    bool include_dirs                 = false;
+   bool recursive                    = false;
 
    (void)input_dir;
 
@@ -79,6 +80,16 @@ struct string_list *dir_list_new_special(const char *input_dir,
             exts = list->all_ext;
          }
          break;
+      case DIR_LIST_RECURSIVE:
+       {
+          core_info_list_t *list = NULL;
+          core_info_get_list(&list);
+
+          dir  = input_dir;
+          exts = list->all_ext;
+          recursive = true;
+       }
+       break;
       case DIR_LIST_SHADERS:
          {
             union string_list_elem_attr attr = {0};
@@ -124,7 +135,7 @@ struct string_list *dir_list_new_special(const char *input_dir,
          return NULL;
    }
 
-   return dir_list_new(dir, exts, include_dirs, type == DIR_LIST_CORE_INFO);
+   return dir_list_new(dir, exts, include_dirs, type == DIR_LIST_CORE_INFO, recursive);
 }
 
 struct string_list *string_list_new_special(enum string_list_type type,
diff --git a/list_special.h b/list_special.h
index d4e3c288f0..4af32c996d 100644
--- a/list_special.h
+++ b/list_special.h
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ enum dir_list_type
    DIR_LIST_COLLECTIONS,
    DIR_LIST_PLAIN,
    DIR_LIST_SHADERS,
-   DIR_LIST_AUTOCONFIG
+   DIR_LIST_AUTOCONFIG,
+   DIR_LIST_RECURSIVE
 };
 
 enum string_list_type
diff --git a/menu/menu_displaylist.c b/menu/menu_displaylist.c
index 889b0e2b80..44694a3f77 100644
--- a/menu/menu_displaylist.c
+++ b/menu/menu_displaylist.c
@@ -3172,7 +3172,7 @@ static int menu_displaylist_parse_playlists(
       return 0;
    }
 
-   str_list = dir_list_new(info->path, NULL, true, true);
+   str_list = dir_list_new(info->path, NULL, true, true, false);
 
    if (!str_list)
    {
@@ -3281,7 +3281,7 @@ static int menu_displaylist_parse_cores(
 
    str_list = dir_list_new(info->path,
          filter_ext ? info->exts : NULL,
-         true, true);
+         true, true, false);
 
    {
       char out_dir[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
@@ -3487,7 +3487,7 @@ static int menu_displaylist_parse_generic(
    else
       str_list = dir_list_new(info->path,
             filter_ext ? info->exts : NULL,
-            true, true);
+            true, true, false);
 
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBRETRODB
    if (BIT32_GET(filebrowser_types, FILEBROWSER_SCAN_DIR))