diff --git a/retroarch.c b/retroarch.c
index 5c45b3ee08..af73250cd2 100644
--- a/retroarch.c
+++ b/retroarch.c
@@ -229,7 +229,6 @@ static bool rarch_use_sram                                      = false;
 static bool rarch_ups_pref                                      = false;
 static bool rarch_bps_pref                                      = false;
 static bool rarch_ips_pref                                      = false;
-static bool rarch_first_start                                   = true;
 
 static bool runloop_force_nonblock                              = false;
 static bool runloop_paused                                      = false;
@@ -245,9 +244,6 @@ static bool runloop_remaps_game_active                          = false;
 static bool runloop_remaps_content_dir_active                   = false;
 static bool runloop_game_options_active                         = false;
 static bool runloop_autosave                                    = false;
-#ifdef HAVE_DYNAMIC
-static bool core_set_on_cmdline                                 = false;
-#endif
 static rarch_system_info_t runloop_system;
 static struct retro_frame_time_callback runloop_frame_time;
 static retro_keyboard_event_t runloop_key_event                 = NULL;
@@ -272,13 +268,6 @@ extern bool input_driver_flushing_input;
 
 static char launch_arguments[4096];
 
-#ifdef HAVE_DYNAMIC
-bool retroarch_core_set_on_cmdline(void)
-{
-   return core_set_on_cmdline;
-}
-#endif
-
 #ifdef HAVE_THREADS
 void runloop_msg_queue_lock(void)
 {
@@ -910,9 +899,6 @@ static void retroarch_parse_input_and_config(int argc, char *argv[])
                {
                   settings_t *settings  = config_get_ptr();
 
-                  if (rarch_first_start)
-                     core_set_on_cmdline = true;
-
                   path_clear(RARCH_PATH_CORE);
                   strlcpy(settings->paths.directory_libretro, optarg,
                         sizeof(settings->paths.directory_libretro));
@@ -925,8 +911,6 @@ static void retroarch_parse_input_and_config(int argc, char *argv[])
                }
                else if (filestream_exists(optarg))
                {
-                  if (rarch_first_start)
-                     core_set_on_cmdline = true;
 
                   rarch_ctl(RARCH_CTL_SET_LIBRETRO_PATH, optarg);
                   retroarch_override_setting_set(RARCH_OVERRIDE_SETTING_LIBRETRO, NULL);
@@ -1451,17 +1435,12 @@ bool retroarch_main_init(int argc, char *argv[])
    }
 #endif
 
-   if (rarch_first_start)
-      rarch_first_start = false;
    return true;
 
 error:
    command_event(CMD_EVENT_CORE_DEINIT, NULL);
    rarch_is_inited         = false;
 
-   if (rarch_first_start)
-         rarch_first_start = false;
-
    return false;
 }
 
diff --git a/retroarch.h b/retroarch.h
index daccb3a6c2..da182d72fe 100644
--- a/retroarch.h
+++ b/retroarch.h
@@ -404,10 +404,6 @@ void runloop_msg_queue_lock(void);
 void runloop_msg_queue_unlock(void);
 #endif
 
-#ifdef HAVE_DYNAMIC
-bool retroarch_core_set_on_cmdline(void);
-#endif
-
 RETRO_END_DECLS
 
 #endif
diff --git a/ui/drivers/ui_qt.cpp b/ui/drivers/ui_qt.cpp
index 306143527a..701eb768df 100644
--- a/ui/drivers/ui_qt.cpp
+++ b/ui/drivers/ui_qt.cpp
@@ -657,30 +657,27 @@ static void ui_companion_qt_toggle(void *data, bool force)
    ui_window_qt_t *win_handle = (ui_window_qt_t*)handle->window;
    settings_t *settings = config_get_ptr();
 
-#ifdef HAVE_DYNAMIC
-   if (!retroarch_core_set_on_cmdline())
-#endif
-      if (settings->bools.ui_companion_toggle || force)
+   if (settings->bools.ui_companion_toggle || force)
+   {
+      if (settings->bools.video_fullscreen)
+         command_event(CMD_EVENT_FULLSCREEN_TOGGLE, NULL);
+
+      win_handle->qtWindow->activateWindow();
+      win_handle->qtWindow->raise();
+      video_driver_show_mouse();
+      win_handle->qtWindow->show();
+
+      if (video_driver_started_fullscreen())
+         win_handle->qtWindow->lower();
+
+      if (!already_started)
       {
-         if (settings->bools.video_fullscreen)
-            command_event(CMD_EVENT_FULLSCREEN_TOGGLE, NULL);
+         already_started = true;
 
-         win_handle->qtWindow->activateWindow();
-         win_handle->qtWindow->raise();
-         video_driver_show_mouse();
-         win_handle->qtWindow->show();
-
-         if (video_driver_started_fullscreen())
-            win_handle->qtWindow->lower();
-
-         if (!already_started)
-         {
-            already_started = true;
-
-            if (win_handle->qtWindow->settings()->value("show_welcome_screen", true).toBool())
-               win_handle->qtWindow->showWelcomeScreen();
-         }
+         if (win_handle->qtWindow->settings()->value("show_welcome_screen", true).toBool())
+            win_handle->qtWindow->showWelcomeScreen();
       }
+   }
 }
 
 static void ui_companion_qt_event_command(void *data, enum event_command cmd)