diff --git a/gfx/video_thread_wrapper.c b/gfx/video_thread_wrapper.c
index 5ee30c2167..917c9b138e 100644
--- a/gfx/video_thread_wrapper.c
+++ b/gfx/video_thread_wrapper.c
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include "font_driver.h"
 
 #include "../retroarch.h"
+#include "../runloop.h"
 #include "../verbosity.h"
 
 static void *video_thread_init_never_call(const video_info_t *video,
@@ -492,12 +493,15 @@ static void video_thread_loop(void *data)
 static bool video_thread_alive(void *data)
 {
    bool ret;
+   uint32_t runloop_flags;
    thread_video_t *thr = (thread_video_t*)data;
 
    if (!thr)
       return false;
+   
+   runloop_flags       = runloop_get_flags();
 
-   if (retroarch_ctl(RARCH_CTL_IS_PAUSED, NULL))
+   if (runloop_flags & RUNLOOP_FLAG_PAUSED)
    {
       thread_packet_t pkt;
       pkt.type = CMD_ALIVE;
diff --git a/input/drivers/android_input.c b/input/drivers/android_input.c
index 4fd5cd11ee..886f2de6a9 100644
--- a/input/drivers/android_input.c
+++ b/input/drivers/android_input.c
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 
 #include "../../configuration.h"
 #include "../../retroarch.h"
+#include "../../runloop.h"
 
 #define MAX_TOUCH 16
 #define MAX_NUM_KEYBOARDS 3
@@ -1491,7 +1492,8 @@ static void android_input_poll(void *data)
 
       if (android_app->reinitRequested != 0)
       {
-         if (retroarch_ctl(RARCH_CTL_IS_PAUSED, NULL))
+         uint32_t runloop_flags = runloop_get_flags();
+         if (runloop_flags & RUNLOOP_FLAG_PAUSED)
             command_event(CMD_EVENT_REINIT, NULL);
          android_app_write_cmd(android_app, APP_CMD_REINIT_DONE);
          return;
@@ -1515,7 +1517,8 @@ bool android_run_events(void *data)
 
    if (android_app->reinitRequested != 0)
    {
-      if (retroarch_ctl(RARCH_CTL_IS_PAUSED, NULL))
+      uint32_t runloop_flags = runloop_get_flags();
+      if (runloop_flags & RUNLOOP_FLAG_PAUSED)
          command_event(CMD_EVENT_REINIT, NULL);
       android_app_write_cmd(android_app, APP_CMD_REINIT_DONE);
    }
diff --git a/retroarch.c b/retroarch.c
index 7540bfd98c..bc94aaed38 100644
--- a/retroarch.c
+++ b/retroarch.c
@@ -5820,8 +5820,6 @@ bool retroarch_ctl(enum rarch_ctl_state state, void *data)
                   sizeof(input_st->analog_requested));
          }
          break;
-      case RARCH_CTL_IS_IDLE:
-         return ((runloop_st->flags & RUNLOOP_FLAG_IDLE) > 0);
       case RARCH_CTL_SET_IDLE:
          {
             bool *ptr = (bool*)data;
@@ -5844,8 +5842,6 @@ bool retroarch_ctl(enum rarch_ctl_state state, void *data)
                runloop_st->flags &= ~RUNLOOP_FLAG_PAUSED;
          }
          break;
-      case RARCH_CTL_IS_PAUSED:
-         return ((runloop_st->flags & RUNLOOP_FLAG_PAUSED) > 0);
       case RARCH_CTL_SET_SHUTDOWN:
          runloop_st->flags |= RUNLOOP_FLAG_SHUTDOWN_INITIATED;
          break;
diff --git a/retroarch_types.h b/retroarch_types.h
index b1ca7f5fa1..70bd0eb447 100644
--- a/retroarch_types.h
+++ b/retroarch_types.h
@@ -81,7 +81,6 @@ enum rarch_ctl_state
 
    RARCH_CTL_HAS_SET_SUBSYSTEMS,
 
-   RARCH_CTL_IS_IDLE,
    RARCH_CTL_SET_IDLE,
 
    RARCH_CTL_SET_WINDOWED_SCALE,
@@ -96,7 +95,6 @@ enum rarch_ctl_state
    RARCH_CTL_SET_MISSING_BIOS,
    RARCH_CTL_UNSET_MISSING_BIOS,
 
-   RARCH_CTL_IS_PAUSED,
    RARCH_CTL_SET_PAUSED,
 
    RARCH_CTL_SET_SHUTDOWN,
diff --git a/ui/drivers/ui_cocoatouch.m b/ui/drivers/ui_cocoatouch.m
index f997e86515..63e230645d 100644
--- a/ui/drivers/ui_cocoatouch.m
+++ b/ui/drivers/ui_cocoatouch.m
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ static void ui_companion_cocoatouch_event_command(
 static void rarch_draw_observer(CFRunLoopObserverRef observer,
     CFRunLoopActivity activity, void *info)
 {
+   uint32_t runloop_flags;
    int          ret   = runloop_iterate();
 
    task_queue_check();
@@ -93,9 +94,9 @@ static void rarch_draw_observer(CFRunLoopObserverRef observer,
       return;
    }
 
-   if (retroarch_ctl(RARCH_CTL_IS_IDLE, NULL))
-      return;
-   CFRunLoopWakeUp(CFRunLoopGetMain());
+   runloop_flags = runloop_get_flags();
+   if (!(runloop_flags & RUNLOOP_FLAG_IDLE))
+      CFRunLoopWakeUp(CFRunLoopGetMain());
 }
 
 apple_frontend_settings_t apple_frontend_settings;