diff --git a/list_special.h b/list_special.h
index 2e8eea3ce4..a0e4b106a6 100644
--- a/list_special.h
+++ b/list_special.h
@@ -59,7 +59,8 @@ enum string_list_type
 };
 
 struct string_list *dir_list_new_special(const char *input_dir,
-      enum dir_list_type type, const char *filter);
+      enum dir_list_type type, const char *filter,
+      bool show_hidden_files);
 
 struct string_list *string_list_new_special(enum string_list_type type,
       void *data, unsigned *len, size_t *list_size);
diff --git a/manual_content_scan.c b/manual_content_scan.c
index 901c340a0b..3425bad5d4 100644
--- a/manual_content_scan.c
+++ b/manual_content_scan.c
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ bool manual_content_scan_get_menu_core_name(const char **core_name)
  * > Returns NULL in the event of failure
  * > Returned string list must be free()'d */
 struct string_list *manual_content_scan_get_menu_system_name_list(
-      const char *path_content_database)
+      const char *path_content_database, bool show_hidden_files)
 {
    union string_list_elem_attr attr;
    struct string_list *name_list = string_list_new();
@@ -579,7 +579,7 @@ struct string_list *manual_content_scan_get_menu_system_name_list(
        * or verify file extensions) */
       struct string_list *rdb_list = dir_list_new_special(
             path_content_database,
-            DIR_LIST_DATABASES, NULL);
+            DIR_LIST_DATABASES, NULL, show_hidden_files);
 
       if (rdb_list && rdb_list->size)
       {
diff --git a/manual_content_scan.h b/manual_content_scan.h
index e56c406337..2c8168e8b1 100644
--- a/manual_content_scan.h
+++ b/manual_content_scan.h
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ bool manual_content_scan_get_menu_core_name(const char **core_name);
  * > Returns NULL in the event of failure
  * > Returned string list must be free()'d */
 struct string_list *manual_content_scan_get_menu_system_name_list(
-      const char *path_content_database);
+      const char *path_content_database, bool show_hidden_files);
 
 /* Creates a list of all possible 'core name' menu
  * strings, for use in 'menu_displaylist' drop-down
diff --git a/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_left.c b/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_left.c
index 1bf9c16aa7..433c7f8d5a 100644
--- a/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_left.c
+++ b/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_left.c
@@ -527,7 +527,7 @@ static int manual_content_scan_system_name_left(unsigned type, const char *label
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBRETRODB
    settings_t *settings                                            = config_get_ptr();
    struct string_list *system_name_list                            =
-      manual_content_scan_get_menu_system_name_list(settings->paths.path_content_database);
+      manual_content_scan_get_menu_system_name_list(settings->paths.path_content_database, settings->bools.show_hidden_files);
 #else
    struct string_list *system_name_list                            =
       manual_content_scan_get_menu_system_name_list(NULL);
diff --git a/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_right.c b/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_right.c
index 85d4a5c3fa..9b28efa7e9 100644
--- a/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_right.c
+++ b/menu/cbs/menu_cbs_right.c
@@ -614,10 +614,13 @@ static int manual_content_scan_system_name_right(unsigned type, const char *labe
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBRETRODB
    settings_t *settings                                            = config_get_ptr();
    struct string_list *system_name_list                            =
-      manual_content_scan_get_menu_system_name_list(settings->paths.path_content_database);
+      manual_content_scan_get_menu_system_name_list(
+            settings->paths.path_content_database,
+            settings->bools.show_hidden_files);
 #else
    struct string_list *system_name_list                            =
-      manual_content_scan_get_menu_system_name_list(NULL);
+      manual_content_scan_get_menu_system_name_list(NULL,
+            settings->bools.show_hidden_files);
 #endif
    const char *current_system_name                                 = NULL;
    enum manual_content_scan_system_name_type next_system_name_type =
diff --git a/menu/menu_displaylist.c b/menu/menu_displaylist.c
index 64b2d294e2..65b705c673 100644
--- a/menu/menu_displaylist.c
+++ b/menu/menu_displaylist.c
@@ -2739,7 +2739,8 @@ static unsigned menu_displaylist_parse_playlist_manager_list(
    /* Add collection playlists */
    str_list = dir_list_new_special(
          settings->paths.directory_playlist,
-         DIR_LIST_COLLECTIONS, NULL);
+         DIR_LIST_COLLECTIONS, NULL,
+         settings->bools.show_hidden_files);
 
    if (str_list && str_list->size)
    {
@@ -2942,7 +2943,8 @@ static unsigned menu_displaylist_parse_pl_thumbnail_download_list(
 
    str_list = dir_list_new_special(
          settings->paths.directory_playlist,
-         DIR_LIST_COLLECTIONS, NULL);
+         DIR_LIST_COLLECTIONS, NULL,
+         settings->bools.show_hidden_files);
 
    if (str_list && str_list->size)
    {
@@ -5292,10 +5294,10 @@ unsigned menu_displaylist_build_list(file_list_t *list, enum menu_displaylist_ct
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBRETRODB
             settings_t *settings                 = config_get_ptr();
             struct string_list *system_name_list = 
-               manual_content_scan_get_menu_system_name_list(settings->paths.path_content_database);
+               manual_content_scan_get_menu_system_name_list(settings->paths.path_content_database, settings->bools.show_hidden_files);
 #else
             struct string_list *system_name_list = 
-               manual_content_scan_get_menu_system_name_list(NULL);
+               manual_content_scan_get_menu_system_name_list(NULL, settings->bools.show_hidden_files);
 #endif
 
             if (system_name_list)
diff --git a/retroarch.c b/retroarch.c
index 0203b5d6e9..ce04f92251 100644
--- a/retroarch.c
+++ b/retroarch.c
@@ -1229,7 +1229,8 @@ static void rarch_init_core_options(
 static void bsv_movie_set_path(const char *path);
 
 struct string_list *dir_list_new_special(const char *input_dir,
-      enum dir_list_type type, const char *filter)
+      enum dir_list_type type, const char *filter,
+      bool show_hidden_files)
 {
 #if defined(HAVE_CG) || defined(HAVE_GLSL) || defined(HAVE_SLANG) || defined(HAVE_HLSL)
    char ext_shaders[255];
@@ -1237,7 +1238,6 @@ struct string_list *dir_list_new_special(const char *input_dir,
    char ext_name[255];
    const char *exts                  = NULL;
    bool recursive                    = false;
-   settings_t *settings              = configuration_settings;
 
    switch (type)
    {
@@ -1318,7 +1318,7 @@ struct string_list *dir_list_new_special(const char *input_dir,
    }
 
    return dir_list_new(input_dir, exts, false,
-         settings->bools.show_hidden_files,
+         show_hidden_files,
          type == DIR_LIST_CORE_INFO, recursive);
 }
 
@@ -2273,8 +2273,9 @@ static bool dir_init_shader(const char *path_dir_shader)
 {
    unsigned i;
    struct rarch_dir_list *dir_list = (struct rarch_dir_list*)&dir_shader_list;
+   settings_t *settings            = configuration_settings;
 
-   dir_list->list = dir_list_new_special(path_dir_shader, DIR_LIST_SHADERS, NULL);
+   dir_list->list = dir_list_new_special(path_dir_shader, DIR_LIST_SHADERS, NULL, settings->bools.show_hidden_files);
 
    if (!dir_list->list || dir_list->list->size == 0)
    {
@@ -5673,7 +5674,8 @@ static void command_event_set_savestate_auto_index(void)
    fill_pathname_basedir(state_dir, global->name.savestate,
          state_size);
 
-   dir_list = dir_list_new_special(state_dir, DIR_LIST_PLAIN, NULL);
+   dir_list = dir_list_new_special(state_dir, DIR_LIST_PLAIN, NULL,
+         settings->bools.show_hidden_files);
 
    free(state_dir);
 
diff --git a/tasks/task_autodetect.c b/tasks/task_autodetect.c
index a242e5d7b0..f89b55d429 100644
--- a/tasks/task_autodetect.c
+++ b/tasks/task_autodetect.c
@@ -266,7 +266,8 @@ static bool input_autoconfigure_joypad_from_conf_dir(
    fill_pathname_application_special(path, sizeof(path),
          APPLICATION_SPECIAL_DIRECTORY_AUTOCONFIG);
 
-   list = dir_list_new_special(path, DIR_LIST_AUTOCONFIG, "cfg");
+   list = dir_list_new_special(path, DIR_LIST_AUTOCONFIG, "cfg",
+         params->show_hidden_files);
 
    if (!list || !list->size)
    {
@@ -277,7 +278,7 @@ static bool input_autoconfigure_joypad_from_conf_dir(
       }
       if (!string_is_empty(params->autoconfig_directory))
          list = dir_list_new_special(params->autoconfig_directory,
-               DIR_LIST_AUTOCONFIG, "cfg");
+               DIR_LIST_AUTOCONFIG, "cfg", params->show_hidden_files);
    }
 
    if (!list)
@@ -518,6 +519,7 @@ void input_autoconfigure_connect(
    if (!string_is_empty(dir_autoconf))
       state->autoconfig_directory = strdup(dir_autoconf);
 
+   state->show_hidden_files       = settings->bools.show_hidden_files;
    state->idx                     = idx;
    state->vid                     = vid;
    state->pid                     = pid;
diff --git a/tasks/tasks_internal.h b/tasks/tasks_internal.h
index 83935d38a3..6e3d667922 100644
--- a/tasks/tasks_internal.h
+++ b/tasks/tasks_internal.h
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ struct autoconfig_params
    uint32_t max_users;
    char  *name;
    char  *autoconfig_directory;
+   bool show_hidden_files;
 };