diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/WiimoteReal.cpp b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/WiimoteReal.cpp
index 680e85d61c..83d262ebeb 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/WiimoteReal.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/WiimoteReal.cpp
@@ -96,8 +96,15 @@ static void TryToFillWiimoteSlot(u32 index)
     s_wiimote_pool.erase(s_wiimote_pool.begin());
 }
 
+void PopulateDevices()
+{
+  // There is a very small chance of deadlocks if we didn't do it in another thread
+  s_wiimote_scanner.PopulateDevices();
+}
+
 // Attempts to fill enabled real wiimote slots.
 // Push/pull wiimotes to/from ControllerInterface as needed.
+// Should be called PopulateDevices() to be in line with other implementations.
 void ProcessWiimotePool()
 {
   std::lock_guard lk(g_wiimotes_mutex);
@@ -545,7 +552,7 @@ void WiimoteScanner::StopThread()
 void WiimoteScanner::SetScanMode(WiimoteScanMode scan_mode)
 {
   m_scan_mode.store(scan_mode);
-  m_scan_mode_changed_event.Set();
+  m_scan_mode_changed_or_population_event.Set();
 }
 
 bool WiimoteScanner::IsReady() const
@@ -610,6 +617,12 @@ void WiimoteScanner::PoolThreadFunc()
   }
 }
 
+void WiimoteScanner::PopulateDevices()
+{
+  m_populate_devices.Set();
+  m_scan_mode_changed_or_population_event.Set();
+}
+
 void WiimoteScanner::ThreadFunc()
 {
   std::thread pool_thread(&WiimoteScanner::PoolThreadFunc, this);
@@ -634,7 +647,12 @@ void WiimoteScanner::ThreadFunc()
 
   while (m_scan_thread_running.IsSet())
   {
-    m_scan_mode_changed_event.WaitFor(std::chrono::milliseconds(500));
+    m_scan_mode_changed_or_population_event.WaitFor(std::chrono::milliseconds(500));
+
+    if (m_populate_devices.TestAndClear())
+    {
+      g_controller_interface.PlatformPopulateDevices([] { ProcessWiimotePool(); });
+    }
 
     // Does stuff needed to detect disconnects on Windows
     for (const auto& backend : m_backends)
@@ -675,7 +693,7 @@ void WiimoteScanner::ThreadFunc()
           }
 
           AddWiimoteToPool(std::unique_ptr<Wiimote>(wiimote));
-          ProcessWiimotePool();
+          g_controller_interface.PlatformPopulateDevices([] { ProcessWiimotePool(); });
         }
 
         if (found_board)
@@ -956,12 +974,12 @@ void HandleWiimoteSourceChange(unsigned int index)
     if (auto removed_wiimote = std::move(g_wiimotes[index]))
       AddWiimoteToPool(std::move(removed_wiimote));
   });
-  ProcessWiimotePool();
+  g_controller_interface.PlatformPopulateDevices([] { ProcessWiimotePool(); });
 }
 
 void HandleWiimotesInControllerInterfaceSettingChange()
 {
-  ProcessWiimotePool();
+  g_controller_interface.PlatformPopulateDevices([] { ProcessWiimotePool(); });
 }
 
 }  // namespace WiimoteReal
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/WiimoteReal.h b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/WiimoteReal.h
index 44d6a22af4..701371d4bd 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/WiimoteReal.h
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteReal/WiimoteReal.h
@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@ public:
   void StartThread();
   void StopThread();
   void SetScanMode(WiimoteScanMode scan_mode);
+  void PopulateDevices();
 
   bool IsReady() const;
 
@@ -183,7 +184,8 @@ private:
 
   std::thread m_scan_thread;
   Common::Flag m_scan_thread_running;
-  Common::Event m_scan_mode_changed_event;
+  Common::Flag m_populate_devices;
+  Common::Event m_scan_mode_changed_or_population_event;
   std::atomic<WiimoteScanMode> m_scan_mode{WiimoteScanMode::DO_NOT_SCAN};
 };
 
@@ -204,6 +206,7 @@ void InitAdapterClass();
 #endif
 
 void HandleWiimotesInControllerInterfaceSettingChange();
+void PopulateDevices();
 void ProcessWiimotePool();
 
 }  // namespace WiimoteReal
diff --git a/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerInterface/ControllerInterface.cpp b/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerInterface/ControllerInterface.cpp
index b84e8af571..cb4eae1472 100644
--- a/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerInterface/ControllerInterface.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerInterface/ControllerInterface.cpp
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ void ControllerInterface::RefreshDevices(RefreshReason reason)
   ciface::DualShockUDPClient::PopulateDevices();
 #endif
 
-  WiimoteReal::ProcessWiimotePool();
+  WiimoteReal::PopulateDevices();
 
   m_devices_mutex.unlock();
 
diff --git a/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerInterface/Wiimote/WiimoteController.cpp b/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerInterface/Wiimote/WiimoteController.cpp
index eaa56ef449..dfd329f5e0 100644
--- a/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerInterface/Wiimote/WiimoteController.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerInterface/Wiimote/WiimoteController.cpp
@@ -128,13 +128,17 @@ void ReleaseDevices(std::optional<u32> count)
 
   // Remove up to "count" remotes (or all of them if nullopt).
   // Real wiimotes will be added to the pool.
-  g_controller_interface.RemoveDevice([&](const Core::Device* device) {
-    if (device->GetSource() != SOURCE_NAME || count == removed_devices)
-      return false;
+  // Make sure to force the device removal immediately (as they are shared ptrs and
+  // they could be kept alive, preventing us from re-creating the device)
+  g_controller_interface.RemoveDevice(
+      [&](const Core::Device* device) {
+        if (device->GetSource() != SOURCE_NAME || count == removed_devices)
+          return false;
 
-    ++removed_devices;
-    return true;
-  });
+        ++removed_devices;
+        return true;
+      },
+      true);
 }
 
 Device::Device(std::unique_ptr<WiimoteReal::Wiimote> wiimote) : m_wiimote(std::move(wiimote))