diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinWX/InputConfigDiag.cpp b/Source/Core/DolphinWX/InputConfigDiag.cpp
index cad5d3496a..62efa38430 100644
--- a/Source/Core/DolphinWX/InputConfigDiag.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/DolphinWX/InputConfigDiag.cpp
@@ -320,7 +320,8 @@ bool ControlDialog::Validate()
 
   UpdateGUI();
 
-  return control_reference->parse_error == EXPRESSION_PARSE_SUCCESS;
+  return (control_reference->parse_error == EXPRESSION_PARSE_SUCCESS ||
+          control_reference->parse_error == EXPRESSION_PARSE_NO_DEVICE);
 }
 
 void GamepadPage::SetDevice(wxCommandEvent&)
diff --git a/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerInterface/ExpressionParser.cpp b/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerInterface/ExpressionParser.cpp
index 2960888148..5e4c2375af 100644
--- a/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerInterface/ExpressionParser.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/InputCommon/ControllerInterface/ExpressionParser.cpp
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ private:
       if (control == nullptr)
       {
         *expr_out = new DummyExpression(tok.qualifier);
-        return EXPRESSION_PARSE_SUCCESS;
+        return EXPRESSION_PARSE_NO_DEVICE;
       }
 
       *expr_out = new ControlExpression(tok.qualifier, device, control);
@@ -427,13 +427,12 @@ private:
 
   ExpressionParseStatus Unary(ExpressionNode** expr_out)
   {
-    ExpressionParseStatus status;
-
     if (IsUnaryExpression(Peek().type))
     {
       Token tok = Chew();
       ExpressionNode* atom_expr;
-      if ((status = Atom(&atom_expr)) != EXPRESSION_PARSE_SUCCESS)
+      ExpressionParseStatus status = Atom(&atom_expr);
+      if (status == EXPRESSION_PARSE_SYNTAX_ERROR)
         return status;
       *expr_out = new UnaryExpression(tok.type, atom_expr);
       return EXPRESSION_PARSE_SUCCESS;
@@ -457,16 +456,16 @@ private:
 
   ExpressionParseStatus Binary(ExpressionNode** expr_out)
   {
-    ExpressionParseStatus status;
-
-    if ((status = Unary(expr_out)) != EXPRESSION_PARSE_SUCCESS)
+    ExpressionParseStatus status = Unary(expr_out);
+    if (status == EXPRESSION_PARSE_SYNTAX_ERROR)
       return status;
 
     while (IsBinaryToken(Peek().type))
     {
       Token tok = Chew();
       ExpressionNode* unary_expr;
-      if ((status = Unary(&unary_expr)) != EXPRESSION_PARSE_SUCCESS)
+      status = Unary(&unary_expr);
+      if (status == EXPRESSION_PARSE_SYNTAX_ERROR)
       {
         delete *expr_out;
         return status;