diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/CMakeLists.txt b/Source/Core/Core/CMakeLists.txt
index fe7b849782..ff5337e9dd 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -279,6 +279,7 @@ add_library(core
   HW/WiimoteCommon/WiimoteReport.h
   HW/WiimoteEmu/Camera.cpp
   HW/WiimoteEmu/Camera.h
+  HW/WiimoteEmu/DesiredWiimoteState.h
   HW/WiimoteEmu/Dynamics.cpp
   HW/WiimoteEmu/Dynamics.h
   HW/WiimoteEmu/EmuSubroutines.cpp
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteEmu/DesiredWiimoteState.h b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteEmu/DesiredWiimoteState.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7a3e493603
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteEmu/DesiredWiimoteState.h
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+// Copyright 2022 Dolphin Emulator Project
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "Core/HW/WiimoteCommon/WiimoteReport.h"
+
+namespace WiimoteEmu
+{
+struct DesiredWiimoteState
+{
+  WiimoteCommon::ButtonData buttons{};  // non-button state in this is ignored
+};
+}  // namespace WiimoteEmu
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteEmu/WiimoteEmu.cpp b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteEmu/WiimoteEmu.cpp
index ca071a5e10..c30163017f 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteEmu/WiimoteEmu.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteEmu/WiimoteEmu.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 
 #include "Core/HW/WiimoteCommon/WiimoteConstants.h"
 #include "Core/HW/WiimoteCommon/WiimoteHid.h"
+#include "Core/HW/WiimoteEmu/DesiredWiimoteState.h"
 #include "Core/HW/WiimoteEmu/Extension/Classic.h"
 #include "Core/HW/WiimoteEmu/Extension/DrawsomeTablet.h"
 #include "Core/HW/WiimoteEmu/Extension/Drums.h"
@@ -427,20 +428,13 @@ bool Wiimote::ProcessExtensionPortEvent()
   return true;
 }
 
-// Update buttons in status struct from user input.
-void Wiimote::UpdateButtonsStatus()
+void Wiimote::UpdateButtonsStatus(const DesiredWiimoteState& target_state)
 {
-  m_status.buttons.hex = 0;
-
-  m_buttons->GetState(&m_status.buttons.hex, button_bitmasks);
-  m_dpad->GetState(&m_status.buttons.hex, IsSideways() ? dpad_sideways_bitmasks : dpad_bitmasks);
+  m_status.buttons.hex = target_state.buttons.hex & ButtonData::BUTTON_MASK;
 }
 
-// This is called every ::Wiimote::UPDATE_FREQ (200hz)
-void Wiimote::Update()
+DesiredWiimoteState Wiimote::BuildDesiredWiimoteState()
 {
-  const auto lock = GetStateLock();
-
   // Hotkey / settings modifier
   // Data is later accessed in IsSideways and IsUpright
   m_hotkeys->UpdateState();
@@ -448,12 +442,26 @@ void Wiimote::Update()
   // Update our motion simulations.
   StepDynamics();
 
+  DesiredWiimoteState wiimote_state;
+
+  // Fetch pressed buttons from user input.
+  m_buttons->GetState(&wiimote_state.buttons.hex, button_bitmasks);
+  m_dpad->GetState(&wiimote_state.buttons.hex,
+                   IsSideways() ? dpad_sideways_bitmasks : dpad_bitmasks);
+
+  return wiimote_state;
+}
+
+// This is called every ::Wiimote::UPDATE_FREQ (200hz)
+void Wiimote::Update()
+{
+  const auto lock = GetStateLock();
+
+  // Build target state.
+  auto target_state = BuildDesiredWiimoteState();
+
   // Update buttons in the status struct which is sent in 99% of input reports.
-  // FYI: Movies only sync button updates in data reports.
-  if (!Core::WantsDeterminism())
-  {
-    UpdateButtonsStatus();
-  }
+  UpdateButtonsStatus(target_state);
 
   // If a new extension is requested in the GUI the change will happen here.
   HandleExtensionSwap();
@@ -518,12 +526,6 @@ void Wiimote::SendDataReport()
     // Core buttons:
     if (rpt_builder.HasCore())
     {
-      if (Core::WantsDeterminism())
-      {
-        // When running non-deterministically we've already updated buttons in Update()
-        UpdateButtonsStatus();
-      }
-
       rpt_builder.SetCoreData(m_status.buttons);
     }
 
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteEmu/WiimoteEmu.h b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteEmu/WiimoteEmu.h
index ae51b04ace..5a54b66b40 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteEmu/WiimoteEmu.h
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/WiimoteEmu/WiimoteEmu.h
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ class Tilt;
 
 namespace WiimoteEmu
 {
+struct DesiredWiimoteState;
+
 enum class WiimoteGroup
 {
   Buttons,
@@ -150,7 +152,8 @@ private:
   void RefreshConfig();
 
   void StepDynamics();
-  void UpdateButtonsStatus();
+  void UpdateButtonsStatus(const DesiredWiimoteState& target_state);
+  DesiredWiimoteState BuildDesiredWiimoteState();
 
   // Returns simulated accelerometer data in m/s^2.
   Common::Vec3 GetAcceleration(
diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinLib.props b/Source/Core/DolphinLib.props
index e0c8baf5ab..73b5bd61d0 100644
--- a/Source/Core/DolphinLib.props
+++ b/Source/Core/DolphinLib.props
@@ -315,6 +315,7 @@
     <ClInclude Include="Core\HW\WiimoteCommon\WiimoteReport.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="Core\HW\WiimoteEmu\Camera.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="Core\HW\WiimoteEmu\Dynamics.h" />
+    <ClInclude Include="Core\HW\WiimoteEmu\DesiredWiimoteState.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="Core\HW\WiimoteEmu\Encryption.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="Core\HW\WiimoteEmu\Extension\Classic.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="Core\HW\WiimoteEmu\Extension\DrawsomeTablet.h" />