diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/SI.cpp b/Source/Core/Core/HW/SI.cpp
index 148fc217db..7c0e11801b 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/HW/SI.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/SI.cpp
@@ -260,9 +260,25 @@ void Init()
 		g_Channel[i].m_InLo.Hex = 0;
 
 		if (Movie::IsMovieActive())
-			AddDevice(Movie::IsUsingPad(i) ?  (Movie::IsUsingBongo(i) ? SIDEVICE_GC_TARUKONGA : SIDEVICE_GC_CONTROLLER) : SIDEVICE_NONE, i);
+		{
+			if (Movie::IsUsingPad(i))
+			{
+				SIDevices current = SConfig::GetInstance().m_SIDevice[i];
+				// GC pad-compatible devices can be used for both playing and recording
+				if (SIDevice_IsGCController(current))
+					AddDevice(Movie::IsUsingBongo(i) ? SIDEVICE_GC_TARUKONGA : current, i);
+				else
+					AddDevice(Movie::IsUsingBongo(i) ? SIDEVICE_GC_TARUKONGA : SIDEVICE_GC_CONTROLLER, i);
+			}
+			else
+			{
+					AddDevice(SIDEVICE_NONE, i);
+			}
+		}
 		else if (!NetPlay::IsNetPlayRunning())
+		{
 			AddDevice(SConfig::GetInstance().m_SIDevice[i], i);
+		}
 	}
 
 	g_Poll.Hex = 0;
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/SI_Device.cpp b/Source/Core/Core/HW/SI_Device.cpp
index c239ee1350..56c27b94df 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/HW/SI_Device.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/SI_Device.cpp
@@ -67,6 +67,26 @@ public:
 };
 
 
+// Check if a device class is inheriting from CSIDevice_GCController
+// The goal of this function is to avoid special casing a long list of
+// device types when there is no "real" input device, e.g. when playing
+// a TAS movie, or netplay input.
+bool SIDevice_IsGCController(SIDevices type)
+{
+	switch (type)
+	{
+	case SIDEVICE_GC_CONTROLLER:
+	case SIDEVICE_WIIU_ADAPTER:
+	case SIDEVICE_GC_TARUKONGA:
+	case SIDEVICE_DANCEMAT:
+	case SIDEVICE_GC_STEERING:
+		return true;
+	default:
+		return false;
+	}
+}
+
+
 // F A C T O R Y
 std::unique_ptr<ISIDevice> SIDevice_Create(const SIDevices device, const int port_number)
 {
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/SI_Device.h b/Source/Core/Core/HW/SI_Device.h
index 866ae98e2a..5671cfba05 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/HW/SI_Device.h
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/SI_Device.h
@@ -107,4 +107,6 @@ public:
 	}
 };
 
+bool SIDevice_IsGCController(SIDevices type);
+
 std::unique_ptr<ISIDevice> SIDevice_Create(const SIDevices device, const int port_number);
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/NetPlayClient.cpp b/Source/Core/Core/NetPlayClient.cpp
index f76b097aa1..13eb60f45e 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/NetPlayClient.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/NetPlayClient.cpp
@@ -765,10 +765,10 @@ void NetPlayClient::UpdateDevices()
 	// so they should be added first.
 	for (auto player_id : m_pad_map)
 	{
-		// Use local controller types for local controllers
+		// Use local controller types for local controllers if they are compatible
 		if (player_id == m_local_player->pid)
 		{
-			if (SConfig::GetInstance().m_SIDevice[local_pad] != SIDEVICE_NONE)
+			if (SIDevice_IsGCController(SConfig::GetInstance().m_SIDevice[local_pad]))
 			{
 				SerialInterface::AddDevice(SConfig::GetInstance().m_SIDevice[local_pad], local_pad);
 			}
diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinWX/FrameTools.cpp b/Source/Core/DolphinWX/FrameTools.cpp
index db0acc7fe0..45a9c397be 100644
--- a/Source/Core/DolphinWX/FrameTools.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/DolphinWX/FrameTools.cpp
@@ -797,7 +797,7 @@ void CFrame::OnRecord(wxCommandEvent& WXUNUSED (event))
 
 	for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++)
 	{
-		if (SConfig::GetInstance().m_SIDevice[i] == SIDEVICE_GC_CONTROLLER || SConfig::GetInstance().m_SIDevice[i] == SIDEVICE_GC_TARUKONGA)
+		if (SIDevice_IsGCController(SConfig::GetInstance().m_SIDevice[i]))
 			controllers |= (1 << i);
 
 		if (g_wiimote_sources[i] != WIIMOTE_SRC_NONE)