diff --git a/src/frontend-common/sdl_controller_interface.cpp b/src/frontend-common/sdl_controller_interface.cpp
index 7b2c93b0e..96a07b04d 100644
--- a/src/frontend-common/sdl_controller_interface.cpp
+++ b/src/frontend-common/sdl_controller_interface.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "sdl_controller_interface.h"
 #include "common/assert.h"
+#include "common/file_system.h"
 #include "common/log.h"
 #include "core/controller.h"
 #include "core/host_interface.h"
@@ -23,6 +24,17 @@ bool SDLControllerInterface::Initialize(CommonHostInterface* host_interface)
 
   FrontendCommon::EnsureSDLInitialized();
 
+  const std::string gcdb_file_name = GetGameControllerDBFileName();
+  if (FileSystem::FileExists(gcdb_file_name.c_str()))
+  {
+    Log_InfoPrintf("Loading game controller mappings from '%s'", gcdb_file_name.c_str());
+    if (SDL_GameControllerAddMappingsFromFile(gcdb_file_name.c_str()) < 0)
+    {
+      Log_ErrorPrintf("SDL_GameControllerAddMappingsFromFile(%s) failed: %s",
+                      gcdb_file_name.c_str(), SDL_GetError());
+    }
+  }
+
   if (SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_JOYSTICK | SDL_INIT_GAMECONTROLLER | SDL_INIT_HAPTIC) < 0)
   {
     Log_ErrorPrintf("SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_JOYSTICK |SDL_INIT_GAMECONTROLLER | SDL_INIT_HAPTIC) failed");
@@ -48,6 +60,11 @@ void SDLControllerInterface::Shutdown()
   ControllerInterface::Shutdown();
 }
 
+std::string SDLControllerInterface::GetGameControllerDBFileName() const
+{
+  return m_host_interface->GetUserDirectoryRelativePath("gamecontrollerdb.txt");
+}
+
 void SDLControllerInterface::PollEvents()
 {
   for (;;)
diff --git a/src/frontend-common/sdl_controller_interface.h b/src/frontend-common/sdl_controller_interface.h
index 1aacab523..7636d9372 100644
--- a/src/frontend-common/sdl_controller_interface.h
+++ b/src/frontend-common/sdl_controller_interface.h
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ public:
   bool Initialize(CommonHostInterface* host_interface) override;
   void Shutdown() override;
 
+  /// Returns the path of the optional game controller database file.
+  std::string GetGameControllerDBFileName() const;
+
   // Removes all bindings. Call before setting new bindings.
   void ClearBindings() override;