diff --git a/pcsx2/gui/AppMain.cpp b/pcsx2/gui/AppMain.cpp
index 67e807c47b..77e8deaf85 100644
--- a/pcsx2/gui/AppMain.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/gui/AppMain.cpp
@@ -1025,7 +1025,11 @@ void Pcsx2App::OpenGsPanel()
 	gsFrame->ShowFullScreen( g_Conf->GSWindow.IsFullscreen );
 
 #ifndef DISABLE_RECORDING
-	// Disable recording controls that only make sense if the game is running
+	// Enable New & Play after the first game load of the session
+	sMainFrame.enableRecordingMenuItem(MenuId_Recording_New, !g_InputRecording.IsActive());
+	sMainFrame.enableRecordingMenuItem(MenuId_Recording_Play, true);
+
+	// Enable recording menu options as the game is now running
 	sMainFrame.enableRecordingMenuItem(MenuId_Recording_FrameAdvance, true);
 	sMainFrame.enableRecordingMenuItem(MenuId_Recording_TogglePause, true);
 	sMainFrame.enableRecordingMenuItem(MenuId_Recording_ToggleRecordingMode, g_InputRecording.IsActive());
diff --git a/pcsx2/gui/MainFrame.cpp b/pcsx2/gui/MainFrame.cpp
index e8991a04e9..e9ea6d52e7 100644
--- a/pcsx2/gui/MainFrame.cpp
+++ b/pcsx2/gui/MainFrame.cpp
@@ -486,9 +486,9 @@ void MainEmuFrame::CreateCaptureMenu()
 void MainEmuFrame::CreateRecordMenu()
 {
 #ifndef DISABLE_RECORDING
-	m_menuRecording.Append(MenuId_Recording_New, _("New"), _("Create a new input recording."));
+	m_menuRecording.Append(MenuId_Recording_New, _("New"), _("Create a new input recording."))->Enable(false);
 	m_menuRecording.Append(MenuId_Recording_Stop, _("Stop"), _("Stop the active input recording."))->Enable(false);
-	m_menuRecording.Append(MenuId_Recording_Play, _("Play"), _("Playback an existing input recording."));
+	m_menuRecording.Append(MenuId_Recording_Play, _("Play"), _("Playback an existing input recording."))->Enable(false);
 	m_menuRecording.AppendSeparator();
 	m_menuRecording.Append(MenuId_Recording_TogglePause, _("Toggle Pause"), _("Pause or resume emulation on the fly."))->Enable(false);
 	m_menuRecording.Append(MenuId_Recording_FrameAdvance, _("Frame Advance"), _("Advance emulation forward by a single frame at a time."))->Enable(false);