diff --git a/plugins/GSdx/GSDeviceDX.cpp b/plugins/GSdx/GSDeviceDX.cpp
index 5aa5761ce1..2844f37e40 100644
--- a/plugins/GSdx/GSDeviceDX.cpp
+++ b/plugins/GSdx/GSDeviceDX.cpp
@@ -57,7 +57,9 @@ bool GSDeviceDX::LoadD3DCompiler()
 	else
 	{
 		if (!IsWindows8Point1OrGreater())
-			s_d3d_compiler_dll = LoadLibraryEx("D3DCompiler_43.dll", nullptr, LOAD_LIBRARY_SEARCH_SYSTEM32);
+			// Use LoadLibrary instead of LoadLibraryEx, some Windows 7 systems
+			// have issues with it.
+			s_d3d_compiler_dll = LoadLibrary("D3DCompiler_43.dll");
 
 		if (s_d3d_compiler_dll == nullptr)
 			return false;
diff --git a/plugins/LilyPad/XInputEnum.cpp b/plugins/LilyPad/XInputEnum.cpp
index 3f72441f0a..9a5a5d57df 100644
--- a/plugins/LilyPad/XInputEnum.cpp
+++ b/plugins/LilyPad/XInputEnum.cpp
@@ -255,13 +255,13 @@ void EnumXInputDevices() {
 		// don't repeatedly try to load it.
 		if (pXInputEnable) return;
 
-		const DWORD flags = LOAD_LIBRARY_SEARCH_APPLICATION_DIR | LOAD_LIBRARY_SEARCH_SYSTEM32;
-
 		// Prefer XInput 1.3 since SCP only has an XInput 1.3 wrapper right now.
+		// Also use LoadLibrary and not LoadLibraryEx for XInput 1.3, since some
+		// Windows 7 systems have issues with it.
 		// FIXME: Missing FreeLibrary call.
-		HMODULE hMod = LoadLibraryEx(L"xinput1_3.dll", nullptr, flags);
+		HMODULE hMod = LoadLibrary(L"xinput1_3.dll");
 		if (hMod == nullptr && IsWindows8OrGreater()) {
-			hMod = LoadLibraryEx(L"XInput1_4.dll", nullptr, flags);
+			hMod = LoadLibraryEx(L"XInput1_4.dll", nullptr, LOAD_LIBRARY_SEARCH_APPLICATION_DIR | LOAD_LIBRARY_SEARCH_SYSTEM32);
 		}
 
 		if (hMod) {
diff --git a/plugins/xpad/xpad.cpp b/plugins/xpad/xpad.cpp
index 4da8b77816..f60cc2edeb 100644
--- a/plugins/xpad/xpad.cpp
+++ b/plugins/xpad/xpad.cpp
@@ -643,12 +643,13 @@ LRESULT WINAPI PADwndProc(HWND hWnd, UINT msg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
 
 EXPORT_C_(UINT32) PADinit(UINT32 flags)
 {
-	DWORD loadFlags = LOAD_LIBRARY_SEARCH_APPLICATION_DIR | LOAD_LIBRARY_SEARCH_SYSTEM32;
-
-	s_xInputDll = LoadLibraryEx(L"xinput1_3.dll", nullptr, loadFlags);
+	// Use LoadLibrary and not LoadLibraryEx for XInput 1.3, since some
+	// Windows 7 systems have issues with it.
+	// TODO: Only load XInput 1.4 for Windows 8+? Or implement the SCP extension?
+	s_xInputDll = LoadLibrary(L"xinput1_3.dll");
 	if (s_xInputDll == nullptr && IsWindows8OrGreater())
 	{
-		s_xInputDll = LoadLibraryEx(L"XInput1_4.dll", nullptr, loadFlags);
+		s_xInputDll = LoadLibraryEx(L"XInput1_4.dll", nullptr, LOAD_LIBRARY_SEARCH_APPLICATION_DIR | LOAD_LIBRARY_SEARCH_SYSTEM32);
 	}
 	if (s_xInputDll == nullptr)
 	{