diff --git a/Source/nragev20/FileAccess.cpp b/Source/nragev20/FileAccess.cpp
index 4a3665744..ef9dbdd2c 100644
--- a/Source/nragev20/FileAccess.cpp
+++ b/Source/nragev20/FileAccess.cpp
@@ -257,6 +257,10 @@ bool ProcessKey( DWORD dwKey, DWORD dwSection, LPCSTR pszLine, LPTSTR pszFFDevic
 		if (pController)
 			pController->fN64Mouse = atoi(pszLine);
 		break;
+	case CHK_BACKGROUNDINPUT:
+		if (pController)
+			pController->bBackgroundInput = atoi(pszLine);
+		break;
 	case CHK_PAKTYPE:
 		if (pController)
 			pController->PakType = atoi(pszLine);
@@ -1490,6 +1494,7 @@ void DumpControllerSettings(FILE * fFile, int i, bool bIsINI)
 	fprintf(fFile, STRING_INI_PLUGGED "=%u\n", g_ivConfig->Controllers[i].fPlugged);
 	fprintf(fFile, STRING_INI_XINPUT "=%u\n", g_ivConfig->Controllers[i].fXInput);
 	fprintf(fFile, STRING_INI_N64MOUSE "=%u\n", g_ivConfig->Controllers[i].fN64Mouse);
+	fprintf(fFile, STRING_INI_BACKGROUNDINPUT "=%u\n", g_ivConfig->Controllers[i].bBackgroundInput);
 	fprintf(fFile, STRING_INI_RAWDATA "=%u\n", g_ivConfig->Controllers[i].fRawData);
 	fprintf(fFile, STRING_INI_PAKTYPE "=%u\n", g_ivConfig->Controllers[i].PakType);
 	fprintf(fFile, STRING_INI_REALN64RANGE "=%u\n", g_ivConfig->Controllers[i].fRealN64Range);
diff --git a/Source/nragev20/FileAccess.h b/Source/nragev20/FileAccess.h
index c9a2f4df6..e9159ebc9 100644
--- a/Source/nragev20/FileAccess.h
+++ b/Source/nragev20/FileAccess.h
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ unsigned long djbHash(const char *str);
 #define STRING_INI_PLUGGED		"Plugged"
 #define STRING_INI_XINPUT		"xInput"
 #define STRING_INI_N64MOUSE		"N64Mouse"
+#define STRING_INI_BACKGROUNDINPUT		"BackgroundInput"
 #define STRING_INI_RAWDATA		"RawData"
 #define STRING_INI_PAKTYPE		"PakType"
 #define STRING_INI_REALN64RANGE	"RealN64Range"
@@ -156,6 +157,7 @@ unsigned long djbHash(const char *str);
 #define CHK_PLUGGED                     3378836077UL
 #define CHK_XINPUT                      3665436173UL
 #define CHK_N64MOUSE                     863329606UL
+#define CHK_BACKGROUNDINPUT             2660742997UL
 #define CHK_RAWDATA                     1238573385UL
 #define CHK_PAKTYPE                     2936974691UL
 #define CHK_REALN64RANGE                1279831790UL
diff --git a/Source/nragev20/Interface.cpp b/Source/nragev20/Interface.cpp
index 407516fb9..2ac93f68e 100644
--- a/Source/nragev20/Interface.cpp
+++ b/Source/nragev20/Interface.cpp
@@ -552,6 +552,10 @@ BOOL CALLBACK ControllerTabProc( HWND hDlg, UINT uMsg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lPa
 				pcController->fN64Mouse = (IsDlgButtonChecked(hDlg, LOWORD(wParam)) == BST_CHECKED);
 				return TRUE;
 
+			case IDC_BACKGROUNDINPUT:
+				pcController->bBackgroundInput = (IsDlgButtonChecked(hDlg, LOWORD(wParam)) == BST_CHECKED);
+				return TRUE;
+
 			default:
 				return FALSE;
 		}
@@ -561,6 +565,7 @@ BOOL CALLBACK ControllerTabProc( HWND hDlg, UINT uMsg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lPa
 		CheckDlgButton( hDlg, IDC_PLUGGED, pcController->fPlugged ? BST_CHECKED : BST_UNCHECKED );
 		CheckDlgButton( hDlg, IDC_XINPUT_ENABLER, pcController->fXInput ? BST_CHECKED : BST_UNCHECKED );
 		CheckDlgButton( hDlg, IDC_N64MOUSE, pcController->fN64Mouse ? BST_CHECKED : BST_UNCHECKED);
+		CheckDlgButton( hDlg, IDC_BACKGROUNDINPUT, pcController->bBackgroundInput ? BST_CHECKED : BST_UNCHECKED);
 
 		if( hTabControl )
 			DestroyWindow( hTabControl );
diff --git a/Source/nragev20/NRagePluginV2.cpp b/Source/nragev20/NRagePluginV2.cpp
index eb002796b..b01de8fd7 100644
--- a/Source/nragev20/NRagePluginV2.cpp
+++ b/Source/nragev20/NRagePluginV2.cpp
@@ -539,7 +539,14 @@ EXPORT void CALL GetKeys(int Control, BUTTONS * Keys )
 #ifdef ENABLE_RAWPAK_DEBUG
 	DebugWriteA("CALLED: GetKeys\n");
 #endif
-	if( g_bConfiguring || GetForegroundWindow() != g_strEmuInfo.hMainWindow)
+
+	if( !g_pcControllers[Control].bBackgroundInput && GetForegroundWindow() != g_strEmuInfo.hMainWindow )
+	{
+		// cancel if main window isn't focused and background input is disabled
+		return;
+	}
+
+	if( g_bConfiguring )
 		Keys->Value = 0;
 	else
 	{
diff --git a/Source/nragev20/NRagePluginV2.h b/Source/nragev20/NRagePluginV2.h
index da8907911..77695aed3 100644
--- a/Source/nragev20/NRagePluginV2.h
+++ b/Source/nragev20/NRagePluginV2.h
@@ -152,6 +152,8 @@ typedef struct _CONTROLLER		// AN N64 CONTROLLER
 	unsigned PakType;			// what type of controller pak? mempak? rumble? transfer? etc
 	unsigned fVisualRumble;		// is visual rumble enabled for this controller?
 
+	unsigned bBackgroundInput;  // allow input while main window isn't focused?
+
 	BYTE bRumbleTyp;				// what type of rumble effect? none, constant, ramp, or direct?
 
 	GUID guidFFDevice;				// GUID of the device that rumble gets sent to
diff --git a/Source/nragev20/NRagePluginV2.rc b/Source/nragev20/NRagePluginV2.rc
index e3d1eea62..acace5071 100644
--- a/Source/nragev20/NRagePluginV2.rc
+++ b/Source/nragev20/NRagePluginV2.rc
@@ -179,13 +179,14 @@ EXSTYLE WS_EX_CONTROLPARENT
 FONT 8, "MS Shell Dlg", 0, 0, 0x0
 BEGIN
     CONTROL         "Plugged",IDC_PLUGGED,"Button",BS_AUTOCHECKBOX | WS_TABSTOP,7,7,45,13
-    PUSHBUTTON      "Clear Controller",IDC_CLEARCONTROLLER,104,7,67,13
-    PUSHBUTTON      "Default Config",IDC_SETDEFAULT,104,21,67,13
-    PUSHBUTTON      "Load Profile",IDC_LOADPROFILE,191,7,67,13
-    PUSHBUTTON      "Save Profile",IDC_SAVEPROFILE,272,7,67,13
+    PUSHBUTTON      "Clear Controller",IDC_CLEARCONTROLLER,126,7,67,13
+    PUSHBUTTON      "Default Config",IDC_SETDEFAULT,126,21,67,13
+    PUSHBUTTON      "Load Profile",IDC_LOADPROFILE,208,7,67,13
+    PUSHBUTTON      "Save Profile",IDC_SAVEPROFILE,288,7,67,13
     CONTROL         "PLACEHOLDER",IDC_CONTROLLERTAB,"SysTabControl32",WS_GROUP | WS_TABSTOP,0,38,375,196
     CONTROL         "XInput",IDC_XINPUT_ENABLER,"Button",BS_AUTOCHECKBOX | WS_TABSTOP,7,22,37,10
     CONTROL         "N64 Mouse",IDC_N64MOUSE,"Button",BS_AUTOCHECKBOX | WS_TABSTOP,52,22,51,10
+    CONTROL         "Background Input",IDC_BACKGROUNDINPUT,"Button",BS_AUTOCHECKBOX | WS_TABSTOP,52,7,69,13
 END
 
 IDD_SHORTCUT DIALOGEX 0, 0, 376, 235
diff --git a/Source/nragev20/resource.h b/Source/nragev20/resource.h
index c507d277a..17b102157 100644
--- a/Source/nragev20/resource.h
+++ b/Source/nragev20/resource.h
@@ -362,14 +362,15 @@
 #define IDC_XC_LTS                      1194
 #define IDC_XC_RTS                      1195
 #define IDC_N64MOUSE                    1196
+#define IDC_BACKGROUNDINPUT             1197
 
 // Next default values for new objects
 // 
 #ifdef APSTUDIO_INVOKED
 #ifndef APSTUDIO_READONLY_SYMBOLS
-#define _APS_NEXT_RESOURCE_VALUE        147
+#define _APS_NEXT_RESOURCE_VALUE        149
 #define _APS_NEXT_COMMAND_VALUE         40001
-#define _APS_NEXT_CONTROL_VALUE         1197
+#define _APS_NEXT_CONTROL_VALUE         1198
 #define _APS_NEXT_SYMED_VALUE           101
 #endif
 #endif