diff --git a/src/emulator.c b/src/emulator.c
index 4cd91526..de32a423 100644
--- a/src/emulator.c
+++ b/src/emulator.c
@@ -57,10 +57,12 @@ struct emu {
   volatile int video_width;
   volatile int video_height;
   volatile int video_resized;
+  unsigned frame;
 
   struct render_backend *r, *r2;
   struct imgui *imgui;
   struct microprofile *mp;
+
   struct trace_writer *trace_writer;
 
   /* hosts which support creating multiple gl contexts will render video on
@@ -104,7 +106,6 @@ struct emu {
   /* debug stats */
   int debug_menu;
   int frame_stats;
-  int frame_seq;
   float frame_times[360];
   int64_t last_paint;
 };
@@ -302,29 +303,37 @@ static void emu_init_textures(struct emu *emu) {
 /*
  * trace recording
  */
-static void emu_toggle_tracing(struct emu *emu) {
+static void emu_stop_tracing(struct emu *emu) {
   if (!emu->trace_writer) {
-    char filename[PATH_MAX];
-    get_next_trace_filename(filename, sizeof(filename));
-
-    emu->trace_writer = trace_writer_open(filename);
-
-    if (!emu->trace_writer) {
-      LOG_INFO("failed to start tracing");
-      return;
-    }
-
-    /* clear texture cache in order to generate insert events for all
-       textures referenced while tracing */
-    emu_dirty_textures(emu);
-
-    LOG_INFO("begin tracing to %s", filename);
-  } else {
-    trace_writer_close(emu->trace_writer);
-    emu->trace_writer = NULL;
-
-    LOG_INFO("end tracing");
+    return;
   }
+
+  trace_writer_close(emu->trace_writer);
+  emu->trace_writer = NULL;
+
+  LOG_INFO("end tracing");
+}
+
+static void emu_start_tracing(struct emu *emu) {
+  if (emu->trace_writer) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  char filename[PATH_MAX];
+  get_next_trace_filename(filename, sizeof(filename));
+
+  emu->trace_writer = trace_writer_open(filename);
+
+  if (!emu->trace_writer) {
+    LOG_INFO("failed to start tracing");
+    return;
+  }
+
+  /* clear texture cache in order to generate insert events for all
+     textures referenced while tracing */
+  emu_dirty_textures(emu);
+
+  LOG_INFO("begin tracing to %s", filename);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -475,9 +484,11 @@ static void emu_paint(struct emu *emu) {
           emu->frame_stats = !emu->frame_stats;
         }
 
-        if ((!emu->trace_writer && igMenuItem("start trace", NULL, 0, 1)) ||
-            (emu->trace_writer && igMenuItem("stop trace", NULL, 1, 1))) {
-          emu_toggle_tracing(emu);
+        if (!emu->trace_writer && igMenuItem("start trace", NULL, 0, 1)) {
+          emu_start_tracing(emu);
+        }
+        if (emu->trace_writer && igMenuItem("stop trace", NULL, 1, 1)) {
+          emu_stop_tracing(emu);
         }
 
         if (igMenuItem("clear texture cache", NULL, 0, 1)) {
@@ -541,8 +552,9 @@ static void emu_paint(struct emu *emu) {
           igValueFloat("min time", min_time, "%.2f");
           igValueFloat("max time", max_time, "%.2f");
           igValueFloat("avg time", avg_time, "%.2f");
-          igPlotLines("", emu->frame_times, num_frame_times, emu->frame_seq,
-                      NULL, 0.0f, 60.0f, graph_size, sizeof(float));
+          igPlotLines("", emu->frame_times, num_frame_times,
+                      emu->frame % num_frame_times, NULL, 0.0f, 60.0f,
+                      graph_size, sizeof(float));
         }
 
         igEnd();
@@ -561,12 +573,6 @@ static void emu_paint(struct emu *emu) {
 /*
  * dreamcast guest interface
  */
-static void emu_guest_poll_input(void *userdata) {
-  struct emu *emu = userdata;
-
-  input_poll(emu->host);
-}
-
 static void emu_guest_finish_render(void *userdata) {
   struct emu *emu = userdata;
 
@@ -766,11 +772,11 @@ void emu_run_frame(struct emu *emu) {
   if (emu->last_paint) {
     float frame_time_ms = (float)(now - emu->last_paint) / 1000000.0f;
     int num_frame_times = array_size(emu->frame_times);
-    emu->frame_times[emu->frame_seq] = frame_time_ms;
-    emu->frame_seq = (emu->frame_seq + 1) % num_frame_times;
+    emu->frame_times[emu->frame % num_frame_times] = frame_time_ms;
   }
 
   emu->last_paint = now;
+  emu->frame++;
 }
 
 int emu_load_game(struct emu *emu, const char *path) {
@@ -784,6 +790,8 @@ int emu_load_game(struct emu *emu, const char *path) {
 }
 
 void emu_destroy(struct emu *emu) {
+  emu_stop_tracing(emu);
+
   dc_destroy(emu->dc);
 
   free(emu);
@@ -811,7 +819,6 @@ struct emu *emu_create(struct host *host) {
   emu->dc->push_audio = &emu_guest_push_audio;
   emu->dc->start_render = &emu_guest_start_render;
   emu->dc->finish_render = &emu_guest_finish_render;
-  emu->dc->poll_input = &emu_guest_poll_input;
 
   /* start up the video thread */
   emu->multi_threaded = video_supports_multiple_contexts(emu->host);
diff --git a/src/file/trace.c b/src/file/trace.c
index 114d531b..45ff4caf 100644
--- a/src/file/trace.c
+++ b/src/file/trace.c
@@ -5,20 +5,6 @@
 #include "core/math.h"
 #include "guest/pvr/tr.h"
 
-void get_next_trace_filename(char *filename, size_t size) {
-  const char *appdir = fs_appdir();
-
-  for (int i = 0; i < INT_MAX; i++) {
-    snprintf(filename, size, "%s" PATH_SEPARATOR "%d.trace", appdir, i);
-
-    if (!fs_exists(filename)) {
-      return;
-    }
-  }
-
-  LOG_FATAL("Unable to find available trace filename");
-}
-
 void trace_writer_close(struct trace_writer *writer) {
   if (writer->file) {
     fclose(writer->file);
@@ -235,3 +221,17 @@ struct trace *trace_parse(const char *filename) {
 
   return trace;
 }
+
+void get_next_trace_filename(char *filename, size_t size) {
+  const char *appdir = fs_appdir();
+
+  for (int i = 0; i < INT_MAX; i++) {
+    snprintf(filename, size, "%s" PATH_SEPARATOR "%d.trace", appdir, i);
+
+    if (!fs_exists(filename)) {
+      return;
+    }
+  }
+
+  LOG_FATAL("unable to find available trace filename");
+}
diff --git a/src/guest/dreamcast.c b/src/guest/dreamcast.c
index d0ccb6b1..3b255ad7 100644
--- a/src/guest/dreamcast.c
+++ b/src/guest/dreamcast.c
@@ -16,14 +16,6 @@
 #include "guest/scheduler.h"
 #include "guest/sh4/sh4.h"
 
-void dc_poll_input(struct dreamcast *dc) {
-  if (!dc->poll_input) {
-    return;
-  }
-
-  dc->poll_input(dc->userdata);
-}
-
 void dc_finish_render(struct dreamcast *dc) {
   if (!dc->finish_render) {
     return;
diff --git a/src/guest/dreamcast.h b/src/guest/dreamcast.h
index 7440358b..cc948a3c 100644
--- a/src/guest/dreamcast.h
+++ b/src/guest/dreamcast.h
@@ -125,7 +125,6 @@ struct device {
 typedef void (*push_audio_cb)(void *, const int16_t *, int);
 typedef void (*start_render_cb)(void *, struct tile_context *);
 typedef void (*finish_render_cb)(void *);
-typedef void (*poll_input_cb)(void *);
 
 struct dreamcast {
   int running;
@@ -154,7 +153,6 @@ struct dreamcast {
   push_audio_cb push_audio;
   start_render_cb start_render;
   finish_render_cb finish_render;
-  poll_input_cb poll_input;
 };
 
 struct dreamcast *dc_create();
@@ -192,6 +190,5 @@ void dc_input(struct dreamcast *dc, int port, int button, int16_t value);
 void dc_push_audio(struct dreamcast *dc, const int16_t *data, int frames);
 void dc_start_render(struct dreamcast *dc, struct tile_context *ctx);
 void dc_finish_render(struct dreamcast *dc);
-void dc_poll_input(struct dreamcast *dc);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/guest/maple/controller.c b/src/guest/maple/controller.c
index 3f95a30c..bc740124 100644
--- a/src/guest/maple/controller.c
+++ b/src/guest/maple/controller.c
@@ -33,12 +33,6 @@ struct controller {
   struct maple_cond cnd;
 };
 
-static void controller_update(struct controller *ctrl) {
-  /* dc_poll_input will call into controller_input if new values are
-     available */
-  dc_poll_input(ctrl->dc);
-}
-
 static int controller_input(struct maple_device *dev, int button,
                             int16_t value) {
   struct controller *ctrl = (struct controller *)dev;
@@ -101,8 +95,6 @@ static int controller_frame(struct maple_device *dev,
     }
 
     case MAPLE_REQ_GETCOND: {
-      controller_update(ctrl);
-
       res->header.command = MAPLE_RES_TRANSFER;
       res->header.recv_addr = frame->header.send_addr;
       res->header.send_addr = frame->header.recv_addr;
diff --git a/src/host/sdl_host.c b/src/host/sdl_host.c
index 13d89758..ece7370a 100644
--- a/src/host/sdl_host.c
+++ b/src/host/sdl_host.c
@@ -828,9 +828,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 
     if (emu_load_game(emu, load)) {
       while (!g_host->closed) {
-        /* even though the emulator itself will poll for events when updating
-           controller input, the main loop needs to also poll to ensure the
-           close event is received */
         host_poll_events(g_host);
 
         /* only step the emulator if the available audio is running low. this