diff --git a/rpcs3/util/cpu_stats.cpp b/rpcs3/util/cpu_stats.cpp
index 3b34f72dc9..9bbc972983 100644
--- a/rpcs3/util/cpu_stats.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/util/cpu_stats.cpp
@@ -125,6 +125,11 @@ namespace utils
 		};
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
+		if (!m_cpu_cores || !m_cpu_query)
+		{
+			perf_log.warning("Can not collect per core cpu usage: The required API is not initialized.");
+			return;
+		}
 
 		PDH_STATUS status = PdhCollectQueryData(m_cpu_query);
 		if (ERROR_SUCCESS != status)
diff --git a/rpcs3/util/cpu_stats.hpp b/rpcs3/util/cpu_stats.hpp
index c94c8dbeb8..66759b5261 100644
--- a/rpcs3/util/cpu_stats.hpp
+++ b/rpcs3/util/cpu_stats.hpp
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ namespace utils
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
 		PDH_HQUERY m_cpu_query = nullptr;
-		PDH_HCOUNTER m_cpu_total = nullptr;
 		PDH_HCOUNTER m_cpu_cores = nullptr;
 #elif __linux__
 		size_t m_previous_idle_time_total = 0;