diff --git a/win32/rsrc/resource.h b/win32/rsrc/resource.h
index 2f46d864..48fc1e16 100644
--- a/win32/rsrc/resource.h
+++ b/win32/rsrc/resource.h
@@ -486,6 +486,7 @@
 #define ID_EMULATION_BACKGROUNDINPUT    40174
 #define ID_SAVEMEMPACK                  40175
 #define ID_INPUT_BACKGROUNDKEYBOARDHOTKEYS 40176
+#define ID_INPUT_DETECTGAMEPADCHANGES   40177
 #define ID_FILE_SAVE0                   44000
 #define ID_FILE_SAVE1                   44001
 #define ID_FILE_SAVE2                   44002
diff --git a/win32/rsrc/snes9x.rc b/win32/rsrc/snes9x.rc
index 33b0801f..e69295a9 100644
--- a/win32/rsrc/snes9x.rc
+++ b/win32/rsrc/snes9x.rc
@@ -882,6 +882,8 @@ BEGIN
         MENUITEM "Enable Background Input",     ID_EMULATION_BACKGROUNDINPUT
         MENUITEM "Background Keyboard Hotkeys", ID_INPUT_BACKGROUNDKEYBOARDHOTKEYS
         MENUITEM SEPARATOR
+        MENUITEM "Detect gamepad changes",      ID_INPUT_DETECTGAMEPADCHANGES
+        MENUITEM SEPARATOR
         MENUITEM "Use SNES Joypad(s)",          IDM_SNES_JOYPAD
         MENUITEM "Use SNES Mouse",              IDM_MOUSE_TOGGLE
         MENUITEM "Use Super Scope",             IDM_SCOPE_TOGGLE
diff --git a/win32/wsnes9x.cpp b/win32/wsnes9x.cpp
index 84d55242..c3bc6ef2 100644
--- a/win32/wsnes9x.cpp
+++ b/win32/wsnes9x.cpp
@@ -1944,6 +1944,10 @@ LRESULT CALLBACK WinProc(
             GUI.BackgroundKeyHotkeys = !GUI.BackgroundKeyHotkeys;
             break;
 
+        case ID_INPUT_DETECTGAMEPADCHANGES:
+            S9xDetectJoypads();
+            break;
+
 		case ID_FILE_LOADMULTICART:
 			{
 				RestoreGUIDisplay ();
@@ -2717,20 +2721,6 @@ LRESULT CALLBACK WinProc(
 #endif
 		break;
 #endif
-    case WM_DEVICECHANGE:
-		if (wParam == DBT_DEVICEARRIVAL || wParam == DBT_DEVICEREMOVECOMPLETE) {
-			// trigger a joypad detect after 500ms - the multimedia functions do not like it if we trigger this right after arrival/removal
-			SetTimer(hWnd, TIMER_SCANJOYPADS, 500, NULL);
-		}
-        break;
-	case WM_TIMER:
-		{
-			if (wParam == TIMER_SCANJOYPADS) {
-				S9xDetectJoypads();
-				KillTimer(hWnd, TIMER_SCANJOYPADS);
-			}
-		}
-		break;
 	}
     return DefWindowProc (hWnd, uMsg, wParam, lParam);
 }