diff --git a/src/common/EventHandlerSDL2.cxx b/src/common/EventHandlerSDL2.cxx
index abec5b3da..5cb3dee58 100644
--- a/src/common/EventHandlerSDL2.cxx
+++ b/src/common/EventHandlerSDL2.cxx
@@ -36,12 +36,21 @@ void EventHandlerSDL2::initializeJoysticks()
 {
 #ifdef JOYSTICK_SUPPORT
   // Initialize the joystick subsystem
-  if((SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_JOYSTICK) >= 0) && (SDL_NumJoysticks() > 0))
+  if(SDL_WasInit(SDL_INIT_JOYSTICK) != 0)
   {
-    int numSticks = SDL_NumJoysticks();
-    for(int i = 0; i < numSticks; ++i)
-      addJoystick(new JoystickSDL2(i), i);
+    if(SDL_NumJoysticks() > 0)
+    {
+      int numSticks = SDL_NumJoysticks();
+      for(int i = 0; i < numSticks; ++i)
+        addJoystick(new JoystickSDL2(i), i);
+
+      myOSystem.logMessage("EventHandlerSDL2::initializeJoysticks() +sticks", 2);
+    }
+    else
+      myOSystem.logMessage("EventHandlerSDL2::initializeJoysticks() -sticks", 2);
   }
+  else
+    myOSystem.logMessage("EventHandlerSDL2::initializeJoysticks() failed!", 2);
 #endif
 }
 
@@ -198,16 +207,16 @@ void EventHandlerSDL2::pollEvent()
             handleSystemEvent(EVENT_WINDOW_FOCUS_LOST);
             break;
         }
-        break;
+        break;  // SDL_WINDOWEVENT
     }
   }
 }
 
-#ifdef JOYSTICK_SUPPORT
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 EventHandlerSDL2::JoystickSDL2::JoystickSDL2(int idx)
   : myStick(NULL)
 {
+#ifdef JOYSTICK_SUPPORT
   myStick = SDL_JoystickOpen(idx);
   if(myStick)
   {
@@ -215,13 +224,15 @@ EventHandlerSDL2::JoystickSDL2::JoystickSDL2(int idx)
         SDL_JoystickNumAxes(myStick), SDL_JoystickNumButtons(myStick),
         SDL_JoystickNumHats(myStick), SDL_JoystickNumBalls(myStick));
   }
+#endif
 }
 
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 EventHandlerSDL2::JoystickSDL2::~JoystickSDL2()
 {
+#ifdef JOYSTICK_SUPPORT
   if(myStick)
     SDL_JoystickClose(myStick);
   myStick = NULL;
-}
 #endif
+}
diff --git a/src/common/EventHandlerSDL2.hxx b/src/common/EventHandlerSDL2.hxx
index 3670b3acc..a16ea4dc8 100644
--- a/src/common/EventHandlerSDL2.hxx
+++ b/src/common/EventHandlerSDL2.hxx
@@ -68,7 +68,6 @@ class EventHandlerSDL2 : public EventHandler
   private:
     SDL_Event myEvent;
 
-  #ifdef JOYSTICK_SUPPORT
     // A thin wrapper around a basic StellaJoystick, holding the pointer to
     // the underlying SDL stick.
     class JoystickSDL2 : public StellaJoystick
@@ -80,7 +79,6 @@ class EventHandlerSDL2 : public EventHandler
       private:
         SDL_Joystick* myStick;
     };
-  #endif
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/common/FrameBufferSDL2.cxx b/src/common/FrameBufferSDL2.cxx
index 5130e7dd5..3b3779a84 100644
--- a/src/common/FrameBufferSDL2.cxx
+++ b/src/common/FrameBufferSDL2.cxx
@@ -42,13 +42,14 @@ FrameBufferSDL2::FrameBufferSDL2(OSystem& osystem)
     myDblBufferedFlag(true)
 {
   // Initialize SDL2 context
-  if(SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_VIDEO | SDL_INIT_TIMER) < 0)
+  if(SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_VIDEO | SDL_INIT_TIMER | SDL_INIT_JOYSTICK) < 0)
   {
     ostringstream buf;
     buf << "ERROR: Couldn't initialize SDL: " << SDL_GetError() << endl;
     myOSystem.logMessage(buf.str(), 0);
     return;
   }
+  myOSystem.logMessage("FrameBufferSDL2::FrameBufferSDL2 SDL_Init()", 2);
 
   // We need a pixel format for palette value calculations
   // It's done this way (vs directly accessing a FBSurfaceSDL2 object)
diff --git a/src/emucore/MediaFactory.hxx b/src/emucore/MediaFactory.hxx
index 9e7f429f6..f65027286 100644
--- a/src/emucore/MediaFactory.hxx
+++ b/src/emucore/MediaFactory.hxx
@@ -105,7 +105,6 @@ class MediaFactory
     {
       return new EventHandlerSDL2(osystem);
     }
-
 };
 
 #endif