diff --git a/src/frontend/App.cpp b/src/frontend/App.cpp
index 77465dd4..d3a1b304 100644
--- a/src/frontend/App.cpp
+++ b/src/frontend/App.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,12 @@ void App::Run() {
         case SDL_CONTROLLERDEVICEADDED: {
           const int index = event.cdevice.which;
           si.pif.gamepad = SDL_GameControllerOpen(index);
-          si.pif.gamepadConnected = true;
+          si.pif.gamepadConnected = false;
+          if (!si.pif.gamepad) {
+            Util::warn("[WARN]: Could not initialize gamepad: {}\n", SDL_GetError());
+          } else {
+            si.pif.gamepadConnected = true;
+          }
         } break;
         case SDL_CONTROLLERDEVICEREMOVED:
           SDL_GameControllerClose(si.pif.gamepad);