diff --git a/command_event.c b/command_event.c
index 273dc57fd8..e5b024f5e9 100644
--- a/command_event.c
+++ b/command_event.c
@@ -436,9 +436,7 @@ static void event_init_cheats(void)
 {
    bool allow_cheats = true;
 #ifdef HAVE_NETPLAY
-   driver_t *driver  = driver_get_ptr();
-
-   allow_cheats &= !driver->netplay_data;
+   allow_cheats &= !netplay_driver_ctl(RARCH_NETPLAY_CTL_IS_DATA_INITED, NULL);
 #endif
    allow_cheats &= !bsv_movie_ctl(BSV_MOVIE_CTL_IS_INITED, NULL);
 
@@ -1005,7 +1003,7 @@ bool event_command(enum event_command cmd)
             return false;
 
 #ifdef HAVE_NETPLAY
-         if (driver->netplay_data)
+         if (netplay_driver_ctl(RARCH_NETPLAY_CTL_IS_DATA_INITED, NULL))
             return false;
 #endif
          event_main_state(cmd);
@@ -1120,13 +1118,13 @@ bool event_command(enum event_command cmd)
          break;
       case EVENT_CMD_REWIND_DEINIT:
 #ifdef HAVE_NETPLAY
-         if (driver->netplay_data)
+         if (netplay_driver_ctl(RARCH_NETPLAY_CTL_IS_DATA_INITED, NULL))
             return false;
 #endif
          state_manager_event_deinit();
          break;
       case EVENT_CMD_REWIND_INIT:
-         if (!driver->netplay_data)
+         if (!netplay_driver_ctl(RARCH_NETPLAY_CTL_IS_DATA_INITED, NULL))
             init_rewind();
          break;
       case EVENT_CMD_REWIND_TOGGLE:
@@ -1422,7 +1420,7 @@ bool event_command(enum event_command cmd)
       case EVENT_CMD_SAVEFILES_INIT:
          global->sram.use = global->sram.use && !global->sram.save_disable
 #ifdef HAVE_NETPLAY
-            && (!driver->netplay_data || !global->netplay.is_client)
+            && (!netplay_driver_ctl(RARCH_NETPLAY_CTL_IS_DATA_INITED, NULL) || !global->netplay.is_client)
 #endif
             ;
 
@@ -1464,12 +1462,7 @@ bool event_command(enum event_command cmd)
          break;
       case EVENT_CMD_NETPLAY_FLIP_PLAYERS:
 #ifdef HAVE_NETPLAY
-         {
-            netplay_t *netplay = (netplay_t*)driver->netplay_data;
-            if (!netplay)
-               return false;
-            netplay_flip_users(netplay);
-         }
+         netplay_driver_ctl(RARCH_NETPLAY_CTL_FLIP_PLAYERS, NULL);
 #endif
          break;
       case EVENT_CMD_FULLSCREEN_TOGGLE:
diff --git a/libretro_version_1.c b/libretro_version_1.c
index 6f62cb5604..ed297c9981 100644
--- a/libretro_version_1.c
+++ b/libretro_version_1.c
@@ -64,13 +64,11 @@ void retro_set_default_callbacks(void *data)
 void retro_init_libretro_cbs(void *data)
 {
    struct retro_callbacks *cbs = (struct retro_callbacks*)data;
-   driver_t            *driver = driver_get_ptr();
    global_t            *global = global_get_ptr();
 
    if (!cbs)
       return;
 
-   (void)driver;
    (void)global;
 
    core.retro_set_video_refresh(video_driver_frame);
@@ -82,7 +80,7 @@ void retro_init_libretro_cbs(void *data)
    retro_set_default_callbacks(cbs);
 
 #ifdef HAVE_NETPLAY
-   if (!driver->netplay_data)
+   if (!netplay_driver_ctl(RARCH_NETPLAY_CTL_IS_DATA_INITED, NULL))
       return;
 
    if (global->netplay.is_spectate)
diff --git a/netplay.c b/netplay.c
index fadd9364ac..40a85782fd 100644
--- a/netplay.c
+++ b/netplay.c
@@ -1805,6 +1805,8 @@ bool netplay_driver_ctl(enum rarch_netplay_ctl_state state, void *data)
 
    switch (state)
    {
+      case RARCH_NETPLAY_CTL_IS_DATA_INITED:
+         return true;
       case RARCH_NETPLAY_CTL_POST_FRAME:
          netplay_post_frame((netplay_t*)driver->netplay_data);
          break;
diff --git a/netplay.h b/netplay.h
index 9845173bf7..635052bac9 100644
--- a/netplay.h
+++ b/netplay.h
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ enum rarch_netplay_ctl_state
    RARCH_NETPLAY_CTL_FLIP_PLAYERS,
    RARCH_NETPLAY_CTL_FULLSCREEN_TOGGLE,
    RARCH_NETPLAY_CTL_POST_FRAME,
-   RARCH_NETPLAY_CTL_PRE_FRAME
+   RARCH_NETPLAY_CTL_PRE_FRAME,
+   RARCH_NETPLAY_CTL_IS_DATA_INITED
 };
 
 /* TODO: most of this, actually */