diff --git a/core_impl.c b/core_impl.c
index feeb47b185..6a163c3759 100644
--- a/core_impl.c
+++ b/core_impl.c
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 #endif
 
 #include "core.h"
+#include "content.h"
 #include "dynamic.h"
 #include "msg_hash.h"
 #include "managers/state_manager.h"
@@ -285,8 +286,10 @@ bool core_load_game(retro_ctx_load_content_info_t *load_info)
             load_info->special->id, load_info->info, load_info->content->size);
    else if (load_info && !string_is_empty(load_info->content->elems[0].data))
       core_game_loaded = core.retro_load_game(load_info->info);
-   else
+   else if (content_does_not_need_content())
       core_game_loaded = core.retro_load_game(NULL);
+   else
+      core_game_loaded = false;
 
    return core_game_loaded;
 }
diff --git a/retroarch.c b/retroarch.c
index 4c4da02cfb..6d6614a1e8 100644
--- a/retroarch.c
+++ b/retroarch.c
@@ -886,8 +886,6 @@ static void retroarch_parse_input(int argc, char *argv[])
       retroarch_set_current_core_type(CORE_TYPE_PLAIN, false);
       path_set_special(argv + optind, argc - optind);
    }
-   else
-      content_set_does_not_need_content();
 
    /* Copy SRM/state dirs used, so they can be reused on reentrancy. */
    if (retroarch_override_setting_is_set(RARCH_OVERRIDE_SETTING_SAVE_PATH, NULL) &&
diff --git a/tasks/task_content.c b/tasks/task_content.c
index f7083965fa..98d1b3cec3 100644
--- a/tasks/task_content.c
+++ b/tasks/task_content.c
@@ -919,6 +919,7 @@ error:
          *error_string = strdup(msg);
       }
    }
+   if (string_is_empty(name)) *error_string = strdup("This core requires a content file.\n");
    return false;
 }
 
@@ -1276,6 +1277,7 @@ error:
    if (error_string)
    {
       runloop_msg_queue_push(error_string, 2, 90, true);
+      RARCH_ERR(error_string);
       free(error_string);
    }