diff --git a/engine/platform/sdl/events.c b/engine/platform/sdl/events.c
index 08100be5..afcee026 100644
--- a/engine/platform/sdl/events.c
+++ b/engine/platform/sdl/events.c
@@ -90,6 +90,21 @@ GNU General Public License for more details.
 #define SDL_GetScancodeName( x ) "unknown"
 #endif
 
+static qboolean SDLash_IsInstanceIDAGameController( SDL_JoystickID joyId )
+{
+#if !SDL_VERSION_ATLEAST( 2, 0, 4 )
+	// HACKHACK: if we're not initialized g_joy, then we're probably using gamecontroller api
+	// so return true
+	if( !g_joy )
+		return true;
+	return false;
+#else
+	if( SDL_GameControllerFromInstanceID( joyId ) )
+		return true;
+	return false;
+#endif
+}
+
 /*
 =============
 SDLash_KeyEvent
@@ -432,23 +447,23 @@ static void SDLash_EventFilter( SDL_Event *event )
 
 	/* Joystick events */
 	case SDL_JOYAXISMOTION:
-		if ( SDL_GameControllerFromInstanceID( event->jaxis.which ) == NULL )
+		if ( !SDLash_IsInstanceIDAGameController( event->jaxis.which ))
 			Joy_AxisMotionEvent( event->jaxis.axis, event->jaxis.value );
 		break;
 
 	case SDL_JOYBALLMOTION:
-		if ( SDL_GameControllerFromInstanceID( event->jball.which ) == NULL )
+		if ( !SDLash_IsInstanceIDAGameController( event->jball.which ))
 			Joy_BallMotionEvent( event->jball.ball, event->jball.xrel, event->jball.yrel );
 		break;
 
 	case SDL_JOYHATMOTION:
-		if ( SDL_GameControllerFromInstanceID( event->jhat.which ) == NULL )
+		if ( !SDLash_IsInstanceIDAGameController( event->jhat.which ))
 			Joy_HatMotionEvent( event->jhat.hat, event->jhat.value );
 		break;
 
 	case SDL_JOYBUTTONDOWN:
 	case SDL_JOYBUTTONUP:
-		if ( SDL_GameControllerFromInstanceID( event->jbutton.which ) == NULL )
+		if ( !SDLash_IsInstanceIDAGameController( event->jbutton.which ))
 			Joy_ButtonEvent( event->jbutton.button, event->jbutton.state );
 		break;
 
diff --git a/engine/platform/sdl/events.h b/engine/platform/sdl/events.h
index 452f7286..1d4a69fc 100644
--- a/engine/platform/sdl/events.h
+++ b/engine/platform/sdl/events.h
@@ -30,5 +30,8 @@ qboolean GL_UpdateContext( void );
 qboolean GL_DeleteContext( void );
 void VID_SaveWindowSize( int width, int height );
 
+// joystick events
+extern SDL_Joystick *g_joy;
+
 #endif // XASH_SDL
 #endif // KEYWRAPPER_H
diff --git a/engine/platform/sdl/in_sdl.c b/engine/platform/sdl/in_sdl.c
index d4749a75..b2635ea6 100644
--- a/engine/platform/sdl/in_sdl.c
+++ b/engine/platform/sdl/in_sdl.c
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ GNU General Public License for more details.
 #include "sound.h"
 #include "vid_common.h"
 
-static SDL_Joystick *joy;
+SDL_Joystick *g_joy = NULL;
 #if !SDL_VERSION_ATLEAST( 2, 0, 0 )
 #define SDL_WarpMouseInWindow( win, x, y ) SDL_WarpMouse( ( x ), ( y ) )
 #endif
@@ -143,9 +143,9 @@ static int SDLash_JoyInit_Old( int numjoy )
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	if( joy )
+	if( g_joy )
 	{
-		SDL_JoystickClose( joy );
+		SDL_JoystickClose( g_joy );
 	}
 
 	num = SDL_NumJoysticks();
@@ -165,9 +165,9 @@ static int SDLash_JoyInit_Old( int numjoy )
 
 	Con_Reportf( "Pass +set joy_index N to command line, where N is number, to select active joystick\n" );
 
-	joy = SDL_JoystickOpen( numjoy );
+	g_joy = SDL_JoystickOpen( numjoy );
 
-	if( !joy )
+	if( !g_joy )
 	{
 		Con_Reportf( "Failed to select joystick: %s\n", SDL_GetError( ) );
 		return 0;
@@ -179,8 +179,8 @@ static int SDLash_JoyInit_Old( int numjoy )
 		"\tHats: %i\n"
 		"\tButtons: %i\n"
 		"\tBalls: %i\n",
-		SDL_JoystickName( joy ), SDL_JoystickNumAxes( joy ), SDL_JoystickNumHats( joy ),
-		SDL_JoystickNumButtons( joy ), SDL_JoystickNumBalls( joy ) );
+		SDL_JoystickName( g_joy ), SDL_JoystickNumAxes( g_joy ), SDL_JoystickNumHats( g_joy ),
+		SDL_JoystickNumButtons( g_joy ), SDL_JoystickNumBalls( g_joy ) );
 
 	SDL_GameControllerEventState( SDL_DISABLE );
 #endif // SDL_VERSION_ATLEAST( 2, 0, 0 )