diff --git a/app/main.cpp b/app/main.cpp
index c4e76b0a..8709aaa5 100644
--- a/app/main.cpp
+++ b/app/main.cpp
@@ -53,12 +53,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     if (engine.rootObjects().isEmpty())
         return -1;
 
-    // Ensure that SDL is always initialized since we may need to use it
-    // for non-streaming purposes (like checking on audio devices)
     SDL_SetMainReady();
-    if (SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_VIDEO |
-                 SDL_INIT_AUDIO |
-                 SDL_INIT_GAMECONTROLLER) != 0) {
+    if (SDL_Init(0) != 0) {
         SDL_LogError(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION,
                      "SDL_Init() failed: %s",
                      SDL_GetError());
diff --git a/app/streaming/audio.cpp b/app/streaming/audio.cpp
index bedcc5ed..7a372453 100644
--- a/app/streaming/audio.cpp
+++ b/app/streaming/audio.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,14 @@ int Session::sdlDetermineAudioConfiguration()
 {
     SDL_AudioSpec want, have;
     SDL_AudioDeviceID dev;
+    int ret;
+
+    if (SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_AUDIO) != 0) {
+        SDL_LogError(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION,
+                     "SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_AUDIO) failed: %s",
+                     SDL_GetError());
+        return AUDIO_CONFIGURATION_STEREO;
+    }
 
     SDL_zero(want);
     want.freq = 48000;
@@ -38,7 +46,8 @@ int Session::sdlDetermineAudioConfiguration()
                      "Failed to open audio device");
         // We'll probably have issues during audio stream init, but we'll
         // try anyway
-        return AUDIO_CONFIGURATION_STEREO;
+        ret = AUDIO_CONFIGURATION_STEREO;
+        goto Exit;
     }
 
     SDL_CloseAudioDevice(dev);
@@ -50,11 +59,15 @@ int Session::sdlDetermineAudioConfiguration()
         // We don't support quadraphonic or 7.1 surround, but SDL
         // should be able to downmix or upmix better from 5.1 than
         // from stereo, so use 5.1 in non-stereo cases.
-        return AUDIO_CONFIGURATION_51_SURROUND;
+        ret = AUDIO_CONFIGURATION_51_SURROUND;
     }
     else {
-        return AUDIO_CONFIGURATION_STEREO;
+        ret = AUDIO_CONFIGURATION_STEREO;
     }
+
+Exit:
+    SDL_QuitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_AUDIO);
+    return ret;
 }
 
 int Session::sdlAudioInit(int /* audioConfiguration */,
@@ -64,6 +77,14 @@ int Session::sdlAudioInit(int /* audioConfiguration */,
     SDL_AudioSpec want, have;
     int error;
 
+    SDL_assert(!SDL_WasInit(SDL_INIT_AUDIO));
+    if (SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_AUDIO) != 0) {
+        SDL_LogError(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION,
+                     "SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_AUDIO) failed: %s",
+                     SDL_GetError());
+        return AUDIO_CONFIGURATION_STEREO;
+    }
+
     SDL_zero(want);
     want.freq = opusConfig->sampleRate;
     want.format = AUDIO_S16;
@@ -80,6 +101,7 @@ int Session::sdlAudioInit(int /* audioConfiguration */,
         SDL_LogError(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION,
                      "Failed to open audio device: %s",
                      SDL_GetError());
+        SDL_QuitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_AUDIO);
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -95,6 +117,7 @@ int Session::sdlAudioInit(int /* audioConfiguration */,
                      error);
         SDL_CloseAudioDevice(s_AudioDevice);
         s_AudioDevice = 0;
+        SDL_QuitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_AUDIO);
         return -2;
     }
 
@@ -140,7 +163,10 @@ void Session::sdlAudioCleanup()
     s_AudioDevice = 0;
 
     opus_multistream_decoder_destroy(s_OpusDecoder);
-    s_OpusDecoder = NULL;
+    s_OpusDecoder = nullptr;
+
+    SDL_QuitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_AUDIO);
+    SDL_assert(!SDL_WasInit(SDL_INIT_AUDIO));
 }
 
 void Session::sdlAudioDecodeAndPlaySample(char* sampleData, int sampleLength)
diff --git a/app/streaming/input.cpp b/app/streaming/input.cpp
index c12f76d0..db19a603 100644
--- a/app/streaming/input.cpp
+++ b/app/streaming/input.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,15 @@ const int SdlInputHandler::k_ButtonMap[] = {
 SdlInputHandler::SdlInputHandler(bool multiController)
     : m_MultiController(multiController)
 {
+    // We need to reinit this each time, since you only get
+    // an initial set of gamepad arrival events once per init.
+    SDL_assert(!SDL_WasInit(SDL_INIT_GAMECONTROLLER));
+    if (SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_GAMECONTROLLER) != 0) {
+        SDL_LogError(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION,
+                     "SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_GAMECONTROLLER) failed: %s",
+                     SDL_GetError());
+    }
+
     if (!m_MultiController) {
         // Player 1 is always present in non-MC mode
         m_GamepadMask = 0x1;
@@ -38,6 +47,9 @@ SdlInputHandler::~SdlInputHandler()
             SDL_GameControllerClose(m_GamepadState[i].controller);
         }
     }
+
+    SDL_QuitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_GAMECONTROLLER);
+    SDL_assert(!SDL_WasInit(SDL_INIT_GAMECONTROLLER));
 }
 
 void SdlInputHandler::handleKeyEvent(SDL_KeyboardEvent* event)
diff --git a/app/streaming/session.cpp b/app/streaming/session.cpp
index 95cb07a3..19c09888 100644
--- a/app/streaming/session.cpp
+++ b/app/streaming/session.cpp
@@ -149,23 +149,35 @@ bool Session::isHardwareDecodeAvailable(StreamingPreferences::VideoDecoderSelect
 {
     IVideoDecoder* decoder;
 
+    if (SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_VIDEO) != 0) {
+        SDL_LogError(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION,
+                     "SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_VIDEO) failed: %s",
+                     SDL_GetError());
+        return false;
+    }
+
     SDL_Window* window = SDL_CreateWindow("", 0, 0, width, height, SDL_WINDOW_HIDDEN);
     if (!window) {
         SDL_LogError(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION,
                      "Failed to create window for hardware decode test: %s",
                      SDL_GetError());
+        SDL_QuitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_VIDEO);
         return false;
     }
 
     if (!chooseDecoder(vds, window, videoFormat, width, height, frameRate, decoder)) {
         SDL_DestroyWindow(window);
+        SDL_QuitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_VIDEO);
         return false;
     }
 
     SDL_DestroyWindow(window);
 
     bool ret = decoder->isHardwareAccelerated();
+
     delete decoder;
+    SDL_QuitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_VIDEO);
+
     return ret;
 }
 
@@ -335,9 +347,6 @@ class DeferredSessionCleanupTask : public QRunnable
     {
         // Finish cleanup of the connection state
         LiStopConnection();
-        if (Session::s_ActiveSession->m_Window != nullptr) {
-            SDL_DestroyWindow(Session::s_ActiveSession->m_Window);
-        }
 
         // Allow another session to start now that we're cleaned up
         Session::s_ActiveSession = nullptr;
@@ -473,6 +482,16 @@ void Session::exec()
         return;
     }
 
+    SDL_assert(!SDL_WasInit(SDL_INIT_VIDEO));
+    if (SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_VIDEO) != 0) {
+        SDL_LogError(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION,
+                     "SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_VIDEO) failed: %s",
+                     SDL_GetError());
+        emit displayLaunchError(QString::fromLocal8Bit(SDL_GetError()));
+        s_ActiveSessionSemaphore.release();
+        return;
+    }
+
     int flags = SDL_WINDOW_HIDDEN;
     int x, y, width, height;
     if (m_Preferences.fullScreen) {
@@ -493,6 +512,7 @@ void Session::exec()
                      "SDL_CreateWindow() failed: %s",
                      SDL_GetError());
         s_ActiveSessionSemaphore.release();
+        SDL_QuitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_VIDEO);
         return;
     }
 
@@ -519,6 +539,7 @@ void Session::exec()
         // We already displayed an error dialog in the stage failure
         // listener.
         s_ActiveSessionSemaphore.release();
+        SDL_QuitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_VIDEO);
         return;
     }
 
@@ -634,9 +655,6 @@ DispatchDeferredCleanup:
     // so we can return to the Qt GUI ASAP.
     SDL_SetRelativeMouseMode(SDL_FALSE);
     SDL_EnableScreenSaver();
-    if (m_Window != nullptr) {
-        SDL_HideWindow(m_Window);
-    }
 
     // Destroy the decoder, since this must be done on the main thread
     SDL_AtomicLock(&m_DecoderLock);
@@ -644,6 +662,10 @@ DispatchDeferredCleanup:
     m_VideoDecoder = nullptr;
     SDL_AtomicUnlock(&m_DecoderLock);
 
+    SDL_DestroyWindow(m_Window);
+    SDL_QuitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_VIDEO);
+    SDL_assert(!SDL_WasInit(SDL_INIT_VIDEO));
+
     // Cleanup can take a while, so dispatch it to a worker thread.
     // When it is complete, it will release our s_ActiveSessionSemaphore
     // reference.