diff --git a/src/duckstation-qt/mainwindow.cpp b/src/duckstation-qt/mainwindow.cpp
index 1b8a96a32..409ae4350 100644
--- a/src/duckstation-qt/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/src/duckstation-qt/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -464,15 +464,6 @@ void MainWindow::onRunningGameChanged(const QString& filename, const QString& ga
   if (m_display_widget)
     m_display_widget->setWindowTitle(windowTitle());
 
-  bool has_game_list_entry = false;
-  if (!filename.isEmpty())
-  {
-    const GameListEntry* entry = m_host_interface->getGameList()->GetEntryForPath(filename.toStdString().c_str());
-    has_game_list_entry = (entry != nullptr);
-  }
-
-  m_ui.actionViewGameProperties->setEnabled(has_game_list_entry);
-
   m_running_game_code = game_code.toStdString();
 }
 
@@ -663,9 +654,16 @@ void MainWindow::onViewGamePropertiesActionTriggered()
   if (path.empty())
     return;
 
+  ensureGameListLoaded();
+
   const GameListEntry* entry = m_host_interface->getGameList()->GetEntryForPath(path.c_str());
   if (!entry)
+  {
+    QMessageBox::critical(this, tr("DuckStation"),
+                          tr("Could not find a game list entry for the currently running file. Please make sure this "
+                             "file is in a location scanned by the game list."));
     return;
+  }
 
   GamePropertiesDialog::showForEntry(m_host_interface, entry, this);
 }
@@ -961,6 +959,7 @@ void MainWindow::updateEmulationActions(bool starting, bool running, bool cheevo
   m_ui.menuWindowSize->setDisabled(starting || !running);
 
   m_ui.actionFullscreen->setDisabled(starting || !running);
+  m_ui.actionViewGameProperties->setDisabled(starting || !running);
 
   m_ui.actionLoadState->setDisabled(cheevos_challenge_mode);
   m_ui.menuLoadState->setDisabled(cheevos_challenge_mode);
@@ -1538,6 +1537,21 @@ void MainWindow::updateDebugMenuCropMode()
   }
 }
 
+void MainWindow::ensureGameListLoaded()
+{
+  if (m_host_interface->getGameList()->IsGameListLoaded())
+    return;
+
+  const bool was_running = System::IsRunning();
+  if (m_emulation_running)
+    m_host_interface->pauseSystem(true, true);
+
+  m_host_interface->refreshGameList();
+
+  if (!was_running)
+    m_host_interface->pauseSystem(false, false);
+}
+
 void MainWindow::closeEvent(QCloseEvent* event)
 {
   m_host_interface->synchronousPowerOffSystem();
diff --git a/src/duckstation-qt/mainwindow.h b/src/duckstation-qt/mainwindow.h
index 06c12600e..79d507e8a 100644
--- a/src/duckstation-qt/mainwindow.h
+++ b/src/duckstation-qt/mainwindow.h
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ private:
   void updateDebugMenuCPUExecutionMode();
   void updateDebugMenuGPURenderer();
   void updateDebugMenuCropMode();
+  void ensureGameListLoaded();
 
   Ui::MainWindow m_ui;
 
diff --git a/src/frontend-common/game_list.cpp b/src/frontend-common/game_list.cpp
index b5a549959..4e82c8c5e 100644
--- a/src/frontend-common/game_list.cpp
+++ b/src/frontend-common/game_list.cpp
@@ -616,6 +616,8 @@ void GameList::SetSearchDirectoriesFromSettings(SettingsInterface& si)
 
 void GameList::Refresh(bool invalidate_cache, bool invalidate_database, ProgressCallback* progress /* = nullptr */)
 {
+  m_game_list_loaded = true;
+
   if (!progress)
     progress = ProgressCallback::NullProgressCallback;
 
diff --git a/src/frontend-common/game_list.h b/src/frontend-common/game_list.h
index 1656f4548..279738e24 100644
--- a/src/frontend-common/game_list.h
+++ b/src/frontend-common/game_list.h
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ public:
   const u32 GetEntryCount() const { return static_cast<u32>(m_entries.size()); }
   const std::vector<DirectoryEntry>& GetSearchDirectories() const { return m_search_directories; }
   const u32 GetSearchDirectoryCount() const { return static_cast<u32>(m_search_directories.size()); }
+  const bool IsGameListLoaded() const { return m_game_list_loaded; }
 
   const GameListEntry* GetEntryForPath(const char* path) const;
   const GameListCompatibilityEntry* GetCompatibilityEntryForCode(const std::string& code) const;
@@ -187,4 +188,5 @@ private:
   bool m_database_load_tried = false;
   bool m_compatibility_list_load_tried = false;
   bool m_game_settings_load_tried = false;
+  bool m_game_list_loaded = false;
 };