diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 571b4d274..70cf84406 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ option(RPI "Set to ON to enable a Raspberry Pi specific build" OFF)
 option(BUNDLED_CERTS "Set to ON to use bundled TLS/SSL certificates" OFF)
 option(CEC "Set to ON to enable CEC" OFF)
 option(VIDEO_HW_DECODING "Set to ON to enable FFmpeg HW decoding" OFF)
+option(DEINIT_ON_LAUNCH "Set to ON to deinitialize on game launch" OFF)
 option(CLANG_TIDY "Set to ON to build using the clang-tidy static analyzer" OFF)
 option(ASAN "Set to ON to build with AddressSanitizer" OFF)
 option(TSAN "Set to ON to build with ThreadSanitizer" OFF)
@@ -357,6 +358,15 @@ if(VIDEO_HW_DECODING)
     message("-- Building with FFmpeg HW decoding")
 endif()
 
+if(DEINIT_ON_LAUNCH)
+    if(CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME MATCHES Linux)
+        add_compile_definitions(DEINIT_ON_LAUNCH)
+        message("-- Building with deinitialization on game launch")
+    else()
+        message(FATAL_ERROR "-- Deinitialization on game launch can only be used on Linux")
+    endif()
+endif()
+
 if(AUR_BUILD OR FLATPAK_BUILD OR RETRODECK OR RPI)
     set(APPLICATION_UPDATER OFF)
 endif()
diff --git a/es-app/src/FileData.cpp b/es-app/src/FileData.cpp
index aba50a3fc..988bf1a20 100644
--- a/es-app/src/FileData.cpp
+++ b/es-app/src/FileData.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 
 #include "FileData.h"
 
+#include "AudioManager.h"
 #include "CollectionSystemsManager.h"
 #include "FileFilterIndex.h"
 #include "FileSorts.h"
@@ -1895,6 +1896,10 @@ void FileData::launchGame()
     // Trim any leading and trailing whitespace characters as they could cause launch issues.
     command = Utils::String::trim(command);
 
+#if defined(DEINIT_ON_LAUNCH)
+    runInBackground = false;
+#endif
+
     // swapBuffers() is called here to turn the screen black to eliminate some potential
     // flickering and to avoid showing the game launch message briefly when returning
     // from the game.
@@ -1966,7 +1971,18 @@ void FileData::launchGame()
         androidData, mEnvData->mStartPath, romRaw, androidExtrasString, androidExtrasStringArray,
         androidExtrasBool, androidActivityFlags);
 #else
+
+#if defined(DEINIT_ON_LAUNCH)
+// Deinit both the AudioManager and the window which allows emulators to launch in KMS mode.
+AudioManager::getInstance().deinit();
+window->deinit();
+returnValue = Utils::Platform::launchGameUnix(command, startDirectory, false);
+AudioManager::getInstance().init();
+window->init();
+#else
 returnValue = Utils::Platform::launchGameUnix(command, startDirectory, runInBackground);
+#endif
+
 #endif
     // Notify the user in case of a failed game launch using a popup window.
     if (returnValue != 0) {
diff --git a/es-app/src/guis/GuiMenu.cpp b/es-app/src/guis/GuiMenu.cpp
index 5503f468d..0ef4d627c 100644
--- a/es-app/src/guis/GuiMenu.cpp
+++ b/es-app/src/guis/GuiMenu.cpp
@@ -1653,7 +1653,7 @@ void GuiMenu::openOtherOptions()
     });
 #endif
 
-#if !defined(__ANDROID__)
+#if !defined(__ANDROID__) && !defined(DEINIT_ON_LAUNCH)
     // Run ES in the background when a game has been launched.
     auto runInBackground = std::make_shared<SwitchComponent>();
     runInBackground->setState(Settings::getInstance()->getBool("RunInBackground"));