diff --git a/src/Backends/GLFW3/Controller.cpp b/src/Backends/GLFW3/Controller.cpp
index f4706057..8a0de9c2 100644
--- a/src/Backends/GLFW3/Controller.cpp
+++ b/src/Backends/GLFW3/Controller.cpp
@@ -102,11 +102,11 @@ BOOL ControllerBackend_GetJoystickStatus(JOYSTICK_STATUS *status)
 	int total_hats;
 	const unsigned char *hats = glfwGetJoystickHats(connected_joystick_id, &total_hats);
 
-	// Handle direction inputs
-	status->bLeft = axes[0] < -DEADZONE;
-	status->bRight = axes[0] > DEADZONE;
-	status->bUp = axes[1] < -DEADZONE;
-	status->bDown = axes[1] > DEADZONE;
+	// Handle directional inputs
+	status->bLeft = axes[0] < axis_neutrals[0] - DEADZONE;
+	status->bRight = axes[0] > axis_neutrals[0] + DEADZONE;
+	status->bUp = axes[1] < axis_neutrals[1] - DEADZONE;
+	status->bDown = axes[1] > axis_neutrals[1] + DEADZONE;
 
 	// Handle button inputs
 	unsigned int buttons_done = 0;
diff --git a/src/Backends/SDL2/Controller.cpp b/src/Backends/SDL2/Controller.cpp
index 35ca0bed..7b2eae08 100644
--- a/src/Backends/SDL2/Controller.cpp
+++ b/src/Backends/SDL2/Controller.cpp
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 
 static SDL_Joystick *joystick;
 
+static Sint16 *axis_neutrals;
+
 BOOL ControllerBackend_Init(void)
 {
 	SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_JOYSTICK);
@@ -37,20 +39,23 @@ BOOL ControllerBackend_GetJoystickStatus(JOYSTICK_STATUS *status)
 
 	const size_t button_limit = sizeof(status->bButton) / sizeof(status->bButton[0]);
 
+	// Handle directional inputs
 	const Sint16 joystick_x = SDL_JoystickGetAxis(joystick, 0);
 	const Sint16 joystick_y = SDL_JoystickGetAxis(joystick, 1);
 
-	status->bLeft = joystick_x < -DEADZONE;
-	status->bRight = joystick_x > DEADZONE;
-	status->bUp = joystick_y < -DEADZONE;
-	status->bDown = joystick_y > DEADZONE;
+	status->bLeft = joystick_x < axis_neutrals[0] - DEADZONE;
+	status->bRight = joystick_x > axis_neutrals[0] + DEADZONE;
+	status->bUp = joystick_y < axis_neutrals[1] - DEADZONE;
+	status->bDown = joystick_y > axis_neutrals[1] + DEADZONE;
 
+	// Handle button inputs
 	int total_buttons = SDL_JoystickNumButtons(joystick);
 	int total_axes = SDL_JoystickNumAxes(joystick);
 	int total_hats = SDL_JoystickNumHats(joystick);
 
 	unsigned int buttons_done = 0;
 
+	// Start with the joystick buttons
 	for (int i = 0; i < total_buttons; ++i)
 	{
 		status->bButton[buttons_done] = SDL_JoystickGetButton(joystick, i);
@@ -59,21 +64,23 @@ BOOL ControllerBackend_GetJoystickStatus(JOYSTICK_STATUS *status)
 			break;
 	}
 
+	// Then the joystick axes
 	for (int i = 0; i < total_axes; ++i)
 	{
 		Sint16 axis = SDL_JoystickGetAxis(joystick, i);
 
-		status->bButton[buttons_done] = axis < -DEADZONE;
+		status->bButton[buttons_done] = axis < axis_neutrals[i] - DEADZONE;
 
 		if (++buttons_done >= button_limit)
 			break;
 
-		status->bButton[buttons_done] = axis > DEADZONE;
+		status->bButton[buttons_done] = axis > axis_neutrals[i] + DEADZONE;
 
 		if (++buttons_done >= button_limit)
 			break;
 	}
 
+	// Then the joystick hats
 	for (int i = 0; i < total_axes; ++i)
 	{
 		Uint8 hat = SDL_JoystickGetHat(joystick, i);
@@ -99,7 +106,7 @@ BOOL ControllerBackend_GetJoystickStatus(JOYSTICK_STATUS *status)
 			break;
 	}
 
-	// Blank the buttons that do not
+	// Blank any remaining buttons
 	for (size_t i = buttons_done; i < button_limit; ++i)
 		status->bButton[i] = FALSE;
 
@@ -123,7 +130,26 @@ void ControllerBackend_JoystickConnect(Sint32 joystick_id)
 		joystick = SDL_JoystickOpen(joystick_id);
 
 		if (joystick != NULL)
-			printf("Joystick #%d selected\n", joystick_id);
+		{
+			int total_axes = SDL_JoystickNumAxes(joystick);
+			int total_buttons = SDL_JoystickNumButtons(joystick);
+
+			if (total_axes >= 2 && total_buttons >= 6)
+			{
+				printf("Joystick #%d selected\n", joystick_id);
+
+				// Set up neutral axes
+				axis_neutrals = (Sint16*)malloc(sizeof(Sint16) * total_axes);
+
+				for (int i = 0; i < total_axes; ++i)
+					axis_neutrals[i] = SDL_JoystickGetAxis(joystick, i);
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				SDL_JoystickClose(joystick);
+				joystick = NULL;
+			}
+		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -132,6 +158,9 @@ void ControllerBackend_JoystickDisconnect(Sint32 joystick_id)
 	if (joystick_id == SDL_JoystickInstanceID(joystick))
 	{
 		printf("Joystick #%d disconnected\n", joystick_id);
+		SDL_JoystickClose(joystick);
 		joystick = NULL;
+
+		free(axis_neutrals);
 	}
 }