diff --git a/recompiler/src/config_loader.cpp b/recompiler/src/config_loader.cpp
index 2f220785..c7862e45 100644
--- a/recompiler/src/config_loader.cpp
+++ b/recompiler/src/config_loader.cpp
@@ -329,10 +329,10 @@ static RuntimeConfig parse_runtime_block(const toml::value& cfg, const fs::path&
             }
         }
     }
-    if (!cfg.contains("runtime")) return rt;
-    const toml::value& runtime = toml::find(cfg, "runtime");
-    if (runtime.contains("language"))  // [runtime].language convenience alias
-        rt.language = toml::find<std::string>(runtime, "language");
+    if (cfg.contains("runtime")) {
+        const toml::value& runtime = toml::find(cfg, "runtime");
+        if (runtime.contains("language"))  // [runtime].language convenience alias
+            rt.language = toml::find<std::string>(runtime, "language");
 
     if (runtime.contains("debug_port")) {
         const auto port = toml::find<int64_t>(runtime, "debug_port");
@@ -504,9 +504,10 @@ static RuntimeConfig parse_runtime_block(const toml::value& cfg, const fs::path&
     if (runtime.contains("overlay_backend")) {
         rt.overlay_backend = toml::find<std::string>(runtime, "overlay_backend");
     }
-    if (runtime.contains("overlay_native_block")) {
-        for (const auto& a : toml::find<std::vector<std::string>>(runtime, "overlay_native_block")) {
-            rt.overlay_native_block.push_back(parse_hex(a, "runtime.overlay_native_block"));
+        if (runtime.contains("overlay_native_block")) {
+            for (const auto& a : toml::find<std::vector<std::string>>(runtime, "overlay_native_block")) {
+                rt.overlay_native_block.push_back(parse_hex(a, "runtime.overlay_native_block"));
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -704,6 +705,16 @@ static RuntimeConfig parse_runtime_block(const toml::value& cfg, const fs::path&
                 toml::find<std::string>(ct, "p2_mode"), PAD_MODE_ANALOG);
             rt.has_default_mode = true;
         }
+        if (ct.contains("p1_device")) {
+            rt.default_p1_device = toml::find<std::string>(ct, "p1_device");
+            if (!rt.default_p1_device.empty())
+                rt.has_default_p1_device = true;
+        }
+        if (ct.contains("p2_device")) {
+            rt.default_p2_device = toml::find<std::string>(ct, "p2_device");
+            if (!rt.default_p2_device.empty())
+                rt.has_default_p2_device = true;
+        }
         if (ct.contains("lock_mode")) {
             rt.controller_lock_mode = toml::find<bool>(ct, "lock_mode");
         }
diff --git a/recompiler/src/config_loader.h b/recompiler/src/config_loader.h
index 2486ec19..871b9d0d 100644
--- a/recompiler/src/config_loader.h
+++ b/recompiler/src/config_loader.h
@@ -497,6 +497,15 @@ struct RuntimeConfig {
     int                   default_p1_mode  = PAD_MODE_ANALOG;
     int                   default_p2_mode  = PAD_MODE_ANALOG;
 
+    // p1_device / p2_device: optional per-game default input sources for
+    // fresh settings and launcher-less boots. Same vocabulary as settings.toml:
+    // "none", "keyboard", "auto"/"gamepad"/"controller", or an SDL GUID.
+    // Per-install settings.toml still overrides these defaults.
+    bool                  has_default_p1_device = false;
+    bool                  has_default_p2_device = false;
+    std::string           default_p1_device;
+    std::string           default_p2_device;
+
     // lock_mode: when true the launcher HIDES the whole pad-mode selector
     // (Hybrid | Analog | D-Pad) and forces every port to default_p1_mode. For a
     // game that supports exactly one pad type — e.g. Tomba 2, whose driver only
diff --git a/recompiler/tests/recompiler_patch_test.cpp b/recompiler/tests/recompiler_patch_test.cpp
index 212f7c93..43cebaf1 100644
--- a/recompiler/tests/recompiler_patch_test.cpp
+++ b/recompiler/tests/recompiler_patch_test.cpp
@@ -142,6 +142,22 @@ buffer_ms = 60
     check(audio_config.runtime.audio_buffer_ms == 60,
           "parser preserves per-game audio buffer target");
 
+    const auto controller_defaults = write_config(root, "controller-defaults", R"toml(
+[controller]
+p1_device = "keyboard"
+p2_device = "gamepad"
+p2_mode = "digital"
+)toml");
+    const auto controller_defaults_config =
+        PSXRecompV4::load_game_config(controller_defaults);
+    check(controller_defaults_config.runtime.has_default_p1_device &&
+              controller_defaults_config.runtime.default_p1_device == "keyboard" &&
+              controller_defaults_config.runtime.has_default_p2_device &&
+              controller_defaults_config.runtime.default_p2_device == "gamepad" &&
+              controller_defaults_config.runtime.default_p2_mode ==
+                  PSXRecompV4::PAD_MODE_DIGITAL,
+          "parser preserves per-game controller device defaults");
+
     const auto bad_audio_buffer = write_config(root, "bad-audio-buffer", R"toml(
 [runtime]
 
diff --git a/runtime/src/main.cpp b/runtime/src/main.cpp
index 65de1371..3a8d2de4 100644
--- a/runtime/src/main.cpp
+++ b/runtime/src/main.cpp
@@ -10504,6 +10504,10 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
                     if (i >= 2) player_mode[i] = gc.runtime.default_p1_mode;
                 }
             }
+            if (gc.runtime.has_default_p1_device)
+                player_device[0] = gc.runtime.default_p1_device;
+            if (PSX_MAX_PLAYERS >= 2 && gc.runtime.has_default_p2_device)
+                player_device[1] = gc.runtime.default_p2_device;
             for (int i = 0; i < PSX_MAX_PLAYERS; ++i)
                 ctrl_locked_mode[i] = player_mode[i];
             ctrl_lock_mode    = gc.runtime.controller_lock_mode;