diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/Config/Graphics/SoftwareRendererWidget.cpp b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/Config/Graphics/SoftwareRendererWidget.cpp
index 4941d1b556..1e2496d2f7 100644
--- a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/Config/Graphics/SoftwareRendererWidget.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/Config/Graphics/SoftwareRendererWidget.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 
 #include "Core/Config/GraphicsSettings.h"
 #include "Core/ConfigManager.h"
+#include "Core/Core.h"
 
 #include "DolphinQt/Config/Graphics/GraphicsBool.h"
 #include "DolphinQt/Config/Graphics/GraphicsWindow.h"
@@ -26,12 +27,15 @@
 SoftwareRendererWidget::SoftwareRendererWidget(GraphicsWindow* parent) : GraphicsWidget(parent)
 {
   CreateWidgets();
-
-  connect(parent, &GraphicsWindow::BackendChanged, [this] { LoadSettings(); });
-
   LoadSettings();
   ConnectWidgets();
   AddDescriptions();
+  emit BackendChanged(QString::fromStdString(SConfig::GetInstance().m_strVideoBackend));
+
+  connect(parent, &GraphicsWindow::BackendChanged, [this] { LoadSettings(); });
+  connect(&Settings::Instance(), &Settings::EmulationStateChanged, this,
+          [=](Core::State state) { OnEmulationStateChanged(state != Core::State::Uninitialized); });
+  OnEmulationStateChanged(Core::GetState() != Core::State::Uninitialized);
 }
 
 void SoftwareRendererWidget::CreateWidgets()
@@ -180,3 +184,8 @@ void SoftwareRendererWidget::AddDescriptions()
   AddDescription(m_dump_tev_stages, TR_DUMP_TEV_STAGES_DESCRIPTION);
   AddDescription(m_dump_tev_fetches, TR_DUMP_TEV_FETCHES_DESCRIPTION);
 }
+
+void SoftwareRendererWidget::OnEmulationStateChanged(bool running)
+{
+  m_backend_combo->setEnabled(!running);
+}
diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/Config/Graphics/SoftwareRendererWidget.h b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/Config/Graphics/SoftwareRendererWidget.h
index df328ec5ec..5b3ce64b5b 100644
--- a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/Config/Graphics/SoftwareRendererWidget.h
+++ b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/Config/Graphics/SoftwareRendererWidget.h
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ private:
   void ConnectWidgets();
   void AddDescriptions();
 
+  void OnEmulationStateChanged(bool running);
+
   QComboBox* m_backend_combo;
   QCheckBox* m_show_statistics;
   QCheckBox* m_dump_textures;