diff --git a/src/core/Frontend.cpp b/src/core/Frontend.cpp
index 4035b9c4..0928b769 100644
--- a/src/core/Frontend.cpp
+++ b/src/core/Frontend.cpp
@@ -3576,8 +3576,14 @@ CMenuManager::InitialiseChangedLanguageSettings()
 void
 CMenuManager::LoadAllTextures()
 {
+#ifndef KEEP_FRONTEND_LOADED
 	if (m_bSpritesLoaded)
 		return;
+#else
+	if (m_bFrontendLoaded)
+		return;
+	m_bFrontendLoaded = true;
+#endif
 
 	CentreMousePointer();
 	DMAudio.ChangeMusicMode(MUSICMODE_FRONTEND);
@@ -3599,6 +3605,11 @@ CMenuManager::LoadAllTextures()
 	} else if (m_PrefsRadioStation > CHATTERBOX)
 		m_PrefsRadioStation = CGeneral::GetRandomNumber() % (CHATTERBOX + 1);
 	
+#ifdef KEEP_FRONTEND_LOADED
+	if (m_bSpritesLoaded)
+		return;
+#endif
+
 	CFileMgr::SetDir("");
 	//CFileMgr::SetDir("");
 	CTimer::Stop();
@@ -5673,29 +5684,41 @@ CMenuManager::SwitchMenuOnAndOff()
 }
 
 void
+#ifdef KEEP_FRONTEND_LOADED
+CMenuManager::UnloadTextures(bool forceUnload)
+#else
 CMenuManager::UnloadTextures()
-{
-	if (!m_bSpritesLoaded)
-		return;
-
-	printf("REMOVE frontend\n");
-	for (int i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(FrontendFilenames); ++i)
-		m_aFrontEndSprites[i].Delete();
-
-	int frontend = CTxdStore::FindTxdSlot("frontend");
-	CTxdStore::RemoveTxd(frontend);
-
-	printf("REMOVE menu textures\n");
-	for (int i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(MenuFilenames); ++i)
-		m_aMenuSprites[i].Delete();
-#ifdef MENU_MAP
-	for (int i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(MapFilenames); ++i)
-		m_aMapSprites[i].Delete();
 #endif
-	int menu = CTxdStore::FindTxdSlot("menu");
-	CTxdStore::RemoveTxd(menu);
+{
+#ifdef KEEP_FRONTEND_LOADED
+	if (forceUnload)
+#endif
+	{
+		if (!m_bSpritesLoaded)
+			return;
 
-	m_bSpritesLoaded = false;
+		printf("REMOVE frontend\n");
+		for (int i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(FrontendFilenames); ++i)
+			m_aFrontEndSprites[i].Delete();
+
+		int frontend = CTxdStore::FindTxdSlot("frontend");
+		CTxdStore::RemoveTxd(frontend);
+
+		printf("REMOVE menu textures\n");
+		for (int i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(MenuFilenames); ++i)
+			m_aMenuSprites[i].Delete();
+#ifdef MENU_MAP
+		for (int i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(MapFilenames); ++i)
+			m_aMapSprites[i].Delete();
+#endif
+		int menu = CTxdStore::FindTxdSlot("menu");
+		CTxdStore::RemoveTxd(menu);
+
+		m_bSpritesLoaded = false;
+	}
+#ifdef KEEP_FRONTEND_LOADED
+	m_bFrontendLoaded = false;
+#endif
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/src/core/Frontend.h b/src/core/Frontend.h
index b0100fdc..223f2adb 100644
--- a/src/core/Frontend.h
+++ b/src/core/Frontend.h
@@ -601,6 +601,9 @@ public:
  char field_455;
 	bool m_bStartWaitingForKeyBind;
 	bool m_bSpritesLoaded;
+#ifdef KEEP_FRONTEND_LOADED
+	bool m_bFrontendLoaded;
+#endif
 	CSprite2d m_aFrontEndSprites[NUM_FE_SPRITES];
 	CSprite2d m_aMenuSprites[NUM_MENU_SPRITES];
  int32 field_518;
@@ -769,7 +772,11 @@ public:
 	float StretchX(float);
 	float StretchY(float);
 	void SwitchMenuOnAndOff();
+#ifdef KEEP_FRONTEND_LOADED
+	void UnloadTextures(bool forceUnload = false);
+#else
 	void UnloadTextures();
+#endif
 	void WaitForUserCD();
 	void PrintController();
 	int GetNumOptionsCntrlConfigScreens();
diff --git a/src/skel/wiiu/wiiu.cpp b/src/skel/wiiu/wiiu.cpp
index 64433a05..0a6e4c63 100644
--- a/src/skel/wiiu/wiiu.cpp
+++ b/src/skel/wiiu/wiiu.cpp
@@ -1301,6 +1301,10 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 #endif
 	}
 	
+#ifdef KEEP_FRONTEND_LOADED
+	// since we kept our frontend loaded free the textures now
+	FrontEndMenuManager.UnloadTextures(true);
+#endif
 
 #ifndef MASTER
 	if ( gbModelViewer )