diff --git a/src/menu/joystickmenu.cpp b/src/menu/joystickmenu.cpp
index f1015b79c..9b16b90f4 100644
--- a/src/menu/joystickmenu.cpp
+++ b/src/menu/joystickmenu.cpp
@@ -138,9 +138,13 @@ DEFINE_ACTION_FUNCTION(IJoystickConfig, GetNumAxes)
 void UpdateJoystickMenu(IJoystickConfig *selected)
 {
 	DMenuDescriptor **desc = MenuDescriptors.CheckKey(NAME_JoystickOptions);
+	DMenuDescriptor **ddesc = MenuDescriptors.CheckKey("JoystickOptionsDefaults");
+	if (ddesc == nullptr) return;	// without any data the menu cannot be set up and must remain empty.
 	if (desc != NULL && (*desc)->IsKindOf(RUNTIME_CLASS(DOptionMenuDescriptor)))
 	{
 		DOptionMenuDescriptor *opt = (DOptionMenuDescriptor *)*desc;
+		DOptionMenuDescriptor *dopt = (DOptionMenuDescriptor *)*ddesc;
+		if (dopt == nullptr) return;
 		DMenuItemBase *it;
 
 		int i;
@@ -162,11 +166,7 @@ void UpdateJoystickMenu(IJoystickConfig *selected)
 				}
 			}
 		}
-#ifdef _WIN32
-		opt->mItems.Resize(8);
-#else
-		opt->mItems.Resize(5);
-#endif
+		opt->mItems = dopt->mItems;
 
 		it = opt->GetItem("ConfigureMessage");
 		if (it != nullptr) it->SetValue(0, !!Joysticks.Size());
diff --git a/src/menu/menu.h b/src/menu/menu.h
index 68367e701..d272fe242 100644
--- a/src/menu/menu.h
+++ b/src/menu/menu.h
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ class DMenuDescriptor : public DObject
 public:
 	FName mMenuName;
 	FString mNetgameMessage;
-	PClass *mClass;
+	PClass *mClass = nullptr;
 
 	virtual size_t PropagateMark() { return 0;  }
 };
diff --git a/src/menu/menudef.cpp b/src/menu/menudef.cpp
index ec1ae12b5..8afed617e 100644
--- a/src/menu/menudef.cpp
+++ b/src/menu/menudef.cpp
@@ -950,9 +950,9 @@ void M_ParseMenuDefs()
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	DefaultListMenuClass = DefaultListMenuSettings->GetClass();
+	DefaultListMenuClass = DefaultListMenuSettings->mClass;
 	DefaultListMenuSettings = nullptr;
-	DefaultOptionMenuClass = DefaultOptionMenuSettings->GetClass();
+	DefaultOptionMenuClass = DefaultOptionMenuSettings->mClass;
 	DefaultOptionMenuSettings = nullptr;
 }
 
diff --git a/wadsrc/static/menudef.txt b/wadsrc/static/menudef.txt
index 3fba5fd6a..d90d1851c 100644
--- a/wadsrc/static/menudef.txt
+++ b/wadsrc/static/menudef.txt
@@ -558,7 +558,7 @@ OptionMenu "MouseOptions"
 //
 //-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-OptionMenu "JoystickOptions"
+OptionMenu "JoystickOptionsDefaults"
 {
 	Title "$JOYMNU_OPTIONS"
 	Option "$JOYMNU_ENABLE", "use_joystick", "YesNo"
@@ -576,6 +576,11 @@ OptionMenu "JoystickOptions"
 	// The rest will be filled in by joystick code if devices get connected or disconnected
 }
 
+OptionMenu "JoystickOptions"
+{
+	Title "$JOYMNU_OPTIONS"
+}
+
 OptionValue "JoyAxisMapNames"
 {
 	-1, "$OPTVAL_NONE"