diff --git a/src/posix/sdl/hardware.cpp b/src/posix/sdl/hardware.cpp
index 25e19ff21a..75d6632664 100644
--- a/src/posix/sdl/hardware.cpp
+++ b/src/posix/sdl/hardware.cpp
@@ -66,10 +66,20 @@ void I_ShutdownGraphics ()
 	}
 	if (Video)
 		delete Video, Video = NULL;
+
+	SDL_QuitSubSystem (SDL_INIT_VIDEO);
 }
 
 void I_InitGraphics ()
 {
+	if (SDL_InitSubSystem (SDL_INIT_VIDEO) < 0)
+	{
+		I_FatalError ("Could not initialize SDL video:\n%s\n", SDL_GetError());
+		return;
+	}
+
+	Printf("Using video driver %s\n", SDL_GetCurrentVideoDriver());
+
 	UCVarValue val;
 
 	val.Bool = !!Args->CheckParm ("-devparm");
diff --git a/src/posix/sdl/i_joystick.cpp b/src/posix/sdl/i_joystick.cpp
index 9b1d326aef..d99caeca9d 100644
--- a/src/posix/sdl/i_joystick.cpp
+++ b/src/posix/sdl/i_joystick.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#include <SDL_joystick.h>
+#include <SDL.h>
 
 #include "doomdef.h"
 #include "templates.h"
@@ -266,11 +266,16 @@ static SDLInputJoystickManager *JoystickManager;
 
 void I_StartupJoysticks()
 {
-	JoystickManager = new SDLInputJoystickManager();
+	if(SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_JOYSTICK) >= 0)
+		JoystickManager = new SDLInputJoystickManager();
 }
 void I_ShutdownJoysticks()
 {
-	delete JoystickManager;
+	if(JoystickManager)
+	{
+		delete JoystickManager;
+		SDL_QuitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_JOYSTICK);
+	}
 }
 
 void I_GetJoysticks(TArray<IJoystickConfig *> &sticks)
diff --git a/src/posix/sdl/i_main.cpp b/src/posix/sdl/i_main.cpp
index ff700eff42..d60494d1a5 100644
--- a/src/posix/sdl/i_main.cpp
+++ b/src/posix/sdl/i_main.cpp
@@ -265,14 +265,13 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)
 	
 	setlocale (LC_ALL, "C");
 
-	if (SDL_Init (SDL_INIT_VIDEO|SDL_INIT_TIMER|SDL_INIT_NOPARACHUTE|SDL_INIT_JOYSTICK) == -1)
+	if (SDL_Init (0) < 0)
 	{
 		fprintf (stderr, "Could not initialize SDL:\n%s\n", SDL_GetError());
 		return -1;
 	}
 	atterm (SDL_Quit);
 
-	printf("Using video driver %s\n", SDL_GetCurrentVideoDriver());
 	printf("\n");
 	
     try
diff --git a/src/posix/sdl/i_timer.cpp b/src/posix/sdl/i_timer.cpp
index e3f9906b62..6255c8a96c 100644
--- a/src/posix/sdl/i_timer.cpp
+++ b/src/posix/sdl/i_timer.cpp
@@ -195,6 +195,9 @@ fixed_t I_GetTimeFrac (uint32 *ms)
 
 void I_InitTimer ()
 {
+	if(SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_TIMER) < 0)
+		I_FatalError("Could not initialize SDL timers:\n%s\n", SDL_GetError());
+
 	I_GetTime = I_GetTimeSelect;
 	I_WaitForTic = I_WaitForTicSelect;
 	I_FreezeTime = I_FreezeTimeSelect;
@@ -202,5 +205,5 @@ void I_InitTimer ()
 
 void I_ShutdownTimer ()
 {
-
+	SDL_QuitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_TIMER);
 }