diff --git a/Source/RMG-Input/UserInterface/MainDialog.cpp b/Source/RMG-Input/UserInterface/MainDialog.cpp
index a7557a55..4ea450fd 100644
--- a/Source/RMG-Input/UserInterface/MainDialog.cpp
+++ b/Source/RMG-Input/UserInterface/MainDialog.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ MainDialog::MainDialog(QWidget* parent, Thread::SDLThread* sdlThread) : QDialog(
     // always add keyboard device
     for (auto& controllerWidget : this->controllerWidgets)
     {
-        controllerWidget->AddInputDevice("Keyboard", -1);
+        controllerWidget->AddInputDevice("Automatic", -2);
+        controllerWidget->AddInputDevice("Keyboard",  -1);
     }
 
     // fill device list at least once
@@ -90,29 +91,45 @@ void MainDialog::openInputDevice(QString deviceName, int deviceNum)
 {
     SDL_JoystickID joystickId;
     Widget::ControllerWidget* controllerWidget;
-    controllerWidget = controllerWidgets.at(this->tabWidget->currentIndex());
+    controllerWidget = this->controllerWidgets.at(this->tabWidget->currentIndex());
 
     // we don't need to open a keyboard
     if (deviceNum == -1)
     {
-        currentDeviceName = "";
-        currentDeviceNum = -1;
+        this->currentDeviceName = "";
+        this->currentDeviceNum  = -1;
         controllerWidget->SetCurrentJoystickID(-1);
         return;
     }
 
+    // handle automatic mode
+    if (deviceNum == -2)
+    {
+        int currentIndex = this->tabWidget->currentIndex();
+        if (currentIndex < this->inputDeviceList.size())
+        { // use device when there's one
+            deviceNum = this->inputDeviceList.at(currentIndex).deviceNum;
+        }
+        else
+        { // no device found, fallback to keyboard
+            this->currentDeviceName = "";
+            this->currentDeviceNum  = -1;
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+
     if (SDL_IsGameController(deviceNum) == SDL_TRUE)
     {
-        currentJoystick = nullptr;
-        currentController = SDL_GameControllerOpen(deviceNum);
+        this->currentJoystick = nullptr;
+        this->currentController = SDL_GameControllerOpen(deviceNum);
     }
     else
     {
-        currentJoystick = SDL_JoystickOpen(deviceNum);
-        currentController = nullptr;
+        this->currentJoystick = SDL_JoystickOpen(deviceNum);
+        this->currentController = nullptr;
     }
 
-    currentDeviceNum = deviceNum;
+    this->currentDeviceNum = deviceNum;
     joystickId = SDL_JoystickGetDeviceInstanceID(deviceNum);
     controllerWidget->SetCurrentJoystickID(joystickId);
     controllerWidget->SetIsCurrentJoystickGameController(currentController != nullptr);
diff --git a/Source/RMG-Input/UserInterface/MainDialog.hpp b/Source/RMG-Input/UserInterface/MainDialog.hpp
index 56403f4a..5d2402b0 100644
--- a/Source/RMG-Input/UserInterface/MainDialog.hpp
+++ b/Source/RMG-Input/UserInterface/MainDialog.hpp
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ private:
     bool updatingDeviceList = false;
 
     QList<Widget::ControllerWidget*> controllerWidgets;
-    SDL_Joystick* currentJoystick = nullptr;
+    SDL_Joystick* currentJoystick         = nullptr;
     SDL_GameController* currentController = nullptr;
     QString currentDeviceName;
     int currentDeviceNum = 0;
diff --git a/Source/RMG-Input/UserInterface/Widget/ControllerWidget.cpp b/Source/RMG-Input/UserInterface/Widget/ControllerWidget.cpp
index 94121b64..5d3e70f0 100644
--- a/Source/RMG-Input/UserInterface/Widget/ControllerWidget.cpp
+++ b/Source/RMG-Input/UserInterface/Widget/ControllerWidget.cpp
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ void ControllerWidget::AddInputDevice(QString deviceName, int deviceNum)
 {
     QString name = deviceName;
 
-    if (deviceNum != -1)
+    if (deviceNum >= 0)
     {
         name += " (";
         name += QString::number(deviceNum);
@@ -337,6 +337,10 @@ void ControllerWidget::CheckInputDeviceSettings()
         (this->inputDeviceComboBox->itemText(deviceNumIndex).startsWith(QString::fromStdString(deviceName))))
     { // full match
         this->inputDeviceComboBox->setCurrentIndex(deviceNumIndex);
+        if (deviceNum == -2)
+        { // need to force-refresh when set to automatic
+            this->on_inputDeviceComboBox_currentIndexChanged(0);
+        }
     }
     else if (deviceNameIndex != -1)
     { // name only match
@@ -1020,8 +1024,8 @@ void ControllerWidget::SaveDefaultSettings()
     std::string section = this->settingsSection.toStdString();
 
     CoreSettingsSetValue(SettingsID::Input_PluggedIn, section, false);
-    CoreSettingsSetValue(SettingsID::Input_DeviceName, section, std::string("Keyboard"));
-    CoreSettingsSetValue(SettingsID::Input_DeviceNum, section, -1);
+    CoreSettingsSetValue(SettingsID::Input_DeviceName, section, std::string("Automatic"));
+    CoreSettingsSetValue(SettingsID::Input_DeviceNum, section, -2);
     CoreSettingsSetValue(SettingsID::Input_Deadzone, section, 9);
     CoreSettingsSetValue(SettingsID::Input_Pak, section, 0);
     CoreSettingsSetValue(SettingsID::Input_RemoveDuplicateMappings, section, true);
diff --git a/Source/RMG-Input/main.cpp b/Source/RMG-Input/main.cpp
index 74b9b354..036bc819 100644
--- a/Source/RMG-Input/main.cpp
+++ b/Source/RMG-Input/main.cpp
@@ -269,15 +269,76 @@ static void apply_gameboy_settings(void)
     CoreSettingsSave();
 }
 
+static void open_controller_automatic(int num, InputProfile* profile)
+{
+    static int previousSdlDeviceNum = -1;
+
+    // reset variable when needed
+    if (num == 0)
+    {
+        previousSdlDeviceNum = -1;
+    }
+
+    bool foundSdlDevice                   = false;
+    SDL_GameController* sdlGameController = nullptr;
+    SDL_Joystick* sdlJoystick             = nullptr;
+    std::string sdlDeviceName;
+
+    for (int i = (previousSdlDeviceNum + 1); i < SDL_NumJoysticks(); i++)
+    {
+        if (SDL_IsGameController(i))
+        {
+            sdlGameController = SDL_GameControllerOpen(i);
+            if (sdlGameController != nullptr)
+            {
+                sdlDeviceName = SDL_GameControllerName(sdlGameController);
+                SDL_GameControllerClose(sdlGameController);
+                profile->DeviceNum   = i;
+                profile->DeviceName  = sdlDeviceName;
+                previousSdlDeviceNum = i;
+                foundSdlDevice       = true; 
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            sdlJoystick = SDL_JoystickOpen(i);
+            if (sdlJoystick != nullptr)
+            {
+                sdlDeviceName = SDL_JoystickName(sdlJoystick);
+                SDL_JoystickClose(sdlJoystick);
+                profile->DeviceNum   = i;
+                profile->DeviceName  = sdlDeviceName;
+                previousSdlDeviceNum = i;
+                foundSdlDevice       = true; 
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (!foundSdlDevice)
+    { // fallback to keyboard
+        profile->DeviceNum = -1;
+    }
+}
+
 static void open_controllers(void)
 {
+    // force SDL to re-load joysticks
+    SDL_PumpEvents();
+
     for (int i = 0; i < NUM_CONTROLLERS; i++)
     {
         InputProfile* profile = &l_InputProfiles[i];
 
         profile->InputDevice.CloseDevice();
 
-        if (profile->DeviceNum != -1)
+        // handle automatic mode
+        if (profile->DeviceNum == -2)
+        {
+            open_controller_automatic(i, profile);
+        }
+        else if (profile->DeviceNum != -1)
         {
             profile->InputDevice.OpenDevice(profile->DeviceName, profile->DeviceNum);
         }
@@ -710,7 +771,6 @@ EXPORT void CALL GetKeys(int Control, BUTTONS* Keys)
             if (!profile->InputDevice.HasOpenDevice() || !profile->InputDevice.IsAttached())
             {
                 profile->InputDevice.OpenDevice(profile->DeviceName, profile->DeviceNum);
-                return;
             }
         }
     }
@@ -756,7 +816,7 @@ EXPORT void CALL InitiateControllers(CONTROL_INFO ControlInfo)
         l_KeyboardState[i] = 0;
     }
 
-    l_ControlInfo = ControlInfo;
+    l_ControlInfo    = ControlInfo;
     l_HasControlInfo = true;
 
     // load settings