diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwinput/bindingsmanager.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwinput/bindingsmanager.cpp
index 27355ec4a9..3f505896f4 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwinput/bindingsmanager.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwinput/bindingsmanager.cpp
@@ -77,7 +77,12 @@ namespace MWInput
             // Disallow binding escape key
             if (key == SDL_SCANCODE_ESCAPE)
             {
-                // Stop binding if esc pressed
+                // Unbind if esc pressed
+                if (mDetectingKeyboard)
+                    clearAllKeyBindings(mInputBinder, control);
+                else
+                    clearAllControllerBindings(mInputBinder, control);
+                control->setInitialValue(0.0f);
                 mInputBinder->cancelDetectingBindingState();
                 MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager()->notifyInputActionBound();
                 return;
@@ -154,7 +159,14 @@ namespace MWInput
                 return;
             clearAllControllerBindings(mInputBinder, control);
             control->setInitialValue(0.0f);
-            ICS::DetectingBindingListener::joystickButtonBindingDetected(ICS, deviceID, control, button, direction);
+            if (button == SDL_CONTROLLER_BUTTON_START)
+            {
+                // Disallow rebinding SDL_CONTROLLER_BUTTON_START - it is used to open main and without it is not
+                // even possible to exit the game (or change the binding back).
+                mInputBinder->cancelDetectingBindingState();
+            }
+            else
+                ICS::DetectingBindingListener::joystickButtonBindingDetected(ICS, deviceID, control, button, direction);
             MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager()->notifyInputActionBound();
         }
 
@@ -178,8 +190,11 @@ namespace MWInput
         mListener = std::make_unique<BindingsListener>(mInputBinder.get(), this);
         mInputBinder->setDetectingBindingListener(mListener.get());
 
-        loadKeyDefaults();
-        loadControllerDefaults();
+        if (!userFileExists)
+        {
+            loadKeyDefaults();
+            loadControllerDefaults();
+        }
 
         for (int i = 0; i < A_Last; ++i)
         {