diff --git a/dep/CMakeLists.txt b/dep/CMakeLists.txt
index 13581d697..79acdde2b 100644
--- a/dep/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/dep/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 add_subdirectory(cubeb)
 add_subdirectory(glad)
 add_subdirectory(googletest)
-add_subdirectory(imgui)
 add_subdirectory(libcue)
 add_subdirectory(simpleini)
 add_subdirectory(stb)
@@ -13,10 +12,13 @@ add_subdirectory(libFLAC)
 add_subdirectory(libchdr)
 add_subdirectory(xxhash)
 add_subdirectory(rapidjson)
-
 add_subdirectory(glslang)
 add_subdirectory(vulkan-loader)
 
+if(NOT BUILD_LIBRETRO_CORE)
+  add_subdirectory(imgui)
+endif()
+
 if(ENABLE_DISCORD_PRESENCE)
   add_subdirectory(discord-rpc)
 endif()
diff --git a/src/core/CMakeLists.txt b/src/core/CMakeLists.txt
index 4d2cbad5f..0517bc810 100644
--- a/src/core/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/core/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ set(RECOMPILER_SRCS
 
 target_include_directories(core PRIVATE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/..")
 target_include_directories(core PUBLIC "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/..")
-target_link_libraries(core PUBLIC Threads::Threads common imgui tinyxml2 zlib vulkan-loader simpleini)
+target_link_libraries(core PUBLIC Threads::Threads common tinyxml2 zlib vulkan-loader simpleini)
 target_link_libraries(core PRIVATE glad stb)
 
 if(WIN32)
@@ -126,3 +126,8 @@ elseif(${CPU_ARCH} STREQUAL "aarch64")
 else()
   message("Not building recompiler")
 endif()
+
+if(NOT BUILD_LIBRETRO_CORE)
+  target_link_libraries(core PRIVATE imgui)
+  target_compile_definitions(core PRIVATE "WITH_IMGUI=1")
+endif()
diff --git a/src/core/cdrom.cpp b/src/core/cdrom.cpp
index 0c8c17716..673e186d8 100644
--- a/src/core/cdrom.cpp
+++ b/src/core/cdrom.cpp
@@ -4,11 +4,13 @@
 #include "common/state_wrapper.h"
 #include "dma.h"
 #include "game_list.h"
-#include "imgui.h"
 #include "interrupt_controller.h"
 #include "settings.h"
 #include "spu.h"
 #include "system.h"
+#ifdef WITH_IMGUI
+#include "imgui.h"
+#endif
 Log_SetChannel(CDROM);
 
 struct CommandInfo
@@ -2341,6 +2343,7 @@ void CDROM::ClearSectorBuffers()
 
 void CDROM::DrawDebugWindow()
 {
+#ifdef WITH_IMGUI
   static const ImVec4 active_color{1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f};
   static const ImVec4 inactive_color{0.4f, 0.4f, 0.4f, 1.0f};
   const float framebuffer_scale = ImGui::GetIO().DisplayFramebufferScale.x;
@@ -2521,4 +2524,5 @@ void CDROM::DrawDebugWindow()
   }
 
   ImGui::End();
+#endif
 }
diff --git a/src/core/core.vcxproj b/src/core/core.vcxproj
index bc5aeadf1..85d116da7 100644
--- a/src/core/core.vcxproj
+++ b/src/core/core.vcxproj
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@
       </PrecompiledHeader>
       <WarningLevel>Level4</WarningLevel>
       <Optimization>Disabled</Optimization>
-      <PreprocessorDefinitions>WITH_RECOMPILER=1;_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS;WIN32;_DEBUG;_CONSOLE;_LIB;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
+      <PreprocessorDefinitions>WITH_IMGUI=1;WITH_RECOMPILER=1;_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS;WIN32;_DEBUG;_CONSOLE;_LIB;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
       <SDLCheck>true</SDLCheck>
       <DebugInformationFormat>ProgramDatabase</DebugInformationFormat>
       <AdditionalIncludeDirectories>$(SolutionDir)dep\msvc\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\glad\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\stb\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\imgui\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\xbyak\xbyak;$(SolutionDir)dep\tinyxml2\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\simpleini\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\zlib\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\vulkan-loader\include;$(SolutionDir)src;%(AdditionalIncludeDirectories)</AdditionalIncludeDirectories>
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@
       </PrecompiledHeader>
       <WarningLevel>Level4</WarningLevel>
       <Optimization>Disabled</Optimization>
-      <PreprocessorDefinitions>WITH_RECOMPILER=1;_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS;WIN32;_DEBUG;_CONSOLE;_LIB;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
+      <PreprocessorDefinitions>WITH_IMGUI=1;WITH_RECOMPILER=1;_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS;WIN32;_DEBUG;_CONSOLE;_LIB;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
       <SDLCheck>true</SDLCheck>
       <DebugInformationFormat>ProgramDatabase</DebugInformationFormat>
       <AdditionalIncludeDirectories>$(SolutionDir)dep\msvc\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\glad\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\stb\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\imgui\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\xbyak\xbyak;$(SolutionDir)dep\tinyxml2\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\simpleini\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\zlib\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\vulkan-loader\include;$(SolutionDir)src;%(AdditionalIncludeDirectories)</AdditionalIncludeDirectories>
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@
       </PrecompiledHeader>
       <WarningLevel>Level4</WarningLevel>
       <Optimization>Disabled</Optimization>
-      <PreprocessorDefinitions>WITH_RECOMPILER=1;_ITERATOR_DEBUG_LEVEL=1;_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS;WIN32;_DEBUGFAST;_DEBUG;_CONSOLE;_LIB;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
+      <PreprocessorDefinitions>WITH_IMGUI=1;WITH_RECOMPILER=1;_ITERATOR_DEBUG_LEVEL=1;_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS;WIN32;_DEBUGFAST;_DEBUG;_CONSOLE;_LIB;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
       <SDLCheck>true</SDLCheck>
       <DebugInformationFormat>ProgramDatabase</DebugInformationFormat>
       <AdditionalIncludeDirectories>$(SolutionDir)dep\msvc\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\glad\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\stb\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\imgui\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\xbyak\xbyak;$(SolutionDir)dep\tinyxml2\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\simpleini\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\zlib\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\vulkan-loader\include;$(SolutionDir)src;%(AdditionalIncludeDirectories)</AdditionalIncludeDirectories>
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@
       </PrecompiledHeader>
       <WarningLevel>Level4</WarningLevel>
       <Optimization>Disabled</Optimization>
-      <PreprocessorDefinitions>WITH_RECOMPILER=1;_ITERATOR_DEBUG_LEVEL=1;_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS;WIN32;_DEBUGFAST;_DEBUG;_CONSOLE;_LIB;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
+      <PreprocessorDefinitions>WITH_IMGUI=1;WITH_RECOMPILER=1;_ITERATOR_DEBUG_LEVEL=1;_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS;WIN32;_DEBUGFAST;_DEBUG;_CONSOLE;_LIB;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
       <SDLCheck>true</SDLCheck>
       <DebugInformationFormat>ProgramDatabase</DebugInformationFormat>
       <AdditionalIncludeDirectories>$(SolutionDir)dep\msvc\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\glad\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\stb\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\imgui\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\xbyak\xbyak;$(SolutionDir)dep\tinyxml2\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\simpleini\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\zlib\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\vulkan-loader\include;$(SolutionDir)src;%(AdditionalIncludeDirectories)</AdditionalIncludeDirectories>
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@
       </PrecompiledHeader>
       <Optimization>MaxSpeed</Optimization>
       <IntrinsicFunctions>true</IntrinsicFunctions>
-      <PreprocessorDefinitions>WITH_RECOMPILER=1;_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS;WIN32;NDEBUG;_CONSOLE;_LIB;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
+      <PreprocessorDefinitions>WITH_IMGUI=1;WITH_RECOMPILER=1;_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS;WIN32;NDEBUG;_CONSOLE;_LIB;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
       <AdditionalIncludeDirectories>$(SolutionDir)dep\msvc\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\glad\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\stb\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\imgui\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\xbyak\xbyak;$(SolutionDir)dep\tinyxml2\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\simpleini\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\zlib\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\vulkan-loader\include;$(SolutionDir)src;%(AdditionalIncludeDirectories)</AdditionalIncludeDirectories>
       <MultiProcessorCompilation>true</MultiProcessorCompilation>
       <WholeProgramOptimization>false</WholeProgramOptimization>
@@ -442,7 +442,7 @@
       </PrecompiledHeader>
       <Optimization>MaxSpeed</Optimization>
       <IntrinsicFunctions>true</IntrinsicFunctions>
-      <PreprocessorDefinitions>WITH_RECOMPILER=1;_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS;WIN32;NDEBUG;_CONSOLE;_LIB;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
+      <PreprocessorDefinitions>WITH_IMGUI=1;WITH_RECOMPILER=1;_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS;WIN32;NDEBUG;_CONSOLE;_LIB;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
       <AdditionalIncludeDirectories>$(SolutionDir)dep\msvc\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\glad\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\stb\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\imgui\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\xbyak\xbyak;$(SolutionDir)dep\tinyxml2\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\simpleini\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\zlib\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\vulkan-loader\include;$(SolutionDir)src;%(AdditionalIncludeDirectories)</AdditionalIncludeDirectories>
       <MultiProcessorCompilation>true</MultiProcessorCompilation>
       <WholeProgramOptimization>true</WholeProgramOptimization>
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@
       </PrecompiledHeader>
       <Optimization>MaxSpeed</Optimization>
       <IntrinsicFunctions>true</IntrinsicFunctions>
-      <PreprocessorDefinitions>WITH_RECOMPILER=1;_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS;WIN32;NDEBUG;_CONSOLE;_LIB;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
+      <PreprocessorDefinitions>WITH_IMGUI=1;WITH_RECOMPILER=1;_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS;WIN32;NDEBUG;_CONSOLE;_LIB;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
       <AdditionalIncludeDirectories>$(SolutionDir)dep\msvc\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\glad\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\stb\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\imgui\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\xbyak\xbyak;$(SolutionDir)dep\tinyxml2\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\simpleini\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\zlib\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\vulkan-loader\include;$(SolutionDir)src;%(AdditionalIncludeDirectories)</AdditionalIncludeDirectories>
       <MultiProcessorCompilation>true</MultiProcessorCompilation>
       <WholeProgramOptimization>false</WholeProgramOptimization>
@@ -497,7 +497,7 @@
       </PrecompiledHeader>
       <Optimization>MaxSpeed</Optimization>
       <IntrinsicFunctions>true</IntrinsicFunctions>
-      <PreprocessorDefinitions>WITH_RECOMPILER=1;_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS;WIN32;NDEBUG;_CONSOLE;_LIB;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
+      <PreprocessorDefinitions>WITH_IMGUI=1;WITH_RECOMPILER=1;_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS;WIN32;NDEBUG;_CONSOLE;_LIB;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
       <AdditionalIncludeDirectories>$(SolutionDir)dep\msvc\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\glad\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\stb\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\imgui\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\xbyak\xbyak;$(SolutionDir)dep\tinyxml2\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\simpleini\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\zlib\include;$(SolutionDir)dep\vulkan-loader\include;$(SolutionDir)src;%(AdditionalIncludeDirectories)</AdditionalIncludeDirectories>
       <MultiProcessorCompilation>true</MultiProcessorCompilation>
       <WholeProgramOptimization>true</WholeProgramOptimization>
diff --git a/src/core/gpu.cpp b/src/core/gpu.cpp
index c56657c45..32d36ddcf 100644
--- a/src/core/gpu.cpp
+++ b/src/core/gpu.cpp
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@
 #include "system.h"
 #include "timers.h"
 #include <cmath>
-#include <imgui.h>
+#ifdef WITH_IMGUI
+#include "imgui.h"
+#endif
 Log_SetChannel(GPU);
 
 std::unique_ptr<GPU> g_gpu;
@@ -1341,6 +1343,7 @@ bool GPU::DumpVRAMToFile(const char* filename, u32 width, u32 height, u32 stride
 
 void GPU::DrawDebugStateWindow()
 {
+#ifdef WITH_IMGUI
   const float framebuffer_scale = ImGui::GetIO().DisplayFramebufferScale.x;
 
   ImGui::SetNextWindowSize(ImVec2(450.0f * framebuffer_scale, 550.0f * framebuffer_scale), ImGuiCond_FirstUseEver);
@@ -1451,6 +1454,7 @@ void GPU::DrawDebugStateWindow()
   }
 
   ImGui::End();
+#endif
 }
 
 void GPU::DrawRendererStats(bool is_idle_frame) {}
diff --git a/src/core/gpu_hw.cpp b/src/core/gpu_hw.cpp
index 7dfe6f432..4741a9263 100644
--- a/src/core/gpu_hw.cpp
+++ b/src/core/gpu_hw.cpp
@@ -3,13 +3,15 @@
 #include "common/log.h"
 #include "common/state_wrapper.h"
 #include "cpu_core.h"
-#include "imgui.h"
 #include "pgxp.h"
 #include "settings.h"
 #include "system.h"
 #include <cmath>
 #include <sstream>
 #include <tuple>
+#ifdef WITH_IMGUI
+#include "imgui.h"
+#endif
 Log_SetChannel(GPU_HW);
 
 template<typename T>
@@ -1000,6 +1002,7 @@ void GPU_HW::DrawRendererStats(bool is_idle_frame)
     m_renderer_stats = {};
   }
 
+#ifdef WITH_IMGUI
   if (ImGui::CollapsingHeader("Renderer Statistics", ImGuiTreeNodeFlags_DefaultOpen))
   {
     static const ImVec4 active_color{1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f};
@@ -1068,4 +1071,5 @@ void GPU_HW::DrawRendererStats(bool is_idle_frame)
 
     ImGui::Columns(1);
   }
+#endif
 }
diff --git a/src/core/host_interface.cpp b/src/core/host_interface.cpp
index 9322a5f62..340c87715 100644
--- a/src/core/host_interface.cpp
+++ b/src/core/host_interface.cpp
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 #include <cmath>
 #include <cstring>
 #include <cwchar>
-#include <imgui.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 Log_SetChannel(HostInterface);
 
diff --git a/src/core/mdec.cpp b/src/core/mdec.cpp
index 1d83e3435..cb1d752eb 100644
--- a/src/core/mdec.cpp
+++ b/src/core/mdec.cpp
@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@
 #include "dma.h"
 #include "interrupt_controller.h"
 #include "system.h"
-#include <imgui.h>
+#ifdef WITH_IMGUI
+#include "imgui.h"
+#endif
 Log_SetChannel(MDEC);
 
 MDEC g_mdec;
@@ -701,6 +703,7 @@ void MDEC::HandleSetScaleCommand()
 
 void MDEC::DrawDebugStateWindow()
 {
+#ifdef WITH_IMGUI
   const float framebuffer_scale = ImGui::GetIO().DisplayFramebufferScale.x;
 
   ImGui::SetNextWindowSize(ImVec2(300.0f * framebuffer_scale, 350.0f * framebuffer_scale), ImGuiCond_FirstUseEver);
@@ -738,4 +741,5 @@ void MDEC::DrawDebugStateWindow()
   }
 
   ImGui::End();
+#endif
 }
diff --git a/src/core/spu.cpp b/src/core/spu.cpp
index e0d42711f..ecb8b57a6 100644
--- a/src/core/spu.cpp
+++ b/src/core/spu.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,9 @@
 #include "host_interface.h"
 #include "interrupt_controller.h"
 #include "system.h"
-#include <imgui.h>
+#ifdef WITH_IMGUI
+#include "imgui.h"
+#endif
 Log_SetChannel(SPU);
 
 SPU g_spu;
@@ -1747,6 +1749,7 @@ void SPU::ProcessReverb(s16 left_in, s16 right_in, s32* left_out, s32* right_out
 
 void SPU::DrawDebugStateWindow()
 {
+#ifdef WITH_IMGUI
   static const ImVec4 active_color{1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f};
   static const ImVec4 inactive_color{0.4f, 0.4f, 0.4f, 1.0f};
   const float framebuffer_scale = ImGui::GetIO().DisplayFramebufferScale.x;
@@ -1924,4 +1927,5 @@ void SPU::DrawDebugStateWindow()
   }
 
   ImGui::End();
+#endif
 }
diff --git a/src/core/system.cpp b/src/core/system.cpp
index 50ab3d24d..3f24ea4ea 100644
--- a/src/core/system.cpp
+++ b/src/core/system.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@
 #include "spu.h"
 #include "timers.h"
 #include <cstdio>
-#include <imgui.h>
 #include <limits>
 Log_SetChannel(System);
 
diff --git a/src/core/timers.cpp b/src/core/timers.cpp
index a8c480340..a51b8bd7c 100644
--- a/src/core/timers.cpp
+++ b/src/core/timers.cpp
@@ -4,7 +4,9 @@
 #include "gpu.h"
 #include "interrupt_controller.h"
 #include "system.h"
-#include <imgui.h>
+#ifdef WITH_IMGUI
+#include "imgui.h"
+#endif
 Log_SetChannel(Timers);
 
 Timers g_timers;
@@ -369,6 +371,7 @@ void Timers::UpdateSysClkEvent()
 
 void Timers::DrawDebugStateWindow()
 {
+#ifdef WITH_IMGUI
   static constexpr u32 NUM_COLUMNS = 10;
   static constexpr std::array<const char*, NUM_COLUMNS> column_names = {
     {"#", "Value", "Target", "Sync", "Reset", "IRQ", "IRQRepeat", "IRQToggle", "Clock Source", "Reached"}};
@@ -437,4 +440,5 @@ void Timers::DrawDebugStateWindow()
 
   ImGui::Columns(1);
   ImGui::End();
+#endif
 }