diff --git a/src/SMAPI/Framework/Input/GamePadStateBuilder.cs b/src/SMAPI/Framework/Input/GamePadStateBuilder.cs
index 0f6e99ae3..25993d6ed 100644
--- a/src/SMAPI/Framework/Input/GamePadStateBuilder.cs
+++ b/src/SMAPI/Framework/Input/GamePadStateBuilder.cs
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 using System.Collections.Generic;
-using System.Diagnostics.CodeAnalysis;
 using System.Linq;
 using Microsoft.Xna.Framework;
 using Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Input;
@@ -22,7 +21,7 @@ internal class GamePadStateBuilder : IInputStateBuilder<GamePadStateBuilder, Gam
     private GamePadState? State;
 
     /// <summary>The current button states.</summary>
-    private readonly IDictionary<SButton, ButtonState>? ButtonStates;
+    private readonly Dictionary<SButton, ButtonState> ButtonStates;
 
     /// <summary>The left trigger value.</summary>
     private float LeftTrigger;
@@ -37,14 +36,6 @@ internal class GamePadStateBuilder : IInputStateBuilder<GamePadStateBuilder, Gam
     private Vector2 RightStickPos;
 
 
-    /*********
-    ** Accessors
-    *********/
-    /// <summary>Whether the gamepad is currently connected.</summary>
-    [MemberNotNullWhen(true, nameof(GamePadStateBuilder.ButtonStates))]
-    public bool IsConnected { get; }
-
-
     /*********
     ** Public methods
     *********/
@@ -53,46 +44,44 @@ internal class GamePadStateBuilder : IInputStateBuilder<GamePadStateBuilder, Gam
     public GamePadStateBuilder(GamePadState state)
     {
         this.State = state;
-        this.IsConnected = state.IsConnected;
-
-        if (!this.IsConnected)
-            return;
 
-        GamePadDPad pad = state.DPad;
-        GamePadButtons buttons = state.Buttons;
-        GamePadTriggers triggers = state.Triggers;
-        GamePadThumbSticks sticks = state.ThumbSticks;
-        this.ButtonStates = new Dictionary<SButton, ButtonState>
+        if (state.IsConnected)
         {
-            [SButton.DPadUp] = pad.Up,
-            [SButton.DPadDown] = pad.Down,
-            [SButton.DPadLeft] = pad.Left,
-            [SButton.DPadRight] = pad.Right,
-
-            [SButton.ControllerA] = buttons.A,
-            [SButton.ControllerB] = buttons.B,
-            [SButton.ControllerX] = buttons.X,
-            [SButton.ControllerY] = buttons.Y,
-            [SButton.LeftStick] = buttons.LeftStick,
-            [SButton.RightStick] = buttons.RightStick,
-            [SButton.LeftShoulder] = buttons.LeftShoulder,
-            [SButton.RightShoulder] = buttons.RightShoulder,
-            [SButton.ControllerBack] = buttons.Back,
-            [SButton.ControllerStart] = buttons.Start,
-            [SButton.BigButton] = buttons.BigButton
-        };
-        this.LeftTrigger = triggers.Left;
-        this.RightTrigger = triggers.Right;
-        this.LeftStickPos = sticks.Left;
-        this.RightStickPos = sticks.Right;
+            GamePadDPad pad = state.DPad;
+            GamePadButtons buttons = state.Buttons;
+            GamePadTriggers triggers = state.Triggers;
+            GamePadThumbSticks sticks = state.ThumbSticks;
+            this.ButtonStates = new Dictionary<SButton, ButtonState>
+            {
+                [SButton.DPadUp] = pad.Up,
+                [SButton.DPadDown] = pad.Down,
+                [SButton.DPadLeft] = pad.Left,
+                [SButton.DPadRight] = pad.Right,
+
+                [SButton.ControllerA] = buttons.A,
+                [SButton.ControllerB] = buttons.B,
+                [SButton.ControllerX] = buttons.X,
+                [SButton.ControllerY] = buttons.Y,
+                [SButton.LeftStick] = buttons.LeftStick,
+                [SButton.RightStick] = buttons.RightStick,
+                [SButton.LeftShoulder] = buttons.LeftShoulder,
+                [SButton.RightShoulder] = buttons.RightShoulder,
+                [SButton.ControllerBack] = buttons.Back,
+                [SButton.ControllerStart] = buttons.Start,
+                [SButton.BigButton] = buttons.BigButton
+            };
+            this.LeftTrigger = triggers.Left;
+            this.RightTrigger = triggers.Right;
+            this.LeftStickPos = sticks.Left;
+            this.RightStickPos = sticks.Right;
+        }
+        else
+            this.ButtonStates = [];
     }
 
     /// <inheritdoc />
     public GamePadStateBuilder OverrideButtons(IDictionary<SButton, SButtonState> overrides)
     {
-        if (!this.IsConnected)
-            return this;
-
         foreach (var pair in overrides)
         {
             bool changed = true;
@@ -138,10 +127,7 @@ public GamePadStateBuilder OverrideButtons(IDictionary<SButton, SButtonState> ov
 
                 // buttons
                 default:
-                    if (this.ButtonStates.ContainsKey(pair.Key))
-                        this.ButtonStates[pair.Key] = isDown ? ButtonState.Pressed : ButtonState.Released;
-                    else
-                        changed = false;
+                    this.ButtonStates[pair.Key] = isDown ? ButtonState.Pressed : ButtonState.Released;
                     break;
             }
 
@@ -155,9 +141,6 @@ public GamePadStateBuilder OverrideButtons(IDictionary<SButton, SButtonState> ov
     /// <inheritdoc />
     public IEnumerable<SButton> GetPressedButtons()
     {
-        if (!this.IsConnected)
-            yield break;
-
         // buttons
         foreach (Buttons button in this.GetPressedGamePadButtons())
             yield return button.ToSButton();
@@ -213,9 +196,6 @@ public GamePadState GetState()
     /// <summary>Get the pressed gamepad buttons.</summary>
     private IEnumerable<Buttons> GetPressedGamePadButtons()
     {
-        if (!this.IsConnected)
-            yield break;
-
         foreach (var pair in this.ButtonStates)
         {
             if (pair.Value == ButtonState.Pressed && pair.Key.TryGetController(out Buttons button))
diff --git a/src/SMAPI/Framework/Input/SInputState.cs b/src/SMAPI/Framework/Input/SInputState.cs
index 44276b7c2..d41279e4c 100644
--- a/src/SMAPI/Framework/Input/SInputState.cs
+++ b/src/SMAPI/Framework/Input/SInputState.cs
@@ -238,14 +238,14 @@ private bool ApplyOverrides(ISet<SButton> pressed, ISet<SButton> released, GameP
                 mouseOverrides[button] = newState;
             else if (button.TryGetKeyboard(out Keys _))
                 keyboardOverrides[button] = newState;
-            else if (controller.IsConnected && button.TryGetController(out Buttons _))
+            else if (button.TryGetController(out Buttons _))
                 controllerOverrides[button] = newState;
         }
 
         // override states
         if (keyboardOverrides.Any())
             keyboard.OverrideButtons(keyboardOverrides);
-        if (controller.IsConnected && controllerOverrides.Any())
+        if (controllerOverrides.Any())
             controller.OverrideButtons(controllerOverrides);
         if (mouseOverrides.Any())
             mouse.OverrideButtons(mouseOverrides);