diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/HW/SI_DeviceGCAdapter.cpp b/Source/Core/Core/HW/SI_DeviceGCAdapter.cpp
index 35bc93e2fb..694e033628 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/HW/SI_DeviceGCAdapter.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/HW/SI_DeviceGCAdapter.cpp
@@ -25,19 +25,18 @@ CSIDevice_GCAdapter::CSIDevice_GCAdapter(SIDevices device, int _iDeviceNumber)
 
 GCPadStatus CSIDevice_GCAdapter::GetPadStatus()
 {
-  GCPadStatus PadStatus;
-  memset(&PadStatus, 0, sizeof(PadStatus));
+  GCPadStatus pad_status = {};
 
   // For netplay, the local controllers are polled in GetNetPads(), and
   // the remote controllers receive their status there as well
   if (!NetPlay::IsNetPlayRunning())
   {
-    GCAdapter::Input(ISIDevice::m_iDeviceNumber, &PadStatus);
+    pad_status = GCAdapter::Input(m_iDeviceNumber);
   }
 
-  HandleMoviePadStatus(&PadStatus);
+  HandleMoviePadStatus(&pad_status);
 
-  return PadStatus;
+  return pad_status;
 }
 
 int CSIDevice_GCAdapter::RunBuffer(u8* buffer, int length)
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/NetPlayClient.cpp b/Source/Core/Core/NetPlayClient.cpp
index 4a20c8b52a..029b46a833 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/NetPlayClient.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/NetPlayClient.cpp
@@ -973,7 +973,7 @@ bool NetPlayClient::GetNetPads(const u8 pad_nb, GCPadStatus* pad_status)
       switch (SConfig::GetInstance().m_SIDevice[local_pad])
       {
       case SIDEVICE_WIIU_ADAPTER:
-        GCAdapter::Input(local_pad, pad_status);
+        *pad_status = GCAdapter::Input(local_pad);
         break;
       case SIDEVICE_GC_CONTROLLER:
       default:
diff --git a/Source/Core/InputCommon/GCAdapter.cpp b/Source/Core/InputCommon/GCAdapter.cpp
index 7c450d4288..bd6a396354 100644
--- a/Source/Core/InputCommon/GCAdapter.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/InputCommon/GCAdapter.cpp
@@ -371,13 +371,13 @@ static void Reset()
   NOTICE_LOG(SERIALINTERFACE, "GC Adapter detached");
 }
 
-void Input(int chan, GCPadStatus* pad)
+GCPadStatus Input(int chan)
 {
   if (!UseAdapter())
-    return;
+    return {};
 
   if (s_handle == nullptr || !s_detected)
-    return;
+    return {};
 
   int payload_size = 0;
   u8 controller_payload_copy[37];
@@ -389,6 +389,7 @@ void Input(int chan, GCPadStatus* pad)
     payload_size = s_controller_payload_size.load();
   }
 
+  GCPadStatus pad = {};
   if (payload_size != sizeof(controller_payload_copy) ||
       controller_payload_copy[0] != LIBUSB_DT_HID)
   {
@@ -410,57 +411,58 @@ void Input(int chan, GCPadStatus* pad)
 
     s_controller_type[chan] = type;
 
-    memset(pad, 0, sizeof(*pad));
     if (s_controller_type[chan] != ControllerTypes::CONTROLLER_NONE)
     {
       u8 b1 = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 1];
       u8 b2 = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 2];
 
       if (b1 & (1 << 0))
-        pad->button |= PAD_BUTTON_A;
+        pad.button |= PAD_BUTTON_A;
       if (b1 & (1 << 1))
-        pad->button |= PAD_BUTTON_B;
+        pad.button |= PAD_BUTTON_B;
       if (b1 & (1 << 2))
-        pad->button |= PAD_BUTTON_X;
+        pad.button |= PAD_BUTTON_X;
       if (b1 & (1 << 3))
-        pad->button |= PAD_BUTTON_Y;
+        pad.button |= PAD_BUTTON_Y;
 
       if (b1 & (1 << 4))
-        pad->button |= PAD_BUTTON_LEFT;
+        pad.button |= PAD_BUTTON_LEFT;
       if (b1 & (1 << 5))
-        pad->button |= PAD_BUTTON_RIGHT;
+        pad.button |= PAD_BUTTON_RIGHT;
       if (b1 & (1 << 6))
-        pad->button |= PAD_BUTTON_DOWN;
+        pad.button |= PAD_BUTTON_DOWN;
       if (b1 & (1 << 7))
-        pad->button |= PAD_BUTTON_UP;
+        pad.button |= PAD_BUTTON_UP;
 
       if (b2 & (1 << 0))
-        pad->button |= PAD_BUTTON_START;
+        pad.button |= PAD_BUTTON_START;
       if (b2 & (1 << 1))
-        pad->button |= PAD_TRIGGER_Z;
+        pad.button |= PAD_TRIGGER_Z;
       if (b2 & (1 << 2))
-        pad->button |= PAD_TRIGGER_R;
+        pad.button |= PAD_TRIGGER_R;
       if (b2 & (1 << 3))
-        pad->button |= PAD_TRIGGER_L;
+        pad.button |= PAD_TRIGGER_L;
 
       if (get_origin)
-        pad->button |= PAD_GET_ORIGIN;
+        pad.button |= PAD_GET_ORIGIN;
 
-      pad->stickX = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 3];
-      pad->stickY = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 4];
-      pad->substickX = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 5];
-      pad->substickY = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 6];
-      pad->triggerLeft = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 7];
-      pad->triggerRight = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 8];
+      pad.stickX = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 3];
+      pad.stickY = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 4];
+      pad.substickX = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 5];
+      pad.substickY = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 6];
+      pad.triggerLeft = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 7];
+      pad.triggerRight = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 8];
     }
     else if (!Core::g_want_determinism)
     {
       // This is a hack to prevent a desync due to SI devices
       // being different and returning different values.
       // The corresponding code in DeviceGCAdapter has the same check
-      pad->button = PAD_ERR_STATUS;
+      pad.button = PAD_ERR_STATUS;
     }
   }
+
+  return pad;
 }
 
 bool DeviceConnected(int chan)
diff --git a/Source/Core/InputCommon/GCAdapter.h b/Source/Core/InputCommon/GCAdapter.h
index 355f24d1f3..179b27793c 100644
--- a/Source/Core/InputCommon/GCAdapter.h
+++ b/Source/Core/InputCommon/GCAdapter.h
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ void Shutdown();
 void SetAdapterCallback(std::function<void(void)> func);
 void StartScanThread();
 void StopScanThread();
-void Input(int chan, GCPadStatus* pad);
+GCPadStatus Input(int chan);
 void Output(int chan, u8 rumble_command);
 bool IsDetected();
 bool IsDriverDetected();
diff --git a/Source/Core/InputCommon/GCAdapter_Android.cpp b/Source/Core/InputCommon/GCAdapter_Android.cpp
index 8d2d6be6fe..c5f8a98922 100644
--- a/Source/Core/InputCommon/GCAdapter_Android.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/InputCommon/GCAdapter_Android.cpp
@@ -262,10 +262,10 @@ void StopScanThread()
     s_adapter_detect_thread.join();
 }
 
-void Input(int chan, GCPadStatus* pad)
+GCPadStatus Input(int chan)
 {
   if (!UseAdapter() || !s_detected || !s_fd)
-    return;
+    return {};
 
   int payload_size = 0;
   u8 controller_payload_copy[37];
@@ -277,6 +277,7 @@ void Input(int chan, GCPadStatus* pad)
     payload_size = s_controller_payload_size.load();
   }
 
+  GCPadStatus pad = {};
   if (payload_size != sizeof(controller_payload_copy))
   {
     ERROR_LOG(SERIALINTERFACE, "error reading payload (size: %d, type: %02x)", payload_size,
@@ -297,54 +298,55 @@ void Input(int chan, GCPadStatus* pad)
 
     s_controller_type[chan] = type;
 
-    memset(pad, 0, sizeof(*pad));
     if (s_controller_type[chan] != ControllerTypes::CONTROLLER_NONE)
     {
       u8 b1 = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 1];
       u8 b2 = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 2];
 
       if (b1 & (1 << 0))
-        pad->button |= PAD_BUTTON_A;
+        pad.button |= PAD_BUTTON_A;
       if (b1 & (1 << 1))
-        pad->button |= PAD_BUTTON_B;
+        pad.button |= PAD_BUTTON_B;
       if (b1 & (1 << 2))
-        pad->button |= PAD_BUTTON_X;
+        pad.button |= PAD_BUTTON_X;
       if (b1 & (1 << 3))
-        pad->button |= PAD_BUTTON_Y;
+        pad.button |= PAD_BUTTON_Y;
 
       if (b1 & (1 << 4))
-        pad->button |= PAD_BUTTON_LEFT;
+        pad.button |= PAD_BUTTON_LEFT;
       if (b1 & (1 << 5))
-        pad->button |= PAD_BUTTON_RIGHT;
+        pad.button |= PAD_BUTTON_RIGHT;
       if (b1 & (1 << 6))
-        pad->button |= PAD_BUTTON_DOWN;
+        pad.button |= PAD_BUTTON_DOWN;
       if (b1 & (1 << 7))
-        pad->button |= PAD_BUTTON_UP;
+        pad.button |= PAD_BUTTON_UP;
 
       if (b2 & (1 << 0))
-        pad->button |= PAD_BUTTON_START;
+        pad.button |= PAD_BUTTON_START;
       if (b2 & (1 << 1))
-        pad->button |= PAD_TRIGGER_Z;
+        pad.button |= PAD_TRIGGER_Z;
       if (b2 & (1 << 2))
-        pad->button |= PAD_TRIGGER_R;
+        pad.button |= PAD_TRIGGER_R;
       if (b2 & (1 << 3))
-        pad->button |= PAD_TRIGGER_L;
+        pad.button |= PAD_TRIGGER_L;
 
       if (get_origin)
-        pad->button |= PAD_GET_ORIGIN;
+        pad.button |= PAD_GET_ORIGIN;
 
-      pad->stickX = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 3];
-      pad->stickY = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 4];
-      pad->substickX = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 5];
-      pad->substickY = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 6];
-      pad->triggerLeft = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 7];
-      pad->triggerRight = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 8];
+      pad.stickX = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 3];
+      pad.stickY = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 4];
+      pad.substickX = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 5];
+      pad.substickY = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 6];
+      pad.triggerLeft = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 7];
+      pad.triggerRight = controller_payload_copy[1 + (9 * chan) + 8];
     }
     else
     {
-      pad->button = PAD_ERR_STATUS;
+      pad.button = PAD_ERR_STATUS;
     }
   }
+
+  return pad;
 }
 
 void Output(int chan, u8 rumble_command)
diff --git a/Source/Core/InputCommon/GCAdapter_Null.cpp b/Source/Core/InputCommon/GCAdapter_Null.cpp
index bb9422807b..e5b30a312f 100644
--- a/Source/Core/InputCommon/GCAdapter_Null.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/InputCommon/GCAdapter_Null.cpp
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 #include "InputCommon/GCAdapter.h"
 #include "Common/CommonTypes.h"
+#include "InputCommon/GCPadStatus.h"
 
 namespace GCAdapter
 {
@@ -25,8 +26,9 @@ void StartScanThread()
 void StopScanThread()
 {
 }
-void Input(int chan, GCPadStatus* pad)
+GCPadStatus Input(int chan)
 {
+  return {};
 }
 void Output(int chan, u8 rumble_command)
 {