diff --git a/src/config/ActiveSettings.cpp b/src/config/ActiveSettings.cpp
index 3352c143..08def5a3 100644
--- a/src/config/ActiveSettings.cpp
+++ b/src/config/ActiveSettings.cpp
@@ -108,15 +108,28 @@ bool ActiveSettings::WaitForGX2DrawDoneEnabled()
 
 GraphicAPI ActiveSettings::GetGraphicsAPI()
 {
-	GraphicAPI api = g_current_game_profile->GetGraphicsAPI().value_or(GetConfig().graphic_api);
-
-#if defined(ENABLE_VULKAN) && defined(ENABLE_OPENGL)
-	// check if vulkan even available
-	if (api == kVulkan && !g_vulkan_available)
-		api = kOpenGL;
+	const GraphicAPI api = g_current_game_profile->GetGraphicsAPI().value_or(GetConfig().graphic_api);
+	std::optional<GraphicAPI> fallbackAPI;
+#ifdef ENABLE_VULKAN
+	if (g_vulkan_available)
+	{
+		if (api == kVulkan)
+			return api;
+		fallbackAPI = kVulkan;
+	}
 #endif
-	
-	return api;
+#ifdef ENABLE_METAL
+	if (api == kMetal)
+		return api;
+	fallbackAPI = fallbackAPI.value_or(kMetal);
+#endif
+#ifdef ENABLE_OPENGL
+	if (api == kOpenGL)
+		return api;
+	fallbackAPI = fallbackAPI.value_or(kOpenGL);
+#endif
+	cemu_assert(fallbackAPI.has_value());
+	return *fallbackAPI;
 }
 
 float ActiveSettings::GetTVGamma()
diff --git a/src/config/CemuConfig.cpp b/src/config/CemuConfig.cpp
index 17a67af0..139c290c 100644
--- a/src/config/CemuConfig.cpp
+++ b/src/config/CemuConfig.cpp
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ XMLConfigParser CemuConfig::Load(XMLConfigParser& parser)
 
 	// graphics
 	auto graphic = parser.get("Graphic");
-	graphic_api = graphic.get("api", kOpenGL);
+	graphic_api = graphic.get("api", kDefaultGraphicsAPI);
 	graphic.get("device", legacy_graphic_device_uuid);
 	if (graphic.get("vkDevice").valid())
 		graphic.get("vkDevice", vk_graphic_device_uuid);
diff --git a/src/config/CemuConfig.h b/src/config/CemuConfig.h
index 4625d921..48c396f2 100644
--- a/src/config/CemuConfig.h
+++ b/src/config/CemuConfig.h
@@ -73,6 +73,14 @@ enum GraphicAPI
 	COUNT
 };
 
+#if defined(ENABLE_VULKAN)
+constexpr GraphicAPI kDefaultGraphicsAPI = kVulkan;
+#elif defined(ENABLE_METAL)
+constexpr GraphicAPI kDefaultGraphicsAPI = kMetal;
+#elif defined(ENABLE_OPENGL)
+constexpr GraphicAPI kDefaultGraphicsAPI = kOpenGL;
+#endif
+
 enum AudioChannels
 {
 	kMono = 0,
@@ -430,13 +438,7 @@ struct CemuConfig
 	ConfigValueBounds<CafeConsoleLanguage> console_language{ CafeConsoleLanguage::EN };
 
 	// graphics
-#if defined(ENABLE_VULKAN)
-	ConfigValue<GraphicAPI> graphic_api{ kVulkan };
-#elif defined(ENABLE_METAL)
-	ConfigValue<GraphicAPI> graphic_api{ kMetal };
-#elif defined(ENABLE_OPENGL)
-	ConfigValue<GraphicAPI> graphic_api{ kOpenGL };
-#endif
+	ConfigValue<GraphicAPI> graphic_api{ kDefaultGraphicsAPI };
 	std::array<uint8, 16> legacy_graphic_device_uuid{}; // placeholder option for backwards compatibility with settings from 2.6 and before (renamed to "vkDevice")
 	std::array<uint8, 16> vk_graphic_device_uuid;
 	uint64 mtl_graphic_device_uuid{ 0 };