diff --git a/src/citron/game_list.cpp b/src/citron/game_list.cpp
index e42d85294..f71e11adb 100644
--- a/src/citron/game_list.cpp
+++ b/src/citron/game_list.cpp
@@ -203,6 +203,13 @@ void GameList::FilterGridView(const QString& filter_text) {
     // Repopulate the grid view with filtered items
     QStandardItemModel* hierarchical_model = item_model;
 
+    // Delete the previous flat model if it exists to prevent memory leaks
+    if (QAbstractItemModel* old_model = list_view->model()) {
+        if (old_model != item_model) {
+            old_model->deleteLater();
+        }
+    }
+
     // Create a new flat model for grid view
     QStandardItemModel* flat_model = new QStandardItemModel(this);
 
@@ -470,9 +477,19 @@ GameList::GameList(FileSys::VirtualFilesystem vfs_, FileSys::ManualContentProvid
                 if (!this->isActiveWindow()) {
                     return;
                 }
+
+                // Only send events to visible and properly initialized views
                 QKeyEvent* event = new QKeyEvent(QEvent::KeyPress, key, Qt::NoModifier);
-                QCoreApplication::postEvent(tree_view, event);
-                QCoreApplication::postEvent(list_view, event);
+
+                if (tree_view->isVisible() && tree_view->model()) {
+                    QCoreApplication::postEvent(tree_view, event);
+                }
+
+                if (list_view->isVisible() && list_view->model()) {
+                    // Create a new event for the list view to avoid double deletion
+                    QKeyEvent* list_event = new QKeyEvent(QEvent::KeyPress, key, Qt::NoModifier);
+                    QCoreApplication::postEvent(list_view, list_event);
+                }
             });
 
     // We must register all custom types with the Qt Automoc system so that we are able to use
@@ -496,6 +513,13 @@ void GameList::UnloadController() {
 
 GameList::~GameList() {
     UnloadController();
+
+    // Clean up any custom models that might have been created for grid view
+    if (QAbstractItemModel* current_model = list_view->model()) {
+        if (current_model != item_model) {
+            current_model->deleteLater();
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 void GameList::SetFilterFocus() {
@@ -1114,12 +1138,18 @@ void GameList::SetViewMode(bool grid_view) {
         PopulateGridView();
         tree_view->setVisible(false);
         list_view->setVisible(true);
-        list_view->setCurrentIndex(list_view->model()->index(0, 0));
+        // Only set current index if the model has items
+        if (list_view->model() && list_view->model()->rowCount() > 0) {
+            list_view->setCurrentIndex(list_view->model()->index(0, 0));
+        }
     } else {
         // Restore the hierarchical model for tree view
         list_view->setVisible(false);
         tree_view->setVisible(true);
-        tree_view->setCurrentIndex(item_model->index(0, 0));
+        // Only set current index if the model has items
+        if (item_model && item_model->rowCount() > 0) {
+            tree_view->setCurrentIndex(item_model->index(0, 0));
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -1127,6 +1157,13 @@ void GameList::PopulateGridView() {
     // Store the current hierarchical model
     QStandardItemModel* hierarchical_model = item_model;
 
+    // Delete the previous flat model if it exists to prevent memory leaks
+    if (QAbstractItemModel* old_model = list_view->model()) {
+        if (old_model != item_model) {
+            old_model->deleteLater();
+        }
+    }
+
     // Create a new flat model for grid view
     QStandardItemModel* flat_model = new QStandardItemModel(this);
 
diff --git a/src/citron/util/controller_navigation.cpp b/src/citron/util/controller_navigation.cpp
index e7a33abe1..0967b758b 100644
--- a/src/citron/util/controller_navigation.cpp
+++ b/src/citron/util/controller_navigation.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 // SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright 2021 yuzu Emulator Project
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright 2025 Citron Emulator Project
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
 
 #include "common/settings_input.h"
@@ -42,6 +43,12 @@ void ControllerNavigation::ControllerUpdateEvent(Core::HID::ControllerTriggerTyp
     if (!Settings::values.controller_navigation) {
         return;
     }
+
+    // Safety check: ensure controllers are properly initialized
+    if (!is_controller_set || !player1_controller || !handheld_controller) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     if (type == Core::HID::ControllerTriggerType::Button) {
         ControllerUpdateButton();
         return;
@@ -54,6 +61,11 @@ void ControllerNavigation::ControllerUpdateEvent(Core::HID::ControllerTriggerTyp
 }
 
 void ControllerNavigation::ControllerUpdateButton() {
+    // Safety check: ensure controllers are properly initialized
+    if (!is_controller_set || !player1_controller || !handheld_controller) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     const auto controller_type = player1_controller->GetNpadStyleIndex();
     const auto& player1_buttons = player1_controller->GetButtonsValues();
     const auto& handheld_buttons = handheld_controller->GetButtonsValues();
@@ -91,6 +103,11 @@ void ControllerNavigation::ControllerUpdateButton() {
 }
 
 void ControllerNavigation::ControllerUpdateStick() {
+    // Safety check: ensure controllers are properly initialized
+    if (!is_controller_set || !player1_controller || !handheld_controller) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     const auto controller_type = player1_controller->GetNpadStyleIndex();
     const auto& player1_sticks = player1_controller->GetSticksValues();
     const auto& handheld_sticks = player1_controller->GetSticksValues();