diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwinput/bindingsmanager.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwinput/bindingsmanager.cpp
index a6bab19673a..339ebf4276f 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwinput/bindingsmanager.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwinput/bindingsmanager.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #include "bindingsmanager.hpp"
 
+#include <filesystem>
+
 #include <MyGUI_EditBox.h>
 
 #include <extern/oics/ICSChannelListener.h>
@@ -77,12 +79,7 @@ namespace MWInput
             // Disallow binding escape key
             if (key == SDL_SCANCODE_ESCAPE)
             {
-                // Unbind if esc pressed
-                if (mDetectingKeyboard)
-                    clearAllKeyBindings(mInputBinder, control);
-                else
-                    clearAllControllerBindings(mInputBinder, control);
-                control->setInitialValue(0.0f);
+                // Stop binding if esc pressed
                 mInputBinder->cancelDetectingBindingState();
                 MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager()->notifyInputActionBound();
                 return;
@@ -159,14 +156,7 @@ namespace MWInput
                 return;
             clearAllControllerBindings(mInputBinder, control);
             control->setInitialValue(0.0f);
-            if (button == SDL_CONTROLLER_BUTTON_START)
-            {
-                // Disallow rebinding SDL_CONTROLLER_BUTTON_START - it is used to open main and without it is not
-                // even possible to exit the game (or change the binding back).
-                mInputBinder->cancelDetectingBindingState();
-            }
-            else
-                ICS::DetectingBindingListener::joystickButtonBindingDetected(ICS, deviceID, control, button, direction);
+            ICS::DetectingBindingListener::joystickButtonBindingDetected(ICS, deviceID, control, button, direction);
             MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager()->notifyInputActionBound();
         }
 
@@ -190,11 +180,8 @@ namespace MWInput
         mListener = std::make_unique<BindingsListener>(mInputBinder.get(), this);
         mInputBinder->setDetectingBindingListener(mListener.get());
 
-        if (!userFileExists)
-        {
-            loadKeyDefaults();
-            loadControllerDefaults();
-        }
+        loadKeyDefaults();
+        loadControllerDefaults();
 
         for (int i = 0; i < A_Last; ++i)
         {
@@ -209,13 +196,22 @@ namespace MWInput
 
     BindingsManager::~BindingsManager()
     {
+        const std::string newFileName = Files::pathToUnicodeString(mUserFile) + ".new";
         try
         {
-            mInputBinder->save(Files::pathToUnicodeString(mUserFile));
+            if (mInputBinder->save(newFileName))
+            {
+                std::filesystem::rename(Files::pathFromUnicodeString(newFileName), mUserFile);
+                Log(Debug::Info) << "Saved input bindings: " << mUserFile;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                Log(Debug::Error) << "Failed to save input bindings to " << newFileName;
+            }
         }
-        catch (std::exception& e)
+        catch (const std::exception& e)
         {
-            Log(Debug::Error) << "Failed to save input bindings: " << e.what();
+            Log(Debug::Error) << "Failed to save input bindings to " << newFileName << ": " << e.what();
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/extern/oics/ICSInputControlSystem.cpp b/extern/oics/ICSInputControlSystem.cpp
index 7d92d9ee077..e64fef0fc60 100644
--- a/extern/oics/ICSInputControlSystem.cpp
+++ b/extern/oics/ICSInputControlSystem.cpp
@@ -357,14 +357,9 @@ namespace ICS
 		return file.substr(0, file.find_last_of("."));
 	}
 
-	bool InputControlSystem::save(std::string fileName)
+	bool InputControlSystem::save(const std::string& fileName)
 	{
-		if(fileName != "")
-		{
-			mFileName = fileName;
-		}
-
-		TiXmlDocument doc(  mFileName.c_str() );
+		TiXmlDocument doc(fileName.c_str());
 
 		TiXmlDeclaration dec;
 		dec.Parse( "<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>", 0, TIXML_ENCODING_UNKNOWN );
diff --git a/extern/oics/ICSInputControlSystem.h b/extern/oics/ICSInputControlSystem.h
index 97ab8d2edfa..f0736409c91 100644
--- a/extern/oics/ICSInputControlSystem.h
+++ b/extern/oics/ICSInputControlSystem.h
@@ -84,11 +84,11 @@ namespace ICS
 		// in seconds
 		void update(float timeSinceLastFrame);
 
-        inline Channel* getChannel(int i){ return mChannels[i]; };
+		Channel* getChannel(int i){ return mChannels.at(i); };
 		float getChannelValue(int i);
 		inline int getChannelCount(){ return (int)mChannels.size(); };
 
-		inline Control* getControl(int i){ return mControls[i]; };
+		Control* getControl(int i){ return mControls.at(i); };
 		float getControlValue(int i);
 		inline int getControlCount(){ return (int)mControls.size(); };
 		inline void addControl(Control* control){ mControls.push_back(control); };
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ namespace ICS
 		void cancelDetectingBindingState();
         bool detectingBindingState();
 
-		bool save(std::string fileName = "");
+		bool save(const std::string& fileName);
 
 		void adjustMouseRegion (Uint16 width, Uint16 height);