diff --git a/src/haptic/windows/SDL_dinputhaptic.c b/src/haptic/windows/SDL_dinputhaptic.c
index 79c4b3501f0cd..68ec30526ef7d 100644
--- a/src/haptic/windows/SDL_dinputhaptic.c
+++ b/src/haptic/windows/SDL_dinputhaptic.c
@@ -946,6 +946,103 @@ bool SDL_DINPUT_HapticNewEffect(SDL_Haptic *haptic, struct haptic_effect *effect
     return false;
 }
 
+BOOL DIGetDirectionUpdateFlag(DIEFFECT* before, DIEFFECT* after)
+{
+    if (before->cAxes != after->cAxes) {
+        return true;
+    }
+    // rglDirection must be non-null for DIEP_DIRECTION to be a valid flag
+    if (after->rglDirection == NULL) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    if (before->rglDirection == NULL) {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    return SDL_memcmp(before->rglDirection, after->rglDirection, sizeof(LONG) * before->cAxes) != 0;
+}
+
+BOOL DIGetEnvelopeUpdateFlag(DIEFFECT* before, DIEFFECT* after) {
+    if (before->lpEnvelope == NULL && after->lpEnvelope == NULL) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    // A null lpEnvelope is valid for DIEP_ENVELOPE (clears the envelope from the effect)
+    if (before->lpEnvelope == NULL || after->lpEnvelope == NULL) {
+        return true;
+    }
+    return SDL_memcmp(before->lpEnvelope, after->lpEnvelope, sizeof(DIENVELOPE)) != 0;
+}
+
+BOOL DIGetTypeSpecificParamsUpdateFlag(DIEFFECT* before, DIEFFECT* after)
+{
+    // Shouldn't happen since this implies an effect's type somehow changed, but need to check to avoid an out-of-bounds memcmp
+    if (before->cbTypeSpecificParams != after->cbTypeSpecificParams) {
+        return true;
+    }
+    // lpvTypeSpecificParams must be non-null for the DIEP_TYPESPECIFICPARAMS flag.
+    if (after->lpvTypeSpecificParams == NULL) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    if (before->lpvTypeSpecificParams == NULL) {
+        return true;
+    }
+    return SDL_memcmp(before->lpvTypeSpecificParams, after->lpvTypeSpecificParams, before->cbTypeSpecificParams) != 0;
+}
+
+/*
+    Calculate the exact flags needed when updating an existing DirectInput haptic effect.
+*/
+DWORD DICalculateUpdateFlags(DIEFFECT *before, DIEFFECT *after)
+{
+    DWORD flags = 0;
+
+    if (DIGetDirectionUpdateFlag(before, after)) {
+        flags |= DIEP_DIRECTION;
+    }
+
+    if (before->dwDuration != after->dwDuration) {
+        flags |= DIEP_DURATION;
+    }
+
+    if (DIGetEnvelopeUpdateFlag(before, after)) {
+        flags |= DIEP_ENVELOPE;
+    }
+
+    if (before->dwStartDelay != after->dwStartDelay) {
+        flags |= DIEP_STARTDELAY;
+    }
+
+    if (before->dwTriggerButton != after->dwTriggerButton) {
+        flags |= DIEP_TRIGGERBUTTON;
+    }
+
+    if (before->dwTriggerRepeatInterval != after->dwTriggerRepeatInterval) {
+        flags |= DIEP_TRIGGERREPEATINTERVAL;
+    }
+
+    if (DIGetTypeSpecificParamsUpdateFlag(before, after)) {
+        flags |= DIEP_TYPESPECIFICPARAMS;
+    }
+
+    if (flags == 0) {
+        /* Awkward: SDL_UpdateHapticEffect was called, but nothing was changed.
+         * Calling IDirectInputEffect_SetParameters with no flags is nonsense,
+         * so our options are to either send all the flags, or exit early.
+         * Sending all the flags seems like the safer option: The programmer may be trying
+         * to force an update for some reason (e.g. driver bug workaround?). Conversely,
+         * if the programmer doesn't want IDirectInputEffect_SetParameters to be called, they
+         * can just avoid calling SDL_UpdateHapticEffect when there's no changes. */
+        flags = DIEP_DIRECTION |
+                DIEP_DURATION |
+                DIEP_ENVELOPE |
+                DIEP_STARTDELAY |
+                DIEP_TRIGGERBUTTON |
+                DIEP_TRIGGERREPEATINTERVAL | DIEP_TYPESPECIFICPARAMS;
+    }
+
+    return flags;
+}
+
 bool SDL_DINPUT_HapticUpdateEffect(SDL_Haptic *haptic, struct haptic_effect *effect, const SDL_HapticEffect *data)
 {
     HRESULT ret;
@@ -958,14 +1055,7 @@ bool SDL_DINPUT_HapticUpdateEffect(SDL_Haptic *haptic, struct haptic_effect *eff
         goto err_update;
     }
 
-    /* Set the flags.  Might be worthwhile to diff temp with loaded effect and
-     *  only change those parameters. */
-    flags = DIEP_DIRECTION |
-            DIEP_DURATION |
-            DIEP_ENVELOPE |
-            DIEP_STARTDELAY |
-            DIEP_TRIGGERBUTTON |
-            DIEP_TRIGGERREPEATINTERVAL | DIEP_TYPESPECIFICPARAMS;
+    flags = DICalculateUpdateFlags(&effect->hweffect->effect, &temp);
 
     // Create the actual effect.
     ret =