diff --git a/src/core/android/SDL_android.c b/src/core/android/SDL_android.c
index dbff4073a..902925408 100644
--- a/src/core/android/SDL_android.c
+++ b/src/core/android/SDL_android.c
@@ -181,6 +181,9 @@ static jmethodID midPollInputDevices;
 static jmethodID midPollHapticDevices;
 static jmethodID midHapticRun;
 
+/* static fields */
+static jfieldID fidSeparateMouseAndTouch;
+
 /* Accelerometer data storage */
 static float fLastAccelerometer[3];
 static SDL_bool bHasNewData;
@@ -253,6 +256,13 @@ JNIEXPORT void JNICALL SDL_Android_Init(JNIEnv* mEnv, jclass cls)
        !midPollInputDevices || !midPollHapticDevices || !midHapticRun) {
         __android_log_print(ANDROID_LOG_WARN, "SDL", "SDL: Couldn't locate Java callbacks, check that they're named and typed correctly");
     }
+
+    fidSeparateMouseAndTouch = (*mEnv)->GetStaticFieldID(mEnv, mActivityClass, "mSeparateMouseAndTouch", "Z");
+    
+    if (!fidSeparateMouseAndTouch) {
+        __android_log_print(ANDROID_LOG_WARN, "SDL", "SDL: Couldn't locate Java static fields, check that they're named and typed correctly");
+    }
+
     __android_log_print(ANDROID_LOG_INFO, "SDL", "SDL_Android_Init() finished!");
 }
 
@@ -693,11 +703,6 @@ int Android_JNI_SetupThread(void)
     return 1;
 }
 
-jclass Android_JNI_GetActivityClass(void)
-{
-    return mActivityClass;
-}
-
 /*
  * Audio support
  */
@@ -1590,6 +1595,13 @@ int Android_JNI_GetTouchDeviceIds(int **ids) {
     return number;
 }
 
+/* sets the mSeparateMouseAndTouch field */
+void Android_JNI_SetSeparateMouseAndTouch(SDL_bool new_value)
+{
+    JNIEnv *env = Android_JNI_GetEnv();
+    (*env)->SetStaticBooleanField(env, mActivityClass, fidSeparateMouseAndTouch, new_value ? JNI_TRUE : JNI_FALSE);
+}
+
 void Android_JNI_PollInputDevices(void)
 {
     JNIEnv *env = Android_JNI_GetEnv();
diff --git a/src/core/android/SDL_android.h b/src/core/android/SDL_android.h
index 799b29a0d..8fe18d610 100644
--- a/src/core/android/SDL_android.h
+++ b/src/core/android/SDL_android.h
@@ -76,12 +76,12 @@ void Android_JNI_SuspendScreenSaver(SDL_bool suspend);
 
 /* Touch support */
 int Android_JNI_GetTouchDeviceIds(int **ids);
+void Android_JNI_SetSeparateMouseAndTouch(SDL_bool new_value);
 
 /* Threads */
 #include <jni.h>
 JNIEnv *Android_JNI_GetEnv(void);
 int Android_JNI_SetupThread(void);
-jclass Android_JNI_GetActivityClass(void);
 
 /* Generic messages */
 int Android_JNI_SendMessage(int command, int param);
diff --git a/src/video/android/SDL_androidtouch.c b/src/video/android/SDL_androidtouch.c
index cb52d4bb5..4aa6b4f5e 100644
--- a/src/video/android/SDL_androidtouch.c
+++ b/src/video/android/SDL_androidtouch.c
@@ -56,12 +56,9 @@ static void
 SeparateEventsHintWatcher(void *userdata, const char *name,
                           const char *oldValue, const char *newValue)
 {
-    jclass mActivityClass = Android_JNI_GetActivityClass();
-    JNIEnv *env = Android_JNI_GetEnv();
-    jfieldID fid = (*env)->GetStaticFieldID(env, mActivityClass, "mSeparateMouseAndTouch", "Z");
-
     separate_mouse_and_touch = (newValue && (SDL_strcmp(newValue, "1") == 0));
-    (*env)->SetStaticBooleanField(env, mActivityClass, fid, separate_mouse_and_touch ? JNI_TRUE : JNI_FALSE);
+
+    Android_JNI_SetSeparateMouseAndTouch(separate_mouse_and_touch);
 }
 
 void Android_InitTouch(void)