diff --git a/backends/graphics/atari/atari-graphics.cpp b/backends/graphics/atari/atari-graphics.cpp
index df27441c77e..d58c2451e5b 100644
--- a/backends/graphics/atari/atari-graphics.cpp
+++ b/backends/graphics/atari/atari-graphics.cpp
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@
 
 #define SCREEN_ACTIVE
 
-bool g_unalignedPitch = false;
 mspace g_mspace = nullptr;
 
 static const Graphics::PixelFormat PIXELFORMAT_CLUT8 = Graphics::PixelFormat::createFormatCLUT8();
@@ -473,7 +472,6 @@ OSystem::TransactionError AtariGraphicsManager::endGFXTransaction() {
 		_pendingScreenChanges.queuePalette();
 
 		if (_overlayState == kOverlayIgnoredHide) {
-			_checkUnalignedPitch = true;
 			_overlayState = kOverlayHidden;
 			_ignoreHideOverlay = false;
 			_pendingScreenChanges.queueAll();
@@ -602,36 +600,6 @@ void AtariGraphicsManager::updateScreen() {
 	// avoid falling into the atari_debugger (screen may not not initialized yet)
 	Common::setErrorHandler(nullptr);
 
-	if (_checkUnalignedPitch) {
-		const Common::ConfigManager::Domain *activeDomain = ConfMan.getActiveDomain();
-		if (activeDomain) {
-			// FIXME: Some engines are too bound to linear surfaces that it is very
-			// hard to repair them. So instead of polluting the engine with
-			// Surface::init() & delete[] Surface::getPixels() just use this hack.
-			const Common::String engineId = activeDomain->getValOrDefault("engineid");
-			const Common::String gameId = activeDomain->getValOrDefault("gameid");
-
-			atari_debug("checking %s/%s", engineId.c_str(), gameId.c_str());
-
-			if (engineId == "composer"
-				|| engineId == "hypno"
-				|| engineId == "mohawk"
-				|| engineId == "parallaction"
-				|| engineId == "private"
-				|| (engineId == "sci"
-					&& (gameId == "phantasmagoria" || gameId == "shivers"))
-				|| engineId == "sherlock"
-				|| engineId == "teenagent"
-				|| engineId == "tsage") {
-				g_unalignedPitch = true;
-			} else {
-				g_unalignedPitch = false;
-			}
-		}
-
-		_checkUnalignedPitch = false;
-	}
-
 	Screen *workScreen = nullptr;
 	Graphics::Surface *srcSurface = nullptr;
 	if (_overlayState == kOverlayVisible || _overlayState == kOverlayIgnoredHide) {
diff --git a/backends/graphics/atari/atari-graphics.h b/backends/graphics/atari/atari-graphics.h
index fd437228d3d..4eb9e261e4c 100644
--- a/backends/graphics/atari/atari-graphics.h
+++ b/backends/graphics/atari/atari-graphics.h
@@ -177,7 +177,6 @@ private:
 
 	bool _vgaMonitor = true;
 	bool _tt = false;
-	bool _checkUnalignedPitch = false;
 
 	struct GraphicsState {
 		GraphicsState()
diff --git a/backends/platform/atari/osystem_atari.cpp b/backends/platform/atari/osystem_atari.cpp
index 597001fab2d..9658910fd35 100644
--- a/backends/platform/atari/osystem_atari.cpp
+++ b/backends/platform/atari/osystem_atari.cpp
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@
  */
 #include "backends/fs/posix/posix-fs-factory.h"
 
+bool g_unalignedPitch = false;
+
 extern "C" void atari_kbdvec(void *);
 extern "C" void atari_mousevec(void *);
 typedef void (*KBDVEC)(void *);
@@ -347,6 +349,34 @@ void OSystem_Atari::initBackend() {
 	BaseBackend::initBackend();
 }
 
+void OSystem_Atari::engineInit() {
+	const Common::ConfigManager::Domain *activeDomain = ConfMan.getActiveDomain();
+	if (activeDomain) {
+		// FIXME: Some engines are too bound to linear surfaces that it is very
+		// hard to repair them. So instead of polluting the engine with
+		// Surface::init() & delete[] Surface::getPixels() just use this hack.
+		const Common::String engineId = activeDomain->getValOrDefault("engineid");
+		const Common::String gameId = activeDomain->getValOrDefault("gameid");
+
+		atari_debug("checking %s/%s", engineId.c_str(), gameId.c_str());
+
+		if (engineId == "composer"
+			|| engineId == "hypno"
+			|| engineId == "mohawk"
+			|| engineId == "parallaction"
+			|| engineId == "private"
+			|| (engineId == "sci"
+				&& (gameId == "phantasmagoria" || gameId == "shivers"))
+			|| engineId == "sherlock"
+			|| engineId == "teenagent"
+			|| engineId == "tsage") {
+			g_unalignedPitch = true;
+		} else {
+			g_unalignedPitch = false;
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 Common::MutexInternal *OSystem_Atari::createMutex() {
 	return new NullMutexInternal();
 }
diff --git a/backends/platform/atari/osystem_atari.h b/backends/platform/atari/osystem_atari.h
index 6f428a64859..a15cad924ff 100644
--- a/backends/platform/atari/osystem_atari.h
+++ b/backends/platform/atari/osystem_atari.h
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ public:
 
 	void initBackend() override;
 
+	void engineInit() override;
+
 	Common::MutexInternal *createMutex() override;
 	uint32 getMillis(bool skipRecord = false) override;
 	void delayMillis(uint msecs) override;
diff --git a/graphics/blit/blit-atari.cpp b/graphics/blit/blit-atari.cpp
index 40753637820..02ba8a6fe88 100644
--- a/graphics/blit/blit-atari.cpp
+++ b/graphics/blit/blit-atari.cpp
@@ -84,8 +84,9 @@ void unlockSuperBlitter() {
 #endif
 }
 
-// see atari-graphics.cpp
+// see osystem-atari.cpp
 extern bool g_unalignedPitch;
+// see atari-graphics.cpp
 extern mspace g_mspace;
 
 namespace Graphics {