diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Atari/2600/Atari2600.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Atari/2600/Atari2600.cs
index 7bd14de42d..862699e97d 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Atari/2600/Atari2600.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Atari/2600/Atari2600.cs
@@ -56,8 +56,10 @@ namespace BizHawk
 			ser.Sync("IsLag", ref _islag);
 			tia.SyncState(ser);
 			m6532.SyncState(ser);
+			ser.BeginSection("Mapper");
 			mapper.SyncState(ser);
 			ser.EndSection();
+			ser.EndSection();
 		}
 
 		public ControllerDefinition ControllerDefinition { get { return Atari2600ControllerDefinition; } }
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Atari/2600/M6532.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Atari/2600/M6532.cs
index d58f4814f4..4b498d445b 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Atari/2600/M6532.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Atari/2600/M6532.cs
@@ -230,9 +230,11 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Atari
 
 		public void SyncState(Serializer ser)
 		{
+			ser.BeginSection("M6532");
 			ser.Sync("ddra", ref ddra);
 			ser.Sync("ddrb", ref ddrb);
 			timer.SyncState(ser);
+			ser.EndSection();
 		}
 	}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Atari/2600/TIA.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Atari/2600/TIA.cs
index 82675cc35c..b82d691ca6 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Atari/2600/TIA.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Atari/2600/TIA.cs
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Atari
 
 			public void SyncState(Serializer ser)
 			{
+				ser.BeginSection("Missile");
 				ser.Sync("enabled", ref enabled);
 				ser.Sync("resetToPlayer", ref resetToPlayer);
 				ser.Sync("hPosCnt", ref hPosCnt);
@@ -99,6 +100,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Atari
 				ser.Sync("number", ref number);
 				ser.Sync("HM", ref HM);
 				ser.Sync("collisions", ref collisions);
+				ser.EndSection();
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -291,6 +293,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Atari
 
 			public void SyncState(Serializer ser)
 			{
+				ser.BeginSection("Ball");
 				ser.Sync("enabled", ref enabled);
 				ser.Sync("denabled", ref denabled);
 				ser.Sync("delay", ref delay);
@@ -298,6 +301,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Atari
 				ser.Sync("HM", ref HM);
 				ser.Sync("hPosCnt", ref hPosCnt);
 				ser.Sync("collisions", ref collisions);
+				ser.EndSection();
 			}
 
 		};
@@ -312,12 +316,14 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Atari
 			public bool priority;
 			public void SyncState(Serializer ser)
 			{
+				ser.BeginSection("PlayField");
 				ser.Sync("grp", ref grp);
 				ser.Sync("pfColor", ref pfColor);
 				ser.Sync("bkColor", ref bkColor);
 				ser.Sync("reflect", ref reflect);
 				ser.Sync("score", ref score);
 				ser.Sync("priority", ref priority);
+				ser.EndSection();
 			}
 		};
 
@@ -346,6 +352,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Atari
 
 			public void SyncState(Serializer ser)
 			{
+				ser.BeginSection("HMove");
 				ser.Sync("hmoveEnabled", ref hmoveEnabled);
 				ser.Sync("hmoveJustStarted", ref hmoveJustStarted);
 				ser.Sync("lateHBlankReset", ref lateHBlankReset);
@@ -362,6 +369,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Atari
 				ser.Sync("missile0Cnt", ref missile0Cnt);
 				ser.Sync("missile1Cnt", ref missile1Cnt);
 				ser.Sync("ballCnt", ref ballCnt);
+				ser.EndSection();
 			}
 		};
 
@@ -1359,13 +1367,19 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Atari
 
 		public void SyncState(Serializer ser)
 		{
+			ser.BeginSection("TIA");
 			ball.SyncState(ser);
 			hmove.SyncState(ser);
 			ser.Sync("hsyncCnt", ref hsyncCnt);
+			ser.BeginSection("Player0");
 			player0.SyncState(ser);
+			ser.EndSection();
+			ser.BeginSection("Player1");
 			player1.SyncState(ser);
+			ser.EndSection();
 			playField.SyncState(ser);
 			//ser.Sync("scanline", ref scanline);
+			ser.EndSection();
 		}
 	}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Util.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Util.cs
index 5c11997892..cc97ad68a7 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Util.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Util.cs
@@ -813,7 +813,10 @@ namespace BizHawk
 					ss.Push(curs);
 					var news = new Section();
 					news.Name = name;
-					curs[name] = news;
+					if (!curs.ContainsKey(name))
+						curs[name] = news;
+					else
+						throw new Exception(string.Format("Duplicate key \"{0}\" in serializer savestate!", name));
 					curs = news;
 				}
 				else