diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Computers/SinclairSpectrum/Hardware/Datacorder/DatacorderDevice.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Computers/SinclairSpectrum/Hardware/Datacorder/DatacorderDevice.cs
index 066570f6c9..48701e0f88 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Computers/SinclairSpectrum/Hardware/Datacorder/DatacorderDevice.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Computers/SinclairSpectrum/Hardware/Datacorder/DatacorderDevice.cs
@@ -103,12 +103,12 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores.Computers.SinclairSpectrum
         private long _lastCycle = 0;
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// 
+        /// Edge
         /// </summary>
         private int _waitEdge = 0;
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// 
+        /// Current tapebit state
         /// </summary>
         private bool currentState = false;
 
@@ -132,11 +132,6 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores.Computers.SinclairSpectrum
 
         #region Emulator    
 
-        /// <summary>
-        /// This is the address the that ROM will jump to when the spectrum has quit tape playing
-        /// </summary>
-        public const ushort ERROR_ROM_ADDRESS = 0x0008;
-
         /// <summary>
         /// Should be fired at the end of every frame
         /// Primary purpose is to detect tape traps and manage auto play (if/when this is ever implemented)
@@ -522,7 +517,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores.Computers.SinclairSpectrum
             _lastCycle = cpuCycle - (long)cycles;
 
             // play the buzzer
-            _buzzer.ProcessPulseValue(true, currentState);
+            _buzzer.ProcessPulseValue(false, currentState);
 
             return currentState;
         }
@@ -598,7 +593,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores.Computers.SinclairSpectrum
                             _machine.Spectrum.OSD_TapePlayingAuto();
                         }
 
-                        _monitorTimeOut = 50;
+                        _monitorTimeOut = 250;
                     }
                 }
                 else
@@ -613,7 +608,10 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores.Computers.SinclairSpectrum
 
         public void AutoStopTape()
         {
-            if (!_tapeIsPlaying)
+            if (_tapeIsPlaying)
+                return;
+
+            if (!_machine.Spectrum.Settings.AutoLoadTape)
                 return;
 
             Stop();
@@ -625,25 +623,27 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores.Computers.SinclairSpectrum
             if (_tapeIsPlaying)
                 return;
 
+            if (!_machine.Spectrum.Settings.AutoLoadTape)
+                return;
+
             Play();
             _machine.Spectrum.OSD_TapePlayingAuto();
         }
 
         private void MonitorFrame()
         {
-            /*
             if (_tapeIsPlaying && _machine.Spectrum.Settings.AutoLoadTape)
             {
-
                 _monitorTimeOut--;
 
                 if (_monitorTimeOut < 0)
                 {
+                    // does not work properly - disabled for now (handled elsewhere)
+
                     //Stop();
                     //_machine.Spectrum.OSD_TapeStoppedAuto();
                 }
             }
-            */
         }
 
         #endregion
@@ -665,6 +665,23 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores.Computers.SinclairSpectrum
         /// <returns></returns>
         public bool ReadPort(ushort port, ref int result)
         {
+            if (TapeIsPlaying)
+            {
+                GetEarBit(_cpu.TotalExecutedCycles);
+            }
+            if (currentState)
+            {
+                result |= TAPE_BIT;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                result &= ~TAPE_BIT;
+            }
+
+            MonitorRead();
+
+            /*
+
             if (TapeIsPlaying)
             {
                 if (GetEarBit(_cpu.TotalExecutedCycles))
@@ -702,6 +719,8 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores.Computers.SinclairSpectrum
                 }
             }
 
+    */
+
             return true;
         }
 
@@ -713,8 +732,12 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores.Computers.SinclairSpectrum
         /// <returns></returns>
         public bool WritePort(ushort port, int result)
         {
-            // not implemented yet
-            return false;
+            if (!TapeIsPlaying)
+            {
+                currentState = ((byte)result & 0x10) != 0;
+            }
+
+            return true;
         }
 
         #endregion
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Computers/SinclairSpectrum/Machine/SpectrumBase.Memory.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Computers/SinclairSpectrum/Machine/SpectrumBase.Memory.cs
index a25bbc8186..a23c2796ff 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Computers/SinclairSpectrum/Machine/SpectrumBase.Memory.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Computers/SinclairSpectrum/Machine/SpectrumBase.Memory.cs
@@ -176,36 +176,58 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores.Computers.SinclairSpectrum
                 return false;
         }
 
-
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Monitors ROM access
+        /// Used to auto start/stop the tape device when appropriate
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="addr"></param>
         public virtual void TestForTapeTraps(int addr)
         {
-            if (!TapeDevice.TapeIsPlaying)
+            if (TapeDevice.TapeIsPlaying)
             {
+                // THE 'ERROR' RESTART
                 if (addr == 8)
                 {
                     TapeDevice?.AutoStopTape();
                     return;
                 }
 
+                // THE 'ED-ERROR' SUBROUTINE
                 if (addr == 4223)
                 {
                     TapeDevice?.AutoStopTape();
                     return;
                 }
 
+                // THE 'ERROR-2' ROUTINE
                 if (addr == 83)
                 {
                     TapeDevice?.AutoStopTape();
                     return;
                 }
+
+                // THE 'MASKABLE INTERRUPT' ROUTINE
+                if (addr == 56)
+                {
+                    //TapeDevice?.AutoStopTape();
+                    return;
+                }
             }
             else
             {
+                // THE 'LD-BYTES' SUBROUTINE
                 if (addr == 1366)
                 {
                     TapeDevice?.AutoStartTape();
                     return;
                 }
+
+                // THE 'LD-EDGE-2' AND 'LD-EDGE-1' SUBROUTINES
+                if (addr == 1507)
+                {
+                    TapeDevice?.AutoStartTape();
+                    return;
+                }
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Computers/SinclairSpectrum/Machine/ZXSpectrum128K/ZX128.Port.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Computers/SinclairSpectrum/Machine/ZXSpectrum128K/ZX128.Port.cs
index 353d7bdacd..e01525017a 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Computers/SinclairSpectrum/Machine/ZXSpectrum128K/ZX128.Port.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Computers/SinclairSpectrum/Machine/ZXSpectrum128K/ZX128.Port.cs
@@ -43,9 +43,6 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores.Computers.SinclairSpectrum
                     // not a lagframe
                     InputRead = true;
 
-                    // tape loading monitor cycle
-                    TapeDevice.MonitorRead();
-
                     // process tape INs
                     TapeDevice.ReadPort(port, ref result);
                 }
@@ -229,6 +226,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores.Computers.SinclairSpectrum
 
                 // Buzzer
                 BuzzerDevice.ProcessPulseValue(false, (value & EAR_BIT) != 0);
+                TapeDevice.WritePort(port, value);
 
                 // Tape
                 //TapeDevice.ProcessMicBit((value & MIC_BIT) != 0);
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Computers/SinclairSpectrum/Machine/ZXSpectrum128KPlus2a/ZX128Plus2a.Port.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Computers/SinclairSpectrum/Machine/ZXSpectrum128KPlus2a/ZX128Plus2a.Port.cs
index a99d2c53bc..24e7a13760 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Computers/SinclairSpectrum/Machine/ZXSpectrum128KPlus2a/ZX128Plus2a.Port.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Computers/SinclairSpectrum/Machine/ZXSpectrum128KPlus2a/ZX128Plus2a.Port.cs
@@ -43,9 +43,6 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores.Computers.SinclairSpectrum
                     // not a lagframe
                     InputRead = true;
 
-                    // tape loading monitor cycle
-                    TapeDevice.MonitorRead();
-
                     // process tape INs
                     TapeDevice.ReadPort(port, ref result);
                 }
@@ -255,6 +252,9 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores.Computers.SinclairSpectrum
                 // Buzzer
                 BuzzerDevice.ProcessPulseValue(false, (value & EAR_BIT) != 0);
 
+                // Tape
+                TapeDevice.WritePort(port, value);
+
                 // Tape
                 //TapeDevice.ProcessMicBit((value & MIC_BIT) != 0);
             }
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Computers/SinclairSpectrum/Machine/ZXSpectrum128KPlus3/ZX128Plus3.Port.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Computers/SinclairSpectrum/Machine/ZXSpectrum128KPlus3/ZX128Plus3.Port.cs
index ce92c7c93f..e56c23440b 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Computers/SinclairSpectrum/Machine/ZXSpectrum128KPlus3/ZX128Plus3.Port.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Computers/SinclairSpectrum/Machine/ZXSpectrum128KPlus3/ZX128Plus3.Port.cs
@@ -43,9 +43,6 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores.Computers.SinclairSpectrum
                     // not a lagframe
                     InputRead = true;
 
-                    // tape loading monitor cycle
-                    TapeDevice.MonitorRead();
-
                     // process tape INs
                     TapeDevice.ReadPort(port, ref result);
                 }
@@ -182,6 +179,9 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores.Computers.SinclairSpectrum
                 // Buzzer
                 BuzzerDevice.ProcessPulseValue(false, (value & EAR_BIT) != 0);
 
+                // Tape
+                TapeDevice.WritePort(port, value);
+
                 // Tape
                 //TapeDevice.ProcessMicBit((value & MIC_BIT) != 0);
             }
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Computers/SinclairSpectrum/Machine/ZXSpectrum48K/ZX48.Port.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Computers/SinclairSpectrum/Machine/ZXSpectrum48K/ZX48.Port.cs
index 09b1b8d073..0cb5b9c7c1 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Computers/SinclairSpectrum/Machine/ZXSpectrum48K/ZX48.Port.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Computers/SinclairSpectrum/Machine/ZXSpectrum48K/ZX48.Port.cs
@@ -40,10 +40,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores.Computers.SinclairSpectrum
                 KeyboardDevice.ReadPort(port, ref result);
 
                 // not a lagframe
-                InputRead = true;
-
-                // tape loading monitor cycle
-                TapeDevice.MonitorRead();                
+                InputRead = true;           
 
                 // process tape INs
                 TapeDevice.ReadPort(port, ref result);
@@ -120,9 +117,12 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores.Computers.SinclairSpectrum
             // Buzzer
             BuzzerDevice.ProcessPulseValue(false, (value & EAR_BIT) != 0);
 
+            // Tape
+            TapeDevice.WritePort(port, value);
+
             // Tape mic processing (not implemented yet)
             //TapeDevice.ProcessMicBit((value & MIC_BIT) != 0);
-                
+
         }
        
     }