diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/PPU.regs.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/PPU.regs.cs
index 53bc2abd6a..cf7b5efac5 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/PPU.regs.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/PPU.regs.cs
@@ -340,9 +340,11 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores.Nintendo.NES
 			if (!reg_2000.vblank_nmi_gen & ((value & 0x80) != 0) && (Reg2002_vblank_active) && !Reg2002_vblank_clear_pending)
 			{
 				//if we just unleashed the vblank interrupt then activate it now
-				NMI_PendingInstructions = 2;
+				if (ppudead<=1)
+					NMI_PendingInstructions = 2;
 			}
-			reg_2000.Value = value;
+			if (ppudead<=1)
+				reg_2000.Value = value;
 
 
 		}
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/PPU.run.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/PPU.run.cs
index ca7cf4985a..2fd132bf32 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/PPU.run.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/PPU.run.cs
@@ -581,11 +581,15 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores.Nintendo.NES
 			//register before around a full frame, but no games
 			//should write to those regs during that time, it needs
 			//to wait for vblank
-			ppur.status.sl = 241;
-			runppu(postNMIlines * kLineTime);
-			ppur.status.sl = 0;
-			Reg2002_vblank_active = true;
+			if (ppudead<2)
+			{
+				ppur.status.sl = 241;
+				runppu(postNMIlines * kLineTime);
+				ppur.status.sl = 0;
+				clear_2002();
+			} 			
 			runppu(241 * kLineTime);
+			Reg2002_vblank_active = true;
 			runppu(preNMIlines * kLineTime);
 			--ppudead;
 		}