diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/RomLoader.cs b/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/RomLoader.cs
index 09a648a51d..c890c98bad 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/RomLoader.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/RomLoader.cs
@@ -333,7 +333,23 @@ namespace BizHawk.Client.Common
 
 		private IEmulator MakeCoreFromCoreInventory(CoreInventoryParameters cip)
 		{
-			_config.PreferredCores.TryGetValue(cip.Game.System, out var preferredCore);
+			var preferredSystem = cip.Game.System;
+			if (preferredSystem == "GBC")
+			{
+				preferredSystem = "GB";
+			}
+
+			if (preferredSystem.In("GG", "SG"))
+			{
+				preferredSystem = "SMS";
+			}
+
+			if (preferredSystem == "SGX")
+			{
+				preferredSystem = "PCE";
+			}
+
+			_config.PreferredCores.TryGetValue(preferredSystem, out var preferredCore);
 			var forcedCore = cip.Game.ForcedCore;
 			var cores = CoreInventory.Instance.GetCores(cip.Game.System)
 				.OrderBy(c =>