diff --git a/BizHawk.MultiClient/tools/Watch/NewRamSearch.cs b/BizHawk.MultiClient/tools/Watch/NewRamSearch.cs
index fa3ec0003f..79511e32f9 100644
--- a/BizHawk.MultiClient/tools/Watch/NewRamSearch.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.MultiClient/tools/Watch/NewRamSearch.cs
@@ -1122,6 +1122,10 @@ namespace BizHawk.MultiClient
 		private void SpecificValueRadio_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
 		{
 			SpecificValueBox.Enabled = true;
+			if (String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(SpecificValueBox.Text))
+			{
+				SpecificValueBox.Text = "0";
+			}
 			SpecificValueBox.Focus();
 			SpecificAddressBox.Enabled = false;
 			NumberOfChangesBox.Enabled = false;
@@ -1133,6 +1137,10 @@ namespace BizHawk.MultiClient
 		{
 			SpecificValueBox.Enabled = false;
 			SpecificAddressBox.Enabled = true;
+			if (String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(SpecificAddressBox.Text))
+			{
+				SpecificAddressBox.Text = "0";
+			}
 			SpecificAddressBox.Focus();
 			NumberOfChangesBox.Enabled = false;
 			DifferenceBox.Enabled = false;
@@ -1144,6 +1152,10 @@ namespace BizHawk.MultiClient
 			SpecificValueBox.Enabled = false;
 			SpecificAddressBox.Enabled = false;
 			NumberOfChangesBox.Enabled = true;
+			if (String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(NumberOfChangesBox.Text))
+			{
+				NumberOfChangesBox.Text = "0";
+			}
 			NumberOfChangesBox.Focus();
 			DifferenceBox.Enabled = false;
 			SetCompareTo(RamSearchEngine.Compare.Changes);
@@ -1155,6 +1167,10 @@ namespace BizHawk.MultiClient
 			SpecificAddressBox.Enabled = false;
 			NumberOfChangesBox.Enabled = false;
 			DifferenceBox.Enabled = true;
+			if (String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(DifferenceBox.Text))
+			{
+				DifferenceBox.Text = "0";
+			}
 			DifferenceBox.Focus();
 			SetCompareTo(RamSearchEngine.Compare.Difference);
 		}
diff --git a/BizHawk.MultiClient/tools/Watch/RamSearchEngine.cs b/BizHawk.MultiClient/tools/Watch/RamSearchEngine.cs
index 9c55a3bf51..832f101891 100644
--- a/BizHawk.MultiClient/tools/Watch/RamSearchEngine.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.MultiClient/tools/Watch/RamSearchEngine.cs
@@ -618,11 +618,14 @@ namespace BizHawk.MultiClient
 			{
 				default:
 				case Watch.WatchSize.Byte:
-					return _settings.Domain.PeekByte(addr);
+					var theByte = _settings.Domain.PeekByte(addr);
+					return theByte;
 				case Watch.WatchSize.Word:
-					return _settings.Domain.PeekWord(addr, _settings.BigEndian ? Endian.Big : Endian.Little);
+					var theWord = _settings.Domain.PeekWord(addr, _settings.BigEndian ? Endian.Big : Endian.Little);
+					return theWord;
 				case Watch.WatchSize.DWord:
-					return (int)_settings.Domain.PeekDWord(addr, _settings.BigEndian ? Endian.Big : Endian.Little);
+					var theDWord = _settings.Domain.PeekDWord(addr, _settings.BigEndian ? Endian.Big : Endian.Little);
+					return (int)theDWord;
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/BizHawk.MultiClient/tools/Watch/WatchValueBox.cs b/BizHawk.MultiClient/tools/Watch/WatchValueBox.cs
index c3d63f8665..569281cb69 100644
--- a/BizHawk.MultiClient/tools/Watch/WatchValueBox.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.MultiClient/tools/Watch/WatchValueBox.cs
@@ -177,23 +177,39 @@ namespace BizHawk.MultiClient
 		{
 			if (e.KeyCode == Keys.Up)
 			{
-				//if (InputValidate.IsValidHexNumber(Text))
-				//{
-				//	int val = ToInt();
-				//	val++;
-				//	string formatstr = "{0:X" + MaxLength.ToString() + "}";
-				//	Text = String.Format(formatstr, val);
-				//}
+				int val = ToInt();
+				val++;
+
+				switch (_type)
+				{
+					default:
+						Text = val.ToString();
+						break;
+					case Watch.DisplayType.Binary:
+						throw new NotImplementedException();
+					case Watch.DisplayType.Hex:
+						string formatstr = "{0:X" + MaxLength.ToString() + "}";
+						Text = String.Format(formatstr, val);
+						break;
+				}
 			}
 			else if (e.KeyCode == Keys.Down)
 			{
-				//if (InputValidate.IsValidHexNumber(Text))
-				//{
-				//	int val = ToInt();
-				//	val--;
-				//	string formatstr = "{0:X" + MaxLength.ToString() + "}";
-				//	Text = String.Format(formatstr, val);
-				//}
+				int val = ToInt();
+				val--;
+
+				switch (_type)
+				{
+					default:
+						Text = val.ToString();
+						break;
+					case Watch.DisplayType.Binary:
+						throw new NotImplementedException();
+					case Watch.DisplayType.Hex:
+						string formatstr = "{0:X" + MaxLength.ToString() + "}";
+						Text = String.Format(formatstr, val);
+						break;
+				}
 			}
 			else
 			{
@@ -201,16 +217,31 @@ namespace BizHawk.MultiClient
 			}
 		}
 
+		protected override void OnTextChanged(EventArgs e)
+		{
+			if (String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(Text))
+			{
+				Text = "0";
+			}
+		}
+
 		public int ToInt()
 		{
-			switch (_type)
+			if (String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(Text))
 			{
-				default:
-					return int.Parse(Text);
-				case Watch.DisplayType.Binary:
-					return Convert.ToInt32(Text, 2);
-				case Watch.DisplayType.Hex:
-					return int.Parse(Text, NumberStyles.HexNumber);
+				return 0;
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				switch (_type)
+				{
+					default:
+						return int.Parse(Text);
+					case Watch.DisplayType.Binary:
+						return Convert.ToInt32(Text, 2);
+					case Watch.DisplayType.Hex:
+						return int.Parse(Text, NumberStyles.HexNumber);
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/BizHawk.Util/HexTextBox.cs b/BizHawk.Util/HexTextBox.cs
index 1d5e24567a..64652fadba 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Util/HexTextBox.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Util/HexTextBox.cs
@@ -56,9 +56,24 @@ namespace BizHawk
 			}
 		}
 
+		protected override void OnTextChanged(EventArgs e)
+		{
+			if (String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(Text))
+			{
+				Text = "0";
+			}
+		}
+
 		public int ToInt()
 		{
-			return int.Parse(Text, NumberStyles.HexNumber);
+			if (String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(Text))
+			{
+				return 0;
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				return int.Parse(Text, NumberStyles.HexNumber);
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -107,9 +122,24 @@ namespace BizHawk
 			}
 		}
 
+		protected override void OnTextChanged(EventArgs e)
+		{
+			if (String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(Text))
+			{
+				Text = "0";
+			}
+		}
+
 		public int ToInt()
 		{
-			return int.Parse(Text);
+			if (String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(Text))
+			{
+				return 0;
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				return int.Parse(Text);
+			}
 		}
 	}
 }