diff --git a/src/burn/snd/samples.cpp b/src/burn/snd/samples.cpp
index a96a7c615..001c4fa09 100644
--- a/src/burn/snd/samples.cpp
+++ b/src/burn/snd/samples.cpp
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ void BurnSamplePlay(INT32 sample)
 
 	if (sample_ptr->flags & SAMPLE_IGNORE) return;
 
-	if (sample_ptr->flags & SAMPLE_NOSTORE) {
+	if (sample_ptr->flags & SAMPLE_NOSTOREF) {
 		BurnSampleInitOne(sample);
 	}
 
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ void BurnSamplePlay(INT32 sample)
 	sample_ptr->position = 0;
 }
 
-void BurnSampleChannelPlay(INT32 channel, INT32 sample, bool loop)
+void BurnSampleChannelPlay(INT32 channel, INT32 sample, INT32 loop)
 {
 #if defined FBNEO_DEBUG
 	if (!DebugSnd_SamplesInitted) bprintf(PRINT_ERROR, _T("BurnSampleChannelPlay called without init\n"));
@@ -284,7 +284,9 @@ void BurnSampleChannelPlay(INT32 channel, INT32 sample, bool loop)
 	sample_channels[channel] = sample;
 
 	BurnSamplePlay(sample);
-	BurnSampleSetLoop(sample, loop);
+	if (loop != -1) { // -1, use config from sample struct
+		BurnSampleSetLoop(sample, loop);
+	}
 }
 
 void BurnSamplePause(INT32 sample)
@@ -573,7 +575,18 @@ void BurnSampleInit(INT32 bAdd /*add samples to stream?*/)
 
 		if (si.nFlags == 0) break;
 
-		if (si.nFlags & SAMPLE_NOSTORE) {
+		// set defaults before NOSTORE check!
+		sample_ptr->gain[BURN_SND_SAMPLE_ROUTE_1] = 1.00;
+		sample_ptr->gain_target[BURN_SND_SAMPLE_ROUTE_1] = 1.00;
+
+		sample_ptr->gain[BURN_SND_SAMPLE_ROUTE_2] = 1.00;
+		sample_ptr->gain_target[BURN_SND_SAMPLE_ROUTE_2] = 1.00;
+
+		sample_ptr->output_dir[BURN_SND_SAMPLE_ROUTE_1] = BURN_SND_ROUTE_BOTH;
+		sample_ptr->output_dir[BURN_SND_SAMPLE_ROUTE_2] = BURN_SND_ROUTE_BOTH;
+		sample_ptr->playback_rate = 100;
+
+		if (si.nFlags & SAMPLE_NOSTOREF) {
 			sample_ptr->flags = si.nFlags;
 			sample_ptr->data = NULL;
 			continue;
@@ -596,16 +609,6 @@ void BurnSampleInit(INT32 bAdd /*add samples to stream?*/)
 		} else {
 			sample_ptr->flags = SAMPLE_IGNORE;
 		}
-		
-		sample_ptr->gain[BURN_SND_SAMPLE_ROUTE_1] = 1.00;
-		sample_ptr->gain_target[BURN_SND_SAMPLE_ROUTE_1] = 1.00;
-
-		sample_ptr->gain[BURN_SND_SAMPLE_ROUTE_2] = 1.00;
-		sample_ptr->gain_target[BURN_SND_SAMPLE_ROUTE_2] = 1.00;
-
-		sample_ptr->output_dir[BURN_SND_SAMPLE_ROUTE_1] = BURN_SND_ROUTE_BOTH;
-		sample_ptr->output_dir[BURN_SND_SAMPLE_ROUTE_2] = BURN_SND_ROUTE_BOTH;
-		sample_ptr->playback_rate = 100;
 	}
 }
 
@@ -620,8 +623,7 @@ void BurnSampleInitOne(INT32 sample)
 
 		int i = 0;
 		while (i < nTotalSamples) {
-			
-			if (clr_ptr->data != NULL && i != sample && (clr_ptr->flags & SAMPLE_NOSTORE)) {
+			if (clr_ptr->data != NULL && i != sample && (clr_ptr->flags & SAMPLE_NOSTOREF)) {
 				BurnFree(clr_ptr->data);
 				clr_ptr->playing = 0;
 				clr_ptr->playback_rate = 100;
@@ -632,7 +634,7 @@ void BurnSampleInitOne(INT32 sample)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if ((sample_ptr->flags & SAMPLE_NOSTORE) == 0) {
+	if ((sample_ptr->flags & SAMPLE_NOSTOREF) == 0) {
 		return;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/burn/snd/samples.h b/src/burn/snd/samples.h
index 0840cc27b..87f495926 100644
--- a/src/burn/snd/samples.h
+++ b/src/burn/snd/samples.h
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 // Change this to 0 to 1 if using samples in a low-ram environment.
 // May cause momentary stutter while sample loads.
 #define SAMPLE_NOSTORE		(0<<3) // only keep in memory while playing
+#define SAMPLE_NOSTOREF		(1<<3) // only keep in memory while playing (forced)
 #define SAMPLE_NODUMP       (1<<4) // dump not available
 
 #define SAMPLE_PLAYING		(1<<0) // playing
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@ INT32 BurnSampleGetStatus(INT32 sample);
 INT32 BurnSampleGetPosition(INT32 sample);
 void BurnSampleSetPosition(INT32 sample, UINT32 position);
 
-void BurnSampleChannelPlay(INT32 channel, INT32 sample, bool loop = false);
+void BurnSampleChannelPlay(INT32 channel, INT32 sample, INT32 loop = 0); // loop: -1, use config from sample struct
 void BurnSampleChannelPause(INT32 channel, bool pause);
 void BurnSampleChannelStop(INT32 channel);
 INT32 BurnSampleGetChannelStatus(INT32 channel);