diff --git a/src/gba/gba-memory.c b/src/gba/gba-memory.c
index 51da09db2..1d8ca5688 100644
--- a/src/gba/gba-memory.c
+++ b/src/gba/gba-memory.c
@@ -317,7 +317,6 @@ int8_t GBALoad8(struct ARMMemory* memory, uint32_t address, int* cycleCounter) {
 	case BASE_CART_SRAM:
 		wait = gbaMemory->waitstates16[address >> BASE_OFFSET];
 		if (gbaMemory->savedata.type == SAVEDATA_NONE) {
-			GBASavedataInit(&gbaMemory->savedata, gbaMemory->p->savefile);
 			GBASavedataInitSRAM(&gbaMemory->savedata);
 		} else if (gbaMemory->savedata.type == SAVEDATA_SRAM) {
 			value = gbaMemory->savedata.data[address & (SIZE_CART_SRAM - 1)];
@@ -416,7 +415,6 @@ void GBAStore16(struct ARMMemory* memory, uint32_t address, int16_t value, int*
 		break;
 	case BASE_CART2_EX:
 		if (gbaMemory->savedata.type == SAVEDATA_NONE) {
-			GBASavedataInit(&gbaMemory->savedata, gbaMemory->p->savefile);
 			GBASavedataInitEEPROM(&gbaMemory->savedata);
 		}
 		GBASavedataWriteEEPROM(&gbaMemory->savedata, value, 1);
@@ -469,7 +467,6 @@ void GBAStore8(struct ARMMemory* memory, uint32_t address, int8_t value, int* cy
 		break;
 	case BASE_CART_SRAM:
 		if (gbaMemory->savedata.type == SAVEDATA_NONE) {
-			GBASavedataInit(&gbaMemory->savedata, gbaMemory->p->savefile);
 			if (address == SAVEDATA_FLASH_BASE) {
 				GBASavedataInitFlash(&gbaMemory->savedata);
 			} else {
@@ -723,7 +720,6 @@ void GBAMemoryServiceDMA(struct GBAMemory* memory, int number, struct GBADMA* in
 			}
 		} else if (destRegion == REGION_CART2_EX) {
 			if (memory->savedata.type == SAVEDATA_NONE) {
-				GBASavedataInit(&memory->savedata, memory->p->savefile);
 				GBASavedataInitEEPROM(&memory->savedata);
 			}
 			while (wordsRemaining) {
diff --git a/src/gba/gba.c b/src/gba/gba.c
index d3d582824..a058e9c8b 100644
--- a/src/gba/gba.c
+++ b/src/gba/gba.c
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ void GBAInit(struct GBA* gba) {
 	gba->errno = GBA_NO_ERROR;
 	gba->errstr = 0;
 	gba->debugger = 0;
+	gba->savefile = 0;
 
 	ARMInit(&gba->cpu);
 
@@ -281,6 +282,9 @@ void GBALoadROM(struct GBA* gba, int fd, const char* fname) {
 	gba->activeFile = fname;
 	fstat(fd, &info);
 	gba->memory.romSize = info.st_size;
+	if (gba->savefile) {
+		GBASavedataInit(&gba->memory.savedata, gba->savefile);
+	}
 	_checkOverrides(gba, ((struct GBACartridge*) gba->memory.rom)->id);
 	// TODO: error check
 }
@@ -454,9 +458,6 @@ void _checkOverrides(struct GBA* gba, uint32_t id) {
 	int i;
 	for (i = 0; _savedataOverrides[i].id; ++i) {
 		if (_savedataOverrides[i].id == id) {
-			if (_savedataOverrides[i].type != SAVEDATA_NONE) {
-				GBASavedataInit(&gba->memory.savedata, gba->savefile);
-			}
 			gba->memory.savedata.type = _savedataOverrides[i].type;
 			switch (_savedataOverrides[i].type) {
 				case SAVEDATA_FLASH512: