diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 1380e7ed9..4b4acbb5f 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ Other fixes:
  - mGUI: Fix crash if last loaded ROM directory disappears (fixes mgba.io/i/1466)
  - Libretro: Fix crash changing allowing opposing directions (hhromic)
  - Qt: Fix race conditions initializing GDB stub
+ - GBA: Set up GPIO mapping on null and ELF ROM regions (fixes mgba.io/i/1481)
 Misc:
  - GBA Savedata: EEPROM performance fixes
  - GBA Savedata: Automatically map 1Mbit Flash files as 1Mbit Flash
diff --git a/src/gba/gba.c b/src/gba/gba.c
index 33d9ab426..4193e47ce 100644
--- a/src/gba/gba.c
+++ b/src/gba/gba.c
@@ -342,6 +342,7 @@ bool GBALoadNull(struct GBA* gba) {
 	if (gba->cpu) {
 		gba->cpu->memory.setActiveRegion(gba->cpu, gba->cpu->gprs[ARM_PC]);
 	}
+	GBAHardwareInit(&gba->memory.hw, &((uint16_t*) gba->memory.rom)[GPIO_REG_DATA >> 1]);
 	return true;
 }