diff --git a/cheats2.cpp b/cheats2.cpp
index 4809ef32..1ec688fb 100644
--- a/cheats2.cpp
+++ b/cheats2.cpp
@@ -744,6 +744,8 @@ static void S9xLoadCheatsFromBMLNode (bml_node *n)
 
             tmp = bml_find_sub(c, "description");
             desc = tmp->data;
+            if (!desc)
+                desc = (char *) "";
 
             tmp = bml_find_sub(c, "code");
             code = tmp->data;
@@ -751,7 +753,7 @@ static void S9xLoadCheatsFromBMLNode (bml_node *n)
             if (bml_find_sub(c, "enabled"))
                 enabled = true;
 
-            if (desc && code && !S9xCheatIsDuplicate (desc, code))
+            if (code && !S9xCheatIsDuplicate (desc, code))
             {
                 int index = S9xAddCheatGroup (desc, code);
 
@@ -773,8 +775,6 @@ bool8 S9xLoadCheatFileClassic (const char *filename)
     if (!fs)
         return (FALSE);
 
-    S9xDeleteCheats ();
-
     while (fread ((void *) data, 1, 28, fs) == 28)
     {
         SCheat c;
@@ -855,7 +855,7 @@ bool8 S9xSaveCheatFile (const char *filename)
                  "    description: %s\n"
                  "    code: %s\n",
                  (Cheat.g[i].enabled ? " enabled" : ""),
-                 Cheat.g[i].name,
+                 (Cheat.g[i].name ? Cheat.g[i].name : ""),
                  txt);
         
         delete[] txt;
diff --git a/display.h b/display.h
index ad508300..014e0b6f 100644
--- a/display.h
+++ b/display.h
@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@ enum s9x_getdirtype
 
 void S9xUsage (void);
 char * S9xParseArgs (char **, int);
+void S9xParseArgsForCheats (char **, int);
 void S9xLoadConfigFiles (char **, int);
 void S9xSetInfoString (const char *);
 
diff --git a/gtk/src/gtk_s9x.cpp b/gtk/src/gtk_s9x.cpp
index 5300cfd6..be14a751 100644
--- a/gtk/src/gtk_s9x.cpp
+++ b/gtk/src/gtk_s9x.cpp
@@ -195,8 +195,6 @@ S9xOpenROM (const char *rom_filename)
     if (loaded)
     {
         Memory.LoadSRAM (S9xGetFilename (".srm", SRAM_DIR));
-        S9xDeleteCheats ();
-        S9xLoadCheatFile (S9xGetFilename (".cht", CHEAT_DIR));
     }
     else
     {
diff --git a/memmap.cpp b/memmap.cpp
index a522179a..b3903422 100644
--- a/memmap.cpp
+++ b/memmap.cpp
@@ -1787,6 +1787,7 @@ bool8 CMemory::LoadROMInt (int32 ROMfillSize)
 
 	S9xReset();
 
+	S9xDeleteCheats();
 	S9xLoadCheatFile(S9xGetFilename(".cht", CHEAT_DIR));
 
     return (TRUE);
@@ -1952,6 +1953,7 @@ bool8 CMemory::LoadMultiCartInt ()
 
 	S9xReset();
 
+	S9xDeleteCheats();
 	S9xInitCheatData();
 	S9xLoadCheatFile(S9xGetFilename(".cht", CHEAT_DIR));
 
diff --git a/snes9x.cpp b/snes9x.cpp
index 33ac9640..080d166a 100644
--- a/snes9x.cpp
+++ b/snes9x.cpp
@@ -584,9 +584,8 @@ void S9xUsage (void)
 	// PATCH/CHEAT OPTIONS
 	S9xMessage(S9X_INFO, S9X_USAGE, "-nopatch                        Do not apply any available IPS/UPS patches");
 	S9xMessage(S9X_INFO, S9X_USAGE, "-cheat                          Apply saved cheats");
-	S9xMessage(S9X_INFO, S9X_USAGE, "-gamegenie <code>               Supply a Game Genie code");
-	S9xMessage(S9X_INFO, S9X_USAGE, "-actionreplay <code>            Supply a Pro-Action Reply code");
-	S9xMessage(S9X_INFO, S9X_USAGE, "-goldfinger <code>              Supply a Gold Finger code");
+	S9xMessage(S9X_INFO, S9X_USAGE, "-cheatcode <code>               Supply a cheat code in Game Genie,");
+	S9xMessage(S9X_INFO, S9X_USAGE, "                                Pro-Action Replay, or Raw format (address=byte)");
 	S9xMessage(S9X_INFO, S9X_USAGE, "");
 
 #ifdef NETPLAY_SUPPORT
@@ -625,6 +624,31 @@ void S9xUsage (void)
 	exit(1);
 }
 
+void S9xParseArgsForCheats (char **argv, int argc)
+{
+    for (int i = 1; i < argc; i++)
+    {
+        if (!strcasecmp(argv[i], "-gamegenie") ||
+            !strcasecmp(argv[i], "-actionreplay") ||
+            !strcasecmp(argv[i], "-cheatcode"))
+        {
+            if (i + 1 < argc)
+            {
+                if (S9xAddCheatGroup ("Unknown", argv[++i]) < 0)
+                {
+                    S9xMessage(S9X_ERROR, S9X_GAME_GENIE_CODE_ERROR, "Code format invalid");
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    S9xEnableCheatGroup (Cheat.g.size() - 1);
+                }
+            }
+            else
+                S9xUsage();
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 char * S9xParseArgs (char **argv, int argc)
 {
 	for (int i = 1; i < argc; i++)
@@ -778,7 +802,9 @@ char * S9xParseArgs (char **argv, int argc)
 			if (!strcasecmp(argv[i], "-cheat"))
 				Settings.ApplyCheats = TRUE;
 			else
-			if (!strcasecmp(argv[i], "-gamegenie") || !strcasecmp(argv[i], "-actionreplay"))
+			if (!strcasecmp(argv[i], "-gamegenie") ||
+			    !strcasecmp(argv[i], "-actionreplay") ||
+			    !strcasecmp(argv[i], "-cheatcode"))
 			{
 				if (i + 1 < argc)
 				{
@@ -795,7 +821,6 @@ char * S9xParseArgs (char **argv, int argc)
 					S9xUsage();
 			}
 			else
-
 			// NETPLAY OPTIONS
 
 		#ifdef NETPLAY_SUPPORT
diff --git a/unix/unix.cpp b/unix/unix.cpp
index 380c028d..b9ff0b52 100644
--- a/unix/unix.cpp
+++ b/unix/unix.cpp
@@ -1619,10 +1619,8 @@ void S9xExit (void)
 #endif
 
 	Memory.SaveSRAM(S9xGetFilename(".srm", SRAM_DIR));
-	if (Settings.ApplyCheats)
-		S9xSaveCheatFile(S9xGetFilename(".cht", CHEAT_DIR));
 	S9xResetSaveTimer(FALSE);
-
+	S9xSaveCheatFile(S9xGetFilename(".cht", CHEAT_DIR));
 	S9xUnmapAllControls();
 	S9xDeinitDisplay();
 	Memory.Deinit();
@@ -1699,6 +1697,7 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)
 
 	S9xLoadConfigFiles(argv, argc);
 	rom_filename = S9xParseArgs(argv, argc);
+	S9xDeleteCheats();
 
 	make_snes9x_dirs();
 
@@ -1786,14 +1785,18 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)
 		exit(1);
 	}
 
+	S9xDeleteCheats();
+	S9xCheatsEnable();
 	NSRTControllerSetup();
 	Memory.LoadSRAM(S9xGetFilename(".srm", SRAM_DIR));
+
 	if (Settings.ApplyCheats)
 	{
 		S9xLoadCheatFile(S9xGetFilename(".cht", CHEAT_DIR));
-		S9xCheatsEnable ();
 	}
 
+	S9xParseArgsForCheats(argv, argc);
+
 	CPU.Flags = saved_flags;
 	Settings.StopEmulation = FALSE;