diff --git a/src/emucore/OSystem.cxx b/src/emucore/OSystem.cxx
index 8d60f6fb1..9c84b4165 100644
--- a/src/emucore/OSystem.cxx
+++ b/src/emucore/OSystem.cxx
@@ -648,35 +648,8 @@ ByteBuffer OSystem::openROM(const FilesystemNode& rom, string& md5, size_t& size
   if(md5 == "")
     md5 = MD5::hash(image, size);
 
-  // Handle ROM properties, do some error checking
-  // Only add to the database when necessary
-  bool toInsert = false;
-
-  // First, does this ROM have a per-ROM properties entry?
-  // If so, load it into the database
-  FilesystemNode propsNode(rom.getPathWithExt(".pro"));
-  if(propsNode.exists() && propsNode.isFile())
-  {
-    Logger::info("Loading per-ROM properties: " + propsNode.getShortPath());
-    myPropSet->load(propsNode.getPath(), false);
-  }
-
-  // Next, make sure we have a valid md5 and name
-  Properties props;
-  if(!myPropSet->getMD5(md5, props))
-  {
-    props.set(PropType::Cart_MD5, md5);
-    toInsert = true;
-  }
-  if(toInsert || props.get(PropType::Cart_Name) == EmptyString)
-  {
-    props.set(PropType::Cart_Name, rom.getNameWithExt(""));
-    toInsert = true;
-  }
-
-  // Finally, insert properties if any info was missing
-  if(toInsert)
-    myPropSet->insert(props, false);
+  // Make sure to load a per-ROM properties entry, if one exists
+  myPropSet->loadPerROM(rom, md5);
 
   return image;
 }
diff --git a/src/emucore/PropsSet.cxx b/src/emucore/PropsSet.cxx
index a13a9c759..a74a999e7 100644
--- a/src/emucore/PropsSet.cxx
+++ b/src/emucore/PropsSet.cxx
@@ -156,6 +156,37 @@ void PropertiesSet::insert(const Properties& properties, bool save)
   }
 }
 
+// - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
+void PropertiesSet::loadPerROM(const FilesystemNode& rom, const string& md5)
+{
+  // Handle ROM properties, do some error checking
+  // Only add to the database when necessary
+  bool toInsert = false;
+
+  // First, does this ROM have a per-ROM properties entry?
+  // If so, load it into the database
+  FilesystemNode propsNode(rom.getPathWithExt(".pro"));
+  if(propsNode.exists() && propsNode.isFile())
+    load(propsNode.getPath(), false);
+
+  // Next, make sure we have a valid md5 and name
+  Properties props;
+  if(!getMD5(md5, props))
+  {
+    props.set(PropType::Cart_MD5, md5);
+    toInsert = true;
+  }
+  if(toInsert || props.get(PropType::Cart_Name) == EmptyString)
+  {
+    props.set(PropType::Cart_Name, rom.getNameWithExt(""));
+    toInsert = true;
+  }
+
+  // Finally, insert properties if any info was missing
+  if(toInsert)
+    insert(props, false);
+}
+
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 void PropertiesSet::print() const
 {
diff --git a/src/emucore/PropsSet.hxx b/src/emucore/PropsSet.hxx
index 71924749a..f5a763ef8 100644
--- a/src/emucore/PropsSet.hxx
+++ b/src/emucore/PropsSet.hxx
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ class PropertiesSet
     /**
       Trivial constructor.
     */
-   PropertiesSet() = default;
+    PropertiesSet() = default;
 
     /**
       Load properties from the specified file, and create an internal
@@ -90,6 +90,21 @@ class PropertiesSet
     */
     void insert(const Properties& properties, bool save = true);
 
+    /**
+      Load properties for a specific ROM from a per-ROM properties file,
+      if it exists.  In any event, also do some error checking, like making
+      sure that the properties have a valid name, etc.
+
+      NOTE: This method is meant to be called only when starting Stella
+            and loading a ROM for the first time.  Currently, that means
+            only from the ROM launcher or when actually opening the ROM.
+            *** FOR ALL OTHER CASES, USE getMD5() ***
+
+      @param rom  The node representing the rom file
+      @param md5  The md5 of the property to get
+    */
+    void loadPerROM(const FilesystemNode& rom, const string& md5);
+
     /**
       Prints the contents of the PropertiesSet as a flat file.
     */
diff --git a/src/gui/RomInfoWidget.cxx b/src/gui/RomInfoWidget.cxx
index 8b1852528..3cfa43185 100644
--- a/src/gui/RomInfoWidget.cxx
+++ b/src/gui/RomInfoWidget.cxx
@@ -48,6 +48,11 @@ RomInfoWidget::RomInfoWidget(GuiObject* boss, const GUI::Font& font,
 void RomInfoWidget::setProperties(const FilesystemNode& node, const string& md5)
 {
   myHaveProperties = true;
+
+  // Make sure to load a per-ROM properties entry, if one exists
+  instance().propSet().loadPerROM(node, md5);
+
+  // And now get the properties for this ROM
   instance().propSet().getMD5(md5, myProperties);
 
   // Decide whether the information should be shown immediately