diff --git a/src/debugger/CartDebug.cxx b/src/debugger/CartDebug.cxx
index a52732cfe..c929efa2a 100644
--- a/src/debugger/CartDebug.cxx
+++ b/src/debugger/CartDebug.cxx
@@ -728,7 +728,7 @@ string CartDebug::loadListFile()
 
   if(myListFile == "")
   {
-    FilesystemNode lst(myOSystem.romFile().getPathWithExt("") + ".lst");
+    FilesystemNode lst(myOSystem.romFile().getPathWithExt(".lst"));
     if(lst.isFile() && lst.isReadable())
       myListFile = lst.getPath();
     else
@@ -788,7 +788,7 @@ string CartDebug::loadSymbolFile()
 
   if(mySymbolFile == "")
   {
-    FilesystemNode sym(myOSystem.romFile().getPathWithExt("") + ".sym");
+    FilesystemNode sym(myOSystem.romFile().getPathWithExt(".sym"));
     if(sym.isFile() && sym.isReadable())
       mySymbolFile = sym.getPath();
     else
@@ -848,7 +848,7 @@ string CartDebug::loadConfigFile()
 
   if(myCfgFile == "")
   {
-    FilesystemNode romNode(myOSystem.romFile().getPathWithExt("") + ".cfg");
+    FilesystemNode romNode(myOSystem.romFile().getPathWithExt(".cfg"));
     FilesystemNode cfg(myOSystem.cfgDir() + romNode.getName());
     if(cfg.isFile() && cfg.isReadable())
       myCfgFile = cfg.getPath();
@@ -970,7 +970,7 @@ string CartDebug::saveConfigFile()
 
   if(myCfgFile == "")
   {
-    FilesystemNode romNode(myOSystem.romFile().getPathWithExt("") + ".cfg");
+    FilesystemNode romNode(myOSystem.romFile().getPathWithExt(".cfg"));
     FilesystemNode cfg(myOSystem.cfgDir() + romNode.getName());
     if(cfg.getParent().isWritable())
       myCfgFile = cfg.getPath();
diff --git a/src/emucore/OSystem.cxx b/src/emucore/OSystem.cxx
index 832b1ce35..bbaa72aa5 100644
--- a/src/emucore/OSystem.cxx
+++ b/src/emucore/OSystem.cxx
@@ -646,11 +646,35 @@ ByteBuffer OSystem::openROM(const FilesystemNode& rom, string& md5, size_t& size
   if(md5 == "")
     md5 = MD5::hash(image, size);
 
-  // Some games may not have a name, since there may not
-  // be an entry in stella.pro.  In that case, we use the rom name
-  // and reinsert the properties object
+  // 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;
-  myPropSet->getMD5WithInsert(rom, md5, 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);
 
   return image;
 }
diff --git a/src/emucore/PropsSet.cxx b/src/emucore/PropsSet.cxx
index 5375a269e..a13a9c759 100644
--- a/src/emucore/PropsSet.cxx
+++ b/src/emucore/PropsSet.cxx
@@ -24,13 +24,13 @@
 #include "PropsSet.hxx"
 
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-void PropertiesSet::load(const string& filename)
+void PropertiesSet::load(const string& filename, bool save)
 {
   ifstream in(filename);
 
   Properties prop;
   while(in >> prop)
-    insert(prop);
+    insert(prop, save);
 }
 
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
@@ -117,26 +117,6 @@ bool PropertiesSet::getMD5(const string& md5, Properties& properties,
   return found;
 }
 
-// - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-void PropertiesSet::getMD5WithInsert(const FilesystemNode& rom,
-                                     const string& md5, Properties& properties)
-{
-  bool toInsert = false;
-
-  if(!getMD5(md5, properties))
-  {
-    properties.set(PropType::Cart_MD5, md5);
-    toInsert = true;
-  }
-  if(toInsert || properties.get(PropType::Cart_Name) == EmptyString)
-  {
-    properties.set(PropType::Cart_Name, rom.getNameWithExt(""));
-    toInsert = true;
-  }
-  if(toInsert)
-    insert(properties, false);
-}
-
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 void PropertiesSet::insert(const Properties& properties, bool save)
 {
diff --git a/src/emucore/PropsSet.hxx b/src/emucore/PropsSet.hxx
index 684137817..71924749a 100644
--- a/src/emucore/PropsSet.hxx
+++ b/src/emucore/PropsSet.hxx
@@ -49,8 +49,10 @@ class PropertiesSet
       searchable list.
 
       @param filename  Full pathname of input file to use
+      @param save      Indicates whether the properties should be saved
+                       when the program exits
     */
-    void load(const string& filename);
+    void load(const string& filename, bool save = true);
 
     /**
       Save properties to the specified file.
@@ -78,19 +80,6 @@ class PropertiesSet
     bool getMD5(const string& md5, Properties& properties,
                 bool useDefaults = false) const;
 
-    /**
-      Get the property from the set with the given MD5, at the same time
-      checking if it exists.  If it doesn't, insert a temporary copy into
-      the set.
-
-      @param rom         The ROM file used to calculate the MD5
-      @param md5         The md5 of the property to get
-      @param properties  The properties with the given MD5, or the default
-                         properties if not found
-    */
-    void getMD5WithInsert(const FilesystemNode& rom, const string& md5,
-                          Properties& properties);
-
     /**
       Insert the properties into the set.  If a duplicate is inserted
       the old properties are overwritten with the new ones.