diff --git a/src/common/Version.hxx b/src/common/Version.hxx
index 45dbb0c9f..c0ac916af 100644
--- a/src/common/Version.hxx
+++ b/src/common/Version.hxx
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 
 #include <cstdlib>
 
-#define STELLA_VERSION "4.2_pre"
+#define STELLA_VERSION "4.2_beta1"
 #define STELLA_BUILD atoi("$Rev$" + 6)
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/emucore/EventHandler.cxx b/src/emucore/EventHandler.cxx
index 8c6813570..79554c7a2 100644
--- a/src/emucore/EventHandler.cxx
+++ b/src/emucore/EventHandler.cxx
@@ -1778,7 +1778,7 @@ void EventHandler::takeSnapshot(uInt32 number)
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 void EventHandler::setMouseControllerMode(const string& enable)
 {
-  if(&myOSystem.console())
+  if(myOSystem.hasConsole())
   {
     delete myMouseControl;  myMouseControl = NULL;
 
@@ -1851,7 +1851,7 @@ void EventHandler::leaveMenuMode()
 bool EventHandler::enterDebugMode()
 {
 #ifdef DEBUGGER_SUPPORT
-  if(myState == S_DEBUGGER || !(&myOSystem.console()))
+  if(myState == S_DEBUGGER || !myOSystem.hasConsole())
     return false;
 
   // Make sure debugger starts in a consistent state
@@ -1955,15 +1955,10 @@ void EventHandler::setEventState(State state)
 
   // Inform various subsystems about the new state
   myOSystem.stateChanged(myState);
-  if(&myOSystem.frameBuffer())
-  {
-    myOSystem.frameBuffer().stateChanged(myState);
-    myOSystem.frameBuffer().setCursorState();
-  }
-  if(&myOSystem.console())
-  {
+  myOSystem.frameBuffer().stateChanged(myState);
+  myOSystem.frameBuffer().setCursorState();
+  if(myOSystem.hasConsole())
     myOSystem.console().stateChanged(myState);
-  }
 
   // Always clear any pending events when changing states
   myEvent.clear();
diff --git a/src/emucore/EventHandler.hxx b/src/emucore/EventHandler.hxx
index 58015f351..a09438dac 100644
--- a/src/emucore/EventHandler.hxx
+++ b/src/emucore/EventHandler.hxx
@@ -439,7 +439,7 @@ class EventHandler
         void saveMapping();
 
         const StellaJoystick* joy(int id) const {
-          return id < mySticks.size() ? mySticks[id] : NULL;
+          return id < (int)mySticks.size() ? mySticks[id] : NULL;
         }
 
       private:
diff --git a/src/emucore/EventJoyHandler.cxx b/src/emucore/EventJoyHandler.cxx
index 7d9025a50..00e2b1183 100644
--- a/src/emucore/EventJoyHandler.cxx
+++ b/src/emucore/EventJoyHandler.cxx
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ int EventHandler::JoystickHandler::remove(int index)
 
   // Sticks that are removed must have initially been added
   // So we use the 'active' joystick list to access them
-  if(index >= 0 && index < mySticks.size() && mySticks[index] != NULL)
+  if(index >= 0 && index < (int)mySticks.size() && mySticks[index] != NULL)
   {
     StellaJoystick* stick = mySticks[index];
 
diff --git a/src/emucore/OSystem.hxx b/src/emucore/OSystem.hxx
index 9103ee4cf..2d2093683 100644
--- a/src/emucore/OSystem.hxx
+++ b/src/emucore/OSystem.hxx
@@ -81,46 +81,48 @@ class OSystem
 
   public:
     /**
-      Get the event handler of the system
+      Get the event handler of the system.
 
       @return The event handler
     */
     EventHandler& eventHandler() const { return *myEventHandler; }
 
     /**
-      Get the frame buffer of the system
+      Get the frame buffer of the system.
 
       @return The frame buffer
     */
     FrameBuffer& frameBuffer() const { return *myFrameBuffer; }
 
     /**
-      Get the sound object of the system
+      Get the sound object of the system.
 
       @return The sound object
     */
     Sound& sound() const { return *mySound; }
 
     /**
-      Get the settings object of the system
+      Get the settings object of the system.
 
       @return The settings object
     */
     Settings& settings() const { return *mySettings; }
 
     /**
-      Get the set of game properties for the system
+      Get the set of game properties for the system.
 
       @return The properties set object
     */
     PropertiesSet& propSet() const { return *myPropSet; }
 
     /**
-      Get the console of the system.
+      Get the console of the system.  The console won't always exist,
+      so we should test if it's available.
 
       @return The console object
     */
     Console& console() const { return *myConsole; }
+    bool hasConsole() const { return myConsole != NULL; }
 
     /**
       Get the serial port of the system.
diff --git a/src/emucore/StateManager.cxx b/src/emucore/StateManager.cxx
index 917ec9bff..d53c461e1 100644
--- a/src/emucore/StateManager.cxx
+++ b/src/emucore/StateManager.cxx
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ void StateManager::update()
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 void StateManager::loadState(int slot)
 {
-  if(&myOSystem->console())
+  if(myOSystem->hasConsole())
   {
     if(slot < 0) slot = myCurrentSlot;
 
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ void StateManager::loadState(int slot)
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 void StateManager::saveState(int slot)
 {
-  if(&myOSystem->console())
+  if(myOSystem->hasConsole())
   {
     if(slot < 0) slot = myCurrentSlot;
 
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ void StateManager::changeState()
 // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 bool StateManager::loadState(Serializer& in)
 {
-  if(&myOSystem->console())
+  if(myOSystem->hasConsole())
   {
     // Make sure the file can be opened for reading
     if(in.isValid())
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ bool StateManager::saveState(Serializer& out)
 {
   try
   {
-    if(&myOSystem->console())
+    if(myOSystem->hasConsole())
     {
       // Make sure the file can be opened for writing
       if(out.isValid())
diff --git a/src/gui/AudioDialog.cxx b/src/gui/AudioDialog.cxx
index 7a5ced8d5..3c0056b68 100644
--- a/src/gui/AudioDialog.cxx
+++ b/src/gui/AudioDialog.cxx
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ void AudioDialog::saveConfig()
 
   // Only force a re-initialization when necessary, since it can
   // be a time-consuming operation
-  if(&instance().console())
+  if(instance().hasConsole())
     instance().console().initializeAudio();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/gui/GameInfoDialog.cxx b/src/gui/GameInfoDialog.cxx
index b6dfa5d64..357f79d5a 100644
--- a/src/gui/GameInfoDialog.cxx
+++ b/src/gui/GameInfoDialog.cxx
@@ -379,13 +379,13 @@ void GameInfoDialog::loadConfig()
   myPropertiesLoaded = false;
   myDefaultsSelected = false;
 
-  if(&instance().console())
+  if(instance().hasConsole())
   {
     myGameProperties = instance().console().properties();
     myPropertiesLoaded = true;
     loadView();
   }
-  else if(&instance().launcher())
+  else
   {
     const string& md5 = instance().launcher().selectedRomMD5();
     if(md5 != "")
@@ -506,7 +506,7 @@ void GameInfoDialog::saveConfig()
     instance().propSet().insert(myGameProperties);
 
   // In any event, inform the Console and save the properties
-  if(&instance().console())
+  if(instance().hasConsole())
     instance().console().setProperties(myGameProperties);
   instance().propSet().save(instance().propertiesFile());
 }
diff --git a/src/gui/VideoDialog.cxx b/src/gui/VideoDialog.cxx
index 70c38202a..86cd810fe 100644
--- a/src/gui/VideoDialog.cxx
+++ b/src/gui/VideoDialog.cxx
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ void VideoDialog::saveConfig()
   // Framerate
   int i = myFrameRate->getValue();
   instance().settings().setValue("framerate", i);
-  if(&instance().console())
+  if(instance().hasConsole())
   {
     // Make sure auto-frame calculation is only enabled when necessary
     instance().console().tia().enableAutoFrame(i <= 0);
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ void VideoDialog::saveConfig()
 
   // PAL color-loss effect
   instance().settings().setValue("colorloss", myColorLoss->getState());
-  if(&instance().console())
+  if(instance().hasConsole())
     instance().console().toggleColorLoss(myColorLoss->getState());
 
   // Fullscreen stretch setting