diff --git a/ares/gba/cartridge/cartridge.cpp b/ares/gba/cartridge/cartridge.cpp
index 051e65a869..ae775eb268 100644
--- a/ares/gba/cartridge/cartridge.cpp
+++ b/ares/gba/cartridge/cartridge.cpp
@@ -113,30 +113,36 @@ auto Cartridge::power() -> void {
 
 #define RAM_ANALYZE
 
-auto Cartridge::read(u32 mode, n32 address) -> n32 {
-  if(address < 0x0e00'0000) {
-    if(has.eeprom && (address & eeprom.mask) == eeprom.test) return eeprom.read();
-    return mrom.read(mode, address);
-  } else {
-    n32 word = 0xff;
-    if(has.sram) word = sram.read(address);
-    if(has.flash) word = flash.read(address);
-    word |= word <<  8;
-    word |= word << 16;
+auto Cartridge::readRom(u32 mode, n32 address) -> n32 {
+  if(mode & Word) {
+    n32 word = 0;
+    word |= readRom(mode & ~Word | Half, (address & ~3) + 0) <<  0;
+    word |= readRom(mode & ~Word | Half, (address & ~3) + 2) << 16;
     return word;
   }
+
+  if(has.eeprom && (address & eeprom.mask) == eeprom.test) return eeprom.read();
+  return mrom.read(mode, address);
 }
 
-auto Cartridge::write(u32 mode, n32 address, n32 word) -> void {
-  if(address < 0x0e00'0000) {
-    if(has.eeprom && (address & eeprom.mask) == eeprom.test) return eeprom.write(word & 1);
-    return mrom.write(mode, address, word);
-  } else {
-    if(mode & Word) word = word >> (8 * (address & 3));
-    if(mode & Half) word = word >> (8 * (address & 1));
-    if(has.sram) return sram.write(address, word);
-    if(has.flash) return flash.write(address, word);
-  }
+auto Cartridge::readBackup(u32 mode, n32 address) -> n32 {
+  n32 word = 0xff;
+  if(has.sram) word = sram.read(address);
+  if(has.flash) word = flash.read(address);
+  word *= 0x01010101;
+  return word;
+}
+
+auto Cartridge::writeRom(u32 mode, n32 address, n32 word) -> void {
+  if(has.eeprom && (address & eeprom.mask) == eeprom.test) return eeprom.write(word & 1);
+  return mrom.write(mode, address, word);
+}
+
+auto Cartridge::writeBackup(u32 mode, n32 address, n32 word) -> void {
+  if(mode & Word) word = word >> (8 * (address & 3));
+  if(mode & Half) word = word >> (8 * (address & 1));
+  if(has.sram) return sram.write(address, word);
+  if(has.flash) return flash.write(address, word);
 }
 
 }
diff --git a/ares/gba/cartridge/cartridge.hpp b/ares/gba/cartridge/cartridge.hpp
index db63a63aa2..3ff1f75961 100644
--- a/ares/gba/cartridge/cartridge.hpp
+++ b/ares/gba/cartridge/cartridge.hpp
@@ -17,8 +17,10 @@ struct Cartridge {
   auto save() -> void;
   auto power() -> void;
 
-  auto read(u32 mode, n32 address) -> n32;
-  auto write(u32 mode, n32 address, n32 word) -> void;
+  auto readRom(u32 mode, n32 address) -> n32;
+  auto readBackup(u32 mode, n32 address) -> n32;
+  auto writeRom(u32 mode, n32 address, n32 word) -> void;
+  auto writeBackup(u32 mode, n32 address, n32 word) -> void;
 
   auto serialize(serializer&) -> void;
 
diff --git a/ares/gba/cartridge/memory.hpp b/ares/gba/cartridge/memory.hpp
index 0215655593..513b5255f2 100644
--- a/ares/gba/cartridge/memory.hpp
+++ b/ares/gba/cartridge/memory.hpp
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 struct MROM {
   //mrom.cpp
-  auto read(u32 mode, n32 address) -> n32;
-  auto readBus(u32 mode, n32 address) -> n16;
+  auto read(u32 mode, n32 address) -> n16;
   auto write(u32 mode, n32 address, n32 word) -> void;
 
   //serialization.cpp
diff --git a/ares/gba/cartridge/mrom.cpp b/ares/gba/cartridge/mrom.cpp
index e5e5bee1c2..2d0508a4c9 100644
--- a/ares/gba/cartridge/mrom.cpp
+++ b/ares/gba/cartridge/mrom.cpp
@@ -1,15 +1,4 @@
-auto Cartridge::MROM::read(u32 mode, n32 address) -> n32 {
-  if(mode & Word) {
-    n32 word = 0;
-    word |= readBus(mode & ~Word | Half, (address & ~3) + 0) <<  0;
-    word |= readBus(mode & ~Word | Half, (address & ~3) + 2) << 16;
-    return word;
-  }
-
-  return readBus(mode, address);
-}
-
-auto Cartridge::MROM::readBus(u32 mode, n32 address) -> n16 {
+auto Cartridge::MROM::read(u32 mode, n32 address) -> n16 {
   address &= 0x01ff'ffff;
 
   if(address >= size) {
@@ -20,8 +9,7 @@ auto Cartridge::MROM::readBus(u32 mode, n32 address) -> n16 {
   if(mode & Half) address &= ~1;
   auto p = data + address;
   if(mode & Half) return p[0] << 0 | p[1] << 8;
-  if(mode & Byte) return p[0] << 0;
-  return 0;  //should never occur
+  return p[0] << 0;
 }
 
 auto Cartridge::MROM::write(u32 mode, n32 address, n32 word) -> void {
diff --git a/ares/gba/cpu/bus.cpp b/ares/gba/cpu/bus.cpp
index cce9f7ddff..9af77919bb 100644
--- a/ares/gba/cpu/bus.cpp
+++ b/ares/gba/cpu/bus.cpp
@@ -43,19 +43,26 @@ inline auto CPU::getBus(u32 mode, n32 address) -> n32 {
     word = ppu.readOAM(mode, address);
     break;
 
-  case 0x08: case 0x09: case 0x0a: case 0x0b: case 0x0c: case 0x0d: case 0x0e: case 0x0f:
+  case 0x08: case 0x09: case 0x0a: case 0x0b: case 0x0c: case 0x0d:
     if(mode & Prefetch && wait.prefetch) {
       prefetchSync(address);
       prefetchStep(1);
       word = prefetchRead();
       if(mode & Word) word |= prefetchRead() << 16;
     } else {
+      if(context.dmaActive) context.dmaRomAccess = true;
       if constexpr(!UseDebugger) prefetchReset();
       if constexpr(!UseDebugger) step(waitCartridge(mode, address));
-      word = cartridge.read(mode, address);
+      word = cartridge.readRom(mode, address);
     }
     break;
 
+  case 0x0e: case 0x0f:
+    if constexpr(!UseDebugger) prefetchReset();
+    if constexpr(!UseDebugger) step(waitCartridge(mode, address));
+    word = cartridge.readBackup(mode, address);
+    break;
+
   default:
     if constexpr(!UseDebugger) prefetchStep(1);
     return openBus.get(mode, address);
@@ -117,10 +124,17 @@ auto CPU::set(u32 mode, n32 address, n32 word) -> void {
     ppu.writeOAM(mode, address, word);
     break;
 
-  case 0x08: case 0x09: case 0x0a: case 0x0b: case 0x0c: case 0x0d: case 0x0e: case 0x0f:
+  case 0x08: case 0x09: case 0x0a: case 0x0b: case 0x0c: case 0x0d:
+    if(context.dmaActive) context.dmaRomAccess = true;
+    prefetchReset();
+    step(waitCartridge(mode, address));
+    cartridge.writeRom(mode, address, word);
+    break;
+
+  case 0x0e: case 0x0f:
     prefetchReset();
     step(waitCartridge(mode, address));
-    cartridge.write(mode, address, word);
+    cartridge.writeBackup(mode, address, word);
     break;
 
   default:
diff --git a/ares/gba/cpu/cpu.cpp b/ares/gba/cpu/cpu.cpp
index 80eaead89b..c14ef195dd 100644
--- a/ares/gba/cpu/cpu.cpp
+++ b/ares/gba/cpu/cpu.cpp
@@ -58,11 +58,18 @@ auto CPU::main() -> void {
 auto CPU::dmaRun() -> void {
   if(!context.dmaActive && !context.busLocked) {
     context.dmaActive = true;
-    while(dma[0].run() | dma[1].run() | dma[2].run() | dma[3].run());
+    while(true) {
+      if(dma[0].run()) continue;
+      if(dma[1].run()) continue;
+      if(dma[2].run()) continue;
+      if(dma[3].run()) continue;
+      break;
+    }
     if(context.dmaRan) {
       idle();
       context.dmaRan = false;
       context.dmaRomAccess = false;
+      context.dmaActiveChannel = 0;  //assign burst to a channel that cannot access ROM
     }
     context.dmaActive = false;
   }
diff --git a/ares/gba/cpu/cpu.hpp b/ares/gba/cpu/cpu.hpp
index 9aad197a54..7ede68567b 100644
--- a/ares/gba/cpu/cpu.hpp
+++ b/ares/gba/cpu/cpu.hpp
@@ -263,6 +263,7 @@ struct CPU : ARM7TDMI, Thread, IO {
     n1  dmaRan;
     n1  dmaRomAccess;
     n1  dmaActive;
+    n2  dmaActiveChannel;
     n1  timerLatched;
     n1  busLocked;
   } context;
diff --git a/ares/gba/cpu/dma.cpp b/ares/gba/cpu/dma.cpp
index 694f42963a..d2c6b493d2 100644
--- a/ares/gba/cpu/dma.cpp
+++ b/ares/gba/cpu/dma.cpp
@@ -10,40 +10,39 @@ inline auto CPU::DMA::run() -> bool {
 auto CPU::DMA::transfer() -> void {
   u32 seek = size ? 4 : 2;
   u32 mode = size ? Word : Half;
-  mode |= latch.length() == length() ? Nonsequential : Sequential;
 
   if(!cpu.context.dmaRan) {
     cpu.context.dmaRan = true;
     cpu.idle();
   }
 
+  if(cpu.context.dmaActiveChannel != id) {
+    //channel has switched - new burst transfer must be started
+    cpu.context.dmaRomAccess = 0;
+    cpu.context.dmaActiveChannel = id;
+  }
+
   if(latch.source() < 0x0200'0000) {
     cpu.idle();  //cannot access BIOS
   } else {
     n32 addr = latch.source();
     if(mode & Word) addr &= ~3;
     if(mode & Half) addr &= ~1;
-    if(addr & 0x0800'0000) cpu.context.dmaRomAccess = true;
-    latch.data = cpu.get(mode, addr);
+    u32 sequential = Nonsequential;
+    if(cpu.context.dmaRomAccess) sequential = Sequential;
+    latch.data = cpu.get(mode | sequential, addr);
     if(mode & Half) latch.data |= latch.data << 16;
   }
 
-  if(mode & Nonsequential) {
-    if((source() & 0x0800'0000) && (target() & 0x0800'0000)) {
-      //ROM -> ROM transfer
-      mode |= Sequential;
-      mode ^= Nonsequential;
-    }
-  }
-
   if(latch.target() < 0x0200'0000) {
     cpu.idle();  //cannot access BIOS
   } else {
     n32 addr = latch.target();
     if(mode & Word) addr &= ~3;
     if(mode & Half) addr &= ~1;
-    if(addr & 0x0800'0000) cpu.context.dmaRomAccess = true;
-    cpu.set(mode, addr, latch.data >> (addr & 2) * 8);
+    u32 sequential = Nonsequential;
+    if(cpu.context.dmaRomAccess) sequential = Sequential;
+    cpu.set(mode | sequential, addr, latch.data >> (addr & 2) * 8);
   }
 
   switch(sourceMode) {
diff --git a/ares/gba/cpu/prefetch.cpp b/ares/gba/cpu/prefetch.cpp
index dd96fc338a..98b48b277c 100644
--- a/ares/gba/cpu/prefetch.cpp
+++ b/ares/gba/cpu/prefetch.cpp
@@ -11,11 +11,11 @@ auto CPU::prefetchSync(n32 address) -> void {
 
 auto CPU::prefetchStep(u32 clocks) -> void {
   step(clocks);
-  if(!wait.prefetch || context.dmaRomAccess || prefetch.stopped) return;
+  if(!wait.prefetch || prefetch.stopped) return;
 
   while(!prefetch.full() && clocks--) {
     if(--prefetch.wait) continue;
-    prefetch.slot[prefetch.load >> 1 & 7] = cartridge.read(Half, prefetch.load);
+    prefetch.slot[prefetch.load >> 1 & 7] = cartridge.readRom(Half, prefetch.load);
     prefetch.load += 2;
     prefetch.wait = waitCartridge(Half | Sequential, prefetch.load);
   }
diff --git a/ares/gba/cpu/serialization.cpp b/ares/gba/cpu/serialization.cpp
index 6f2716a0d6..800da13659 100644
--- a/ares/gba/cpu/serialization.cpp
+++ b/ares/gba/cpu/serialization.cpp
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ auto CPU::serialize(serializer& s) -> void {
   s(context.dmaRan);
   s(context.dmaRomAccess);
   s(context.dmaActive);
+  s(context.dmaActiveChannel);
   s(context.timerLatched);
   s(context.busLocked);
 }
diff --git a/ares/gba/system/serialization.cpp b/ares/gba/system/serialization.cpp
index be00b4501b..cd4374a3f0 100644
--- a/ares/gba/system/serialization.cpp
+++ b/ares/gba/system/serialization.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-static const string SerializerVersion = "v141.6";
+static const string SerializerVersion = "v142";
 
 auto System::serialize(bool synchronize) -> serializer {
   if(synchronize) scheduler.enter(Scheduler::Mode::Synchronize);