diff --git a/src/emu/machine.cpp b/src/emu/machine.cpp
index 510b763b523..aecaf26ed15 100644
--- a/src/emu/machine.cpp
+++ b/src/emu/machine.cpp
@@ -355,6 +355,8 @@ int running_machine::run(bool quiet)
 		if (!quiet)
 			sound().start_recording();
 
+		m_hard_reset_pending = false;
+
 		// initialize ui lists
 		// display the startup screens
 		manager().ui_initialize(*this);
@@ -368,8 +370,6 @@ int running_machine::run(bool quiet)
 
 		export_http_api();
 
-		m_hard_reset_pending = false;
-
 #if defined(__EMSCRIPTEN__)
 		// break out to our async javascript loop and halt
 		emscripten_set_running_machine(this);
diff --git a/src/frontend/mame/ui/menu.cpp b/src/frontend/mame/ui/menu.cpp
index 2c0ee801f92..c53736b2ab4 100644
--- a/src/frontend/mame/ui/menu.cpp
+++ b/src/frontend/mame/ui/menu.cpp
@@ -1174,7 +1174,10 @@ void menu::do_handle()
 		// add an item to return - this is a really hacky way of doing this
 		if (!m_parent)
 		{
-			item_append(_("Return to Machine"), 0, nullptr);
+			if (machine().phase() == machine_phase::INIT)
+				item_append(_("Start Machine"), 0, nullptr);
+			else
+				item_append(_("Return to Machine"), 0, nullptr);
 		}
 		else if (m_parent->is_special_main_menu())
 		{
diff --git a/src/frontend/mame/ui/ui.cpp b/src/frontend/mame/ui/ui.cpp
index 64ee74d8f6b..bbc9c1aa6cd 100644
--- a/src/frontend/mame/ui/ui.cpp
+++ b/src/frontend/mame/ui/ui.cpp
@@ -424,8 +424,9 @@ void mame_ui_manager::display_startup_screens(bool first_time)
 	switch_code_poller poller(machine().input());
 	std::string warning_text;
 	rgb_t warning_color;
+	bool config_menu = false;
 	auto handler_messagebox_anykey =
-		[this, &poller, &warning_text, &warning_color] (render_container &container) -> uint32_t
+		[this, &poller, &warning_text, &warning_color, &config_menu] (render_container &container) -> uint32_t
 		{
 			// draw a standard message window
 			draw_text_box(container, warning_text, ui::text_layout::LEFT, 0.5f, 0.5f, warning_color);
@@ -436,6 +437,11 @@ void mame_ui_manager::display_startup_screens(bool first_time)
 				machine().schedule_exit();
 				return UI_HANDLER_CANCEL;
 			}
+			else if (machine().ui_input().pressed(IPT_UI_CONFIGURE))
+			{
+				config_menu = true;
+				return UI_HANDLER_CANCEL;
+			}
 			else if (poller.poll() != INPUT_CODE_INVALID)
 			{
 				// if any key is pressed, just exit
@@ -561,9 +567,14 @@ void mame_ui_manager::display_startup_screens(bool first_time)
 		poller.reset();
 		while (poller.poll() != INPUT_CODE_INVALID) { }
 
-		// loop while we have a handler
-		while (m_handler_callback_type == ui_callback_type::MODAL && !machine().scheduled_event_pending() && !ui::menu::stack_has_special_main_menu(machine()))
-			machine().video().frame_update();
+		if (m_handler_callback_type == ui_callback_type::MODAL)
+		{
+			config_menu = false;
+
+			// loop while we have a handler
+			while (m_handler_callback_type == ui_callback_type::MODAL && !machine().scheduled_event_pending() && !ui::menu::stack_has_special_main_menu(machine()))
+				machine().video().frame_update();
+		}
 
 		// clear the handler and force an update
 		set_handler(ui_callback_type::GENERAL, std::bind(&mame_ui_manager::handler_ingame, this, _1));
@@ -577,6 +588,14 @@ void mame_ui_manager::display_startup_screens(bool first_time)
 	// if we're the empty driver, force the menus on
 	if (ui::menu::stack_has_special_main_menu(machine()))
 		show_menu();
+	else if (config_menu)
+	{
+		show_menu();
+
+		// loop while we have a handler
+		while (m_handler_callback_type != ui_callback_type::GENERAL && !machine().scheduled_event_pending())
+			machine().video().frame_update();
+	}
 }