diff --git a/src/devices/video/i8244.cpp b/src/devices/video/i8244.cpp
index f494f896a25..526a4d0d5b3 100644
--- a/src/devices/video/i8244.cpp
+++ b/src/devices/video/i8244.cpp
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ TODO:
 - NTSC has 263 scanlines, PAL has 313 scanlines, a quick fix will probably
   cause small regressions here and there
 - PAL has 228 clocks per line (so, 456 half clocks)
+- are the 'reserved' registers like RAM, or does writing have no effect?
 
 ***************************************************************************/
 
@@ -273,7 +274,6 @@ uint8_t i8244_device::read(offs_t offset)
 			data = m_y_beam_pos;
 			break;
 
-
 		case 0xa5:
 			if ((m_vdc.s.control & VDC_CONTROL_REG_STROBE_XY))
 			{
@@ -282,9 +282,10 @@ uint8_t i8244_device::read(offs_t offset)
 			data = m_x_beam_pos;
 			break;
 
-		case 0xa7: case 0xa8: case 0xa9:
-			m_stream->update(); // updates sound shift registers
-			data = m_vdc.reg[offset];
+		case 0x02: case 0x06: case 0x0a: case 0x0e:
+		case 0xa3: case 0xa7: case 0xa8: case 0xa9:
+			// write-only registers
+			data = 0;
 			break;
 
 		default:
diff --git a/src/devices/video/i8244.h b/src/devices/video/i8244.h
index 229f9e0d63a..a51d5ab31da 100644
--- a/src/devices/video/i8244.h
+++ b/src/devices/video/i8244.h
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ protected:
 		uint8_t reg[0x100];
 		struct {
 			struct {
-				uint8_t y,x,color,res;
+				uint8_t y,x,color,reserved;
 			} sprites[4];
 			struct {
 				uint8_t y,x,ptr,color;
@@ -74,12 +74,12 @@ protected:
 			uint8_t color;
 			uint8_t y;
 			uint8_t x;
-			uint8_t res;
+			uint8_t reserved;
 			uint8_t shift1;
 			uint8_t shift2;
 			uint8_t shift3;
 			uint8_t sound;
-			uint8_t res2[5+0x10];
+			uint8_t reserved2[5+0x10];
 			uint8_t hgrid[2][0x10];
 			uint8_t vgrid[0x10];
 		} s;