diff --git a/src/emu/softlist.cpp b/src/emu/softlist.cpp
index 383e4931878..3b57a60c82c 100644
--- a/src/emu/softlist.cpp
+++ b/src/emu/softlist.cpp
@@ -1139,8 +1139,6 @@ void softlist_parser::parse_data_start(const char *tagname, const char **attribu
 				add_rom_entry(nullptr, nullptr, offset, length, ROMENTRYTYPE_RELOAD);
 			else if (loadflag != nullptr && strcmp(loadflag, "continue") == 0)
 				add_rom_entry(nullptr, nullptr, offset, length, ROMENTRYTYPE_CONTINUE | ROM_INHERITFLAGS);
-			else if (loadflag != nullptr && strcmp(loadflag, "ignore") == 0)
-				add_rom_entry(nullptr, nullptr, offset, length, ROMENTRYTYPE_IGNORE | ROM_INHERITFLAGS);
 			else if (loadflag != nullptr && strcmp(loadflag, "fill") == 0)
 				add_rom_entry(nullptr, (const char *)(FPTR)(strtol(value, nullptr, 0) & 0xff), offset, length, ROMENTRYTYPE_FILL);
 			else if (name != nullptr)
@@ -1181,6 +1179,11 @@ void softlist_parser::parse_data_start(const char *tagname, const char **attribu
 			else
 				parse_error("Rom name missing");
 		}
+		else if (sizestr != nullptr && loadflag != nullptr && strcmp(loadflag, "ignore") == 0)
+		{
+			UINT32 length = strtol(sizestr, nullptr, 0);
+			add_rom_entry(nullptr, nullptr, 0, length, ROMENTRYTYPE_IGNORE | ROM_INHERITFLAGS);
+		}
 		else
 			parse_error("Incomplete rom definition");
 	}