diff --git a/src/mame/machine/megadriv.c b/src/mame/machine/megadriv.c
index 79746cc2360..e0947666282 100644
--- a/src/mame/machine/megadriv.c
+++ b/src/mame/machine/megadriv.c
@@ -861,6 +861,11 @@ MACHINE_START_MEMBER(md_base_state,megadriv)
 	m_io_pad_3b[1] = ioport("PAD2");
 	m_io_pad_3b[2] = ioport("IN0");
 	m_io_pad_3b[3] = ioport("UNK");
+
+	save_item(NAME(m_io_stage));
+	save_item(NAME(m_megadrive_io_data_regs));
+	save_item(NAME(m_megadrive_io_ctrl_regs));
+	save_item(NAME(m_megadrive_io_tx_regs));
 }
 
 MACHINE_RESET_MEMBER(md_base_state,megadriv)
diff --git a/src/mame/machine/megavdp.c b/src/mame/machine/megavdp.c
index de670345de7..aa48333cc9e 100644
--- a/src/mame/machine/megavdp.c
+++ b/src/mame/machine/megavdp.c
@@ -153,7 +153,6 @@ void sega_genesis_vdp_device::device_start()
 	save_item(NAME(m_visible_scanlines));
 	save_item(NAME(m_irq6_scanline));
 	save_item(NAME(m_z80irq_scanline));
-//  save_item(NAME(m_total_scanlines));
 	save_item(NAME(m_scanline_counter));
 
 	m_sprite_renderline = auto_alloc_array(machine(), UINT8, 1024);
@@ -174,16 +173,25 @@ void sega_genesis_vdp_device::device_start()
 
 
 	if (!m_use_alt_timing)
-	{
 		m_render_bitmap = auto_bitmap_ind16_alloc(machine(), machine().primary_screen->width(), machine().primary_screen->height());
-	}
 	else
-	{
 		m_render_line = auto_alloc_array(machine(), UINT16, machine().primary_screen->width());
-	}
 
 	m_render_line_raw = auto_alloc_array(machine(), UINT16, machine().primary_screen->width());
 
+	// FIXME: are these all needed? I'm pretty sure some of these (most?) are just helpers which don't need to be saved, 
+	// but better safe than sorry...
+	save_pointer(NAME(m_sprite_renderline), 1024);
+	save_pointer(NAME(m_highpri_renderline), 320);
+	save_pointer(NAME(m_video_renderline), 320/4);
+	save_pointer(NAME(megadrive_vdp_palette_lookup), 0x40/2);
+	save_pointer(NAME(megadrive_vdp_palette_lookup_sprite), 0x40/2);
+	save_pointer(NAME(megadrive_vdp_palette_lookup_shadow), 0x40/2);
+	save_pointer(NAME(megadrive_vdp_palette_lookup_highlight), 0x40/2);
+	save_pointer(NAME(m_render_line_raw), machine().primary_screen->width()/2);
+	if (m_use_alt_timing)
+		save_pointer(NAME(m_render_line), machine().primary_screen->width()/2);
+
 	irq6_on_timer = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(FUNC(irq6_on_timer_callback), (void*)this);
 	irq4_on_timer = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(FUNC(irq4_on_timer_callback), (void*)this);
 	megadriv_render_timer = machine().scheduler().timer_alloc(FUNC(megadriv_render_timer_callback), (void*)this);