diff --git a/src/emu/machine/6526cia.c b/src/emu/machine/6526cia.c
index 783933d84a4..c52a003dbbf 100644
--- a/src/emu/machine/6526cia.c
+++ b/src/emu/machine/6526cia.c
@@ -255,6 +255,24 @@ static DEVICE_RESET( cia )
 }
 
 
+/*-------------------------------------------------
+    DEVICE_VALIDITY_CHECK( cia )
+-------------------------------------------------*/
+
+static DEVICE_VALIDITY_CHECK( cia )
+{
+	int error = FALSE;
+
+	if (device->clock <= 0)
+	{
+		mame_printf_error("%s: %s has a cia with an invalid clock\n", driver->source_file, driver->name);
+		error = TRUE;
+	}
+
+	return error;
+}
+
+
 /*-------------------------------------------------
     cia_update_interrupts
 -------------------------------------------------*/
@@ -852,6 +870,7 @@ DEVICE_GET_INFO(cia6526r1)
 		case DEVINFO_FCT_START:							info->start = DEVICE_START_NAME(cia);		break;
 		case DEVINFO_FCT_STOP:							/* Nothing */								break;
 		case DEVINFO_FCT_RESET:							info->reset = DEVICE_RESET_NAME(cia);		break;
+		case DEVINFO_FCT_VALIDITY_CHECK:				info->validity_check = DEVICE_VALIDITY_CHECK_NAME(cia); break;
 
 		/* --- the following bits of info are returned as NULL-terminated strings --- */
 		case DEVINFO_STR_NAME:							strcpy(info->s, "6526 CIA rev1");			break;