diff --git a/src/mame/video/atarig42.c b/src/mame/video/atarig42.c
index 1ac0302bdd4..b893632f91a 100644
--- a/src/mame/video/atarig42.c
+++ b/src/mame/video/atarig42.c
@@ -180,13 +180,15 @@ void atarig42_scanline_update(const device_config *screen, int scanline)
 			int newbank = word & 0x1f;
 			if (newscroll != playfield_xscroll)
 			{
-				video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline + i - 1);
+				if (scanline + i > 0)
+					video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline + i - 1);
 				tilemap_set_scrollx(atarigen_playfield_tilemap, 0, newscroll);
 				playfield_xscroll = newscroll;
 			}
 			if (newbank != playfield_color_bank)
 			{
-				video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline + i - 1);
+				if (scanline + i > 0)
+					video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline + i - 1);
 				tilemap_mark_all_tiles_dirty(atarigen_playfield_tilemap);
 				playfield_color_bank = newbank;
 			}
@@ -199,13 +201,15 @@ void atarig42_scanline_update(const device_config *screen, int scanline)
 			int newbank = word & 7;
 			if (newscroll != playfield_yscroll)
 			{
-				video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline + i - 1);
+				if (scanline + i > 0)
+					video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline + i - 1);
 				tilemap_set_scrolly(atarigen_playfield_tilemap, 0, newscroll);
 				playfield_yscroll = newscroll;
 			}
 			if (newbank != playfield_tile_bank)
 			{
-				video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline + i - 1);
+				if (scanline + i > 0)
+					video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline + i - 1);
 				tilemap_mark_all_tiles_dirty(atarigen_playfield_tilemap);
 				playfield_tile_bank = newbank;
 			}
diff --git a/src/mame/video/atarigt.c b/src/mame/video/atarigt.c
index 778cca1d508..82bd02074a7 100644
--- a/src/mame/video/atarigt.c
+++ b/src/mame/video/atarigt.c
@@ -244,13 +244,15 @@ void atarigt_scanline_update(const device_config *screen, int scanline)
 			int newbank = (word >> 16) & 0x1f;
 			if (newscroll != playfield_xscroll)
 			{
-				video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline + i - 1);
+				if (scanline + i > 0)
+					video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline + i - 1);
 				tilemap_set_scrollx(atarigen_playfield_tilemap, 0, newscroll);
 				playfield_xscroll = newscroll;
 			}
 			if (newbank != playfield_color_bank)
 			{
-				video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline + i - 1);
+				if (scanline + i > 0)
+					video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline + i - 1);
 				tilemap_set_palette_offset(atarigen_playfield_tilemap, (newbank & 0x1f) << 8);
 				playfield_color_bank = newbank;
 			}
@@ -262,13 +264,15 @@ void atarigt_scanline_update(const device_config *screen, int scanline)
 			int newbank = word & 15;
 			if (newscroll != playfield_yscroll)
 			{
-				video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline + i - 1);
+				if (scanline + i > 0)
+					video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline + i - 1);
 				tilemap_set_scrolly(atarigen_playfield_tilemap, 0, newscroll);
 				playfield_yscroll = newscroll;
 			}
 			if (newbank != playfield_tile_bank)
 			{
-				video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline + i - 1);
+				if (scanline + i > 0)
+					video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline + i - 1);
 				tilemap_mark_all_tiles_dirty(atarigen_playfield_tilemap);
 				playfield_tile_bank = newbank;
 			}
diff --git a/src/mame/video/atarigx2.c b/src/mame/video/atarigx2.c
index 3ac74fc6397..c241899cafd 100644
--- a/src/mame/video/atarigx2.c
+++ b/src/mame/video/atarigx2.c
@@ -179,13 +179,15 @@ void atarigx2_scanline_update(const device_config *screen, int scanline)
 			int newbank = (word >> 16) & 0x1f;
 			if (newscroll != playfield_xscroll)
 			{
-				video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline + i - 1);
+				if (scanline + i > 0)
+					video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline + i - 1);
 				tilemap_set_scrollx(atarigen_playfield_tilemap, 0, newscroll);
 				playfield_xscroll = newscroll;
 			}
 			if (newbank != playfield_color_bank)
 			{
-				video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline + i - 1);
+				if (scanline + i > 0)
+					video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline + i - 1);
 				tilemap_mark_all_tiles_dirty(atarigen_playfield_tilemap);
 				playfield_color_bank = newbank;
 			}
@@ -197,13 +199,15 @@ void atarigx2_scanline_update(const device_config *screen, int scanline)
 			int newbank = word & 15;
 			if (newscroll != playfield_yscroll)
 			{
-				video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline + i - 1);
+				if (scanline + i > 0)
+					video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline + i - 1);
 				tilemap_set_scrolly(atarigen_playfield_tilemap, 0, newscroll);
 				playfield_yscroll = newscroll;
 			}
 			if (newbank != playfield_tile_bank)
 			{
-				video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline + i - 1);
+				if (scanline + i > 0)
+					video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline + i - 1);
 				tilemap_mark_all_tiles_dirty(atarigen_playfield_tilemap);
 				playfield_tile_bank = newbank;
 			}
diff --git a/src/mame/video/batman.c b/src/mame/video/batman.c
index 821084c00af..86e0fd9344a 100644
--- a/src/mame/video/batman.c
+++ b/src/mame/video/batman.c
@@ -143,13 +143,15 @@ void batman_scanline_update(const device_config *screen, int scanline)
 				switch (data & 15)
 				{
 					case 9:
-						video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline - 1);
+						if (scanline > 0)
+							video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline - 1);
 						atarivc_state.mo_xscroll = (data >> 7) & 0x1ff;
 						atarimo_set_xscroll(0, atarivc_state.mo_xscroll);
 						break;
 
 					case 10:
-						video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline - 1);
+						if (scanline > 0)
+							video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline - 1);
 						atarivc_state.pf1_xscroll_raw = (data >> 7) & 0x1ff;
 						atarivc_update_pf_xscrolls();
 						tilemap_set_scrollx(atarigen_playfield_tilemap, 0, atarivc_state.pf0_xscroll);
@@ -157,26 +159,30 @@ void batman_scanline_update(const device_config *screen, int scanline)
 						break;
 
 					case 11:
-						video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline - 1);
+						if (scanline > 0)
+							video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline - 1);
 						atarivc_state.pf0_xscroll_raw = (data >> 7) & 0x1ff;
 						atarivc_update_pf_xscrolls();
 						tilemap_set_scrollx(atarigen_playfield_tilemap, 0, atarivc_state.pf0_xscroll);
 						break;
 
 					case 13:
-						video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline - 1);
+						if (scanline > 0)
+							video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline - 1);
 						atarivc_state.mo_yscroll = (data >> 7) & 0x1ff;
 						atarimo_set_yscroll(0, atarivc_state.mo_yscroll);
 						break;
 
 					case 14:
-						video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline - 1);
+						if (scanline > 0)
+							video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline - 1);
 						atarivc_state.pf1_yscroll = (data >> 7) & 0x1ff;
 						tilemap_set_scrolly(atarigen_playfield2_tilemap, 0, atarivc_state.pf1_yscroll);
 						break;
 
 					case 15:
-						video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline - 1);
+						if (scanline > 0)
+							video_screen_update_partial(screen, scanline - 1);
 						atarivc_state.pf0_yscroll = (data >> 7) & 0x1ff;
 						tilemap_set_scrolly(atarigen_playfield_tilemap, 0, atarivc_state.pf0_yscroll);
 						break;
diff --git a/src/mame/video/cyberbal.c b/src/mame/video/cyberbal.c
index 1f33939ff49..b4e340085c5 100644
--- a/src/mame/video/cyberbal.c
+++ b/src/mame/video/cyberbal.c
@@ -296,7 +296,8 @@ void cyberbal_scanline_update(const device_config *screen, int scanline)
 		{
 			if (((base[3] >> 1) & 7) != playfield_palette_bank[i])
 			{
-				video_screen_update_partial(update_screen, scanline - 1);
+				if (scanline > 0)
+					video_screen_update_partial(update_screen, scanline - 1);
 				playfield_palette_bank[i] = (base[3] >> 1) & 7;
 				tilemap_set_palette_offset(i ? atarigen_playfield2_tilemap : atarigen_playfield_tilemap, playfield_palette_bank[i] << 8);
 			}
@@ -306,7 +307,8 @@ void cyberbal_scanline_update(const device_config *screen, int scanline)
 			int newscroll = 2 * (((base[4] >> 7) + 4) & 0x1ff);
 			if (newscroll != playfield_xscroll[i])
 			{
-				video_screen_update_partial(update_screen, scanline - 1);
+				if (scanline > 0)
+					video_screen_update_partial(update_screen, scanline - 1);
 				tilemap_set_scrollx(i ? atarigen_playfield2_tilemap : atarigen_playfield_tilemap, 0, newscroll);
 				playfield_xscroll[i] = newscroll;
 			}
@@ -317,7 +319,8 @@ void cyberbal_scanline_update(const device_config *screen, int scanline)
 			int newscroll = ((base[5] >> 7) - (scanline)) & 0x1ff;
 			if (newscroll != playfield_yscroll[i])
 			{
-				video_screen_update_partial(update_screen, scanline - 1);
+				if (scanline > 0)
+					video_screen_update_partial(update_screen, scanline - 1);
 				tilemap_set_scrolly(i ? atarigen_playfield2_tilemap : atarigen_playfield_tilemap, 0, newscroll);
 				playfield_yscroll[i] = newscroll;
 			}
@@ -326,7 +329,8 @@ void cyberbal_scanline_update(const device_config *screen, int scanline)
 		{
 			if (current_slip[i] != base[7])
 			{
-				video_screen_update_partial(update_screen, scanline - 1);
+				if (scanline > 0)
+					video_screen_update_partial(update_screen, scanline - 1);
 				current_slip[i] = base[7];
 			}
 		}