diff --git a/src/emu/romentry.h b/src/emu/romentry.h
index 8a940c601df..7704be6ba6f 100644
--- a/src/emu/romentry.h
+++ b/src/emu/romentry.h
@@ -132,6 +132,10 @@ public:
 		, m_offset(offset)
 		, m_length(length)
 		, m_flags(flags) {}
+	rom_entry(rom_entry const &) = default;
+	rom_entry(rom_entry &&) = default;
+	rom_entry &operator=(rom_entry const &) = default;
+	rom_entry &operator=(rom_entry &&) = default;
 
 	// accessors
 	const std::string &name() const { return m_name; }
@@ -139,7 +143,7 @@ public:
 	UINT32 offset() const { return m_offset; }
 	UINT32 length() const { return m_length; }
 	UINT32 flags() const { return m_flags; }
-	UINT32 &flags() { return m_flags; }
+	void set_flags(UINT32 flags) { m_flags = flags; }
 
 private:
 	std::string		m_name;
diff --git a/src/emu/romload.cpp b/src/emu/romload.cpp
index 4ee6741d9d7..7ba443e9abc 100644
--- a/src/emu/romload.cpp
+++ b/src/emu/romload.cpp
@@ -914,7 +914,7 @@ void rom_load_manager::process_rom_entries(const char *regiontag, const rom_entr
 					if (!ROM_INHERITSFLAGS(&modified_romp))
 						lastflags = modified_romp.flags();
 					else
-						modified_romp.flags() = (modified_romp.flags() & ~ROM_INHERITEDFLAGS) | lastflags;
+						modified_romp.set_flags((modified_romp.flags() & ~ROM_INHERITEDFLAGS) | lastflags);
 
 					explength += ROM_GETLENGTH(&modified_romp);