diff --git a/src/mame/drivers/inufuku.cpp b/src/mame/drivers/inufuku.cpp
index 32c44add03e..312dfecfea6 100644
--- a/src/mame/drivers/inufuku.cpp
+++ b/src/mame/drivers/inufuku.cpp
@@ -89,25 +89,6 @@ TODO:
 
 ******************************************************************************/
 
-WRITE16_MEMBER(inufuku_state::inufuku_soundcommand_w)
-{
-	if (ACCESSING_BITS_0_7)
-	{
-		/* hack... sound doesn't work otherwise */
-		if (data == 0x08)
-			return;
-
-		m_pending_command = 1;
-		m_soundlatch->write(space, 0, data & 0xff);
-		m_audiocpu->set_input_line(INPUT_LINE_NMI, PULSE_LINE);
-	}
-}
-
-WRITE8_MEMBER(inufuku_state::pending_command_clear_w)
-{
-	m_pending_command = 0;
-}
-
 WRITE8_MEMBER(inufuku_state::inufuku_soundrombank_w)
 {
 	membank("bank1")->set_entry(data & 0x03);
@@ -121,9 +102,7 @@ WRITE8_MEMBER(inufuku_state::inufuku_soundrombank_w)
 
 CUSTOM_INPUT_MEMBER(inufuku_state::soundflag_r)
 {
-	uint16_t soundflag = m_pending_command ? 0 : 1;
-
-	return soundflag;
+	return m_soundlatch->pending_r() ? 0 : 1;
 }
 
 /******************************************************************************
@@ -145,7 +124,7 @@ static ADDRESS_MAP_START( inufuku_map, AS_PROGRAM, 16, inufuku_state )
 	AM_RANGE(0x18000a, 0x18000b) AM_READ_PORT("P3")
 
 	AM_RANGE(0x200000, 0x200001) AM_WRITE_PORT("EEPROMOUT")
-	AM_RANGE(0x280000, 0x280001) AM_WRITE(inufuku_soundcommand_w)   // sound command
+	AM_RANGE(0x280000, 0x280001) AM_DEVWRITE8("soundlatch", generic_latch_8_device, write, 0x00ff)   // sound command
 
 	AM_RANGE(0x300000, 0x301fff) AM_RAM_DEVWRITE("palette", palette_device, write) AM_SHARE("palette")                        // palette ram
 	AM_RANGE(0x380000, 0x3801ff) AM_WRITEONLY AM_SHARE("bg_rasterram")                                  // bg raster ram
@@ -179,7 +158,7 @@ ADDRESS_MAP_END
 static ADDRESS_MAP_START( inufuku_sound_io_map, AS_IO, 8, inufuku_state )
 	ADDRESS_MAP_GLOBAL_MASK(0xff)
 	AM_RANGE(0x00, 0x00) AM_WRITE(inufuku_soundrombank_w)
-	AM_RANGE(0x04, 0x04) AM_DEVREAD("soundlatch", generic_latch_8_device, read) AM_WRITE(pending_command_clear_w)
+	AM_RANGE(0x04, 0x04) AM_DEVREADWRITE("soundlatch", generic_latch_8_device, read, acknowledge_w)
 	AM_RANGE(0x08, 0x0b) AM_DEVREADWRITE("ymsnd", ym2610_device, read, write)
 ADDRESS_MAP_END
 
@@ -331,8 +310,6 @@ void inufuku_state::machine_start()
 	membank("bank1")->configure_entries(0, 4, &ROM[0x00000], 0x8000);
 	membank("bank1")->set_entry(0);
 
-
-	save_item(NAME(m_pending_command));
 	save_item(NAME(m_bg_scrollx));
 	save_item(NAME(m_bg_scrolly));
 	save_item(NAME(m_tx_scrollx));
@@ -344,7 +321,6 @@ void inufuku_state::machine_start()
 
 void inufuku_state::machine_reset()
 {
-	m_pending_command = 1;
 	m_bg_scrollx = 0;
 	m_bg_scrolly = 0;
 	m_tx_scrollx = 0;
@@ -394,6 +370,8 @@ static MACHINE_CONFIG_START( inufuku )
 	MCFG_SPEAKER_STANDARD_MONO("mono")
 
 	MCFG_GENERIC_LATCH_8_ADD("soundlatch")
+	MCFG_GENERIC_LATCH_DATA_PENDING_CB(INPUTLINE("audiocpu", INPUT_LINE_NMI))
+	MCFG_GENERIC_LATCH_SEPARATE_ACKNOWLEDGE(true)
 
 	MCFG_SOUND_ADD("ymsnd", YM2610, 32000000/4)
 	MCFG_YM2610_IRQ_HANDLER(INPUTLINE("audiocpu", 0))
diff --git a/src/mame/includes/inufuku.h b/src/mame/includes/inufuku.h
index cfa27c6cf9b..ecc593ab46a 100644
--- a/src/mame/includes/inufuku.h
+++ b/src/mame/includes/inufuku.h
@@ -43,9 +43,6 @@ public:
 	std::unique_ptr<uint16_t[]>     m_spriteram1_old;
 	uint32_t  inufuku_tile_callback( uint32_t code );
 
-	/* misc */
-	uint16_t    m_pending_command;
-
 	/* devices */
 	required_device<cpu_device> m_maincpu;
 	required_device<cpu_device> m_audiocpu;
@@ -54,8 +51,6 @@ public:
 	required_device<vsystem_spr_device> m_spr;
 	required_device<generic_latch_8_device> m_soundlatch;
 
-	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(inufuku_soundcommand_w);
-	DECLARE_WRITE8_MEMBER(pending_command_clear_w);
 	DECLARE_WRITE8_MEMBER(inufuku_soundrombank_w);
 	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(inufuku_palettereg_w);
 	DECLARE_WRITE16_MEMBER(inufuku_scrollreg_w);