diff --git a/plugins/cheat/init.lua b/plugins/cheat/init.lua
index dd4186cf1be..e9150e1bda4 100644
--- a/plugins/cheat/init.lua
+++ b/plugins/cheat/init.lua
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ function cheat.startplugin()
 	local cheatname = ""
 	local consolelog = nil
 	local consolelast = 0
+	local perodicset = false
 	local watches = {}
 	local breaks = {}
 
@@ -255,11 +256,13 @@ function cheat.startplugin()
 	end
 
 	local function periodiccb()
+		local last = consolelast
 		local msg = consolelog[#consolelog]
-		if #consolelog > consolelast and msg:find("Stopped at", 1, true) then
-			local point = msg:match("Stopped at breakpoint ([0-9]+)")
+		consolelast = #consolelog
+		if #consolelog > last and msg:find("Stopped at", 1, true) then
+			local point = tonumber(msg:match("Stopped at breakpoint ([0-9]+)"))
 			if not point then
-				point = msg:match("Stopped at watchpoint ([0-9]+")
+				point = tonumber(msg:match("Stopped at watchpoint ([0-9]+"))
 				if not point then
 					return -- ??
 				end
@@ -270,15 +273,14 @@ function cheat.startplugin()
 					-- don't use an b/wpset action because that will supress the b/wp index
 					manager:machine():debugger().execution_state = "run"
 				end
-				return
-			end
-			local bp = breaks[point]
-			if bp then
-				run_if(bp.cheat, bp.func)
-				manager:machine():debugger().execution_state = "run"
+			else
+				local bp = breaks[point]
+				if bp then
+					run_if(bp.cheat, bp.func)
+					manager:machine():debugger().execution_state = "run"
+				end
 			end
 		end
-		consolelast = #consolelog
 	end
 
 	local function bpset(cheat, dev, addr, func)
@@ -364,7 +366,10 @@ function cheat.startplugin()
 						wpset = function(space, wptype, addr, len, func) wpset(cheat, dev, space, wptype, addr, len, func) end }
 					cheat.bp = {}
 					cheat.wp = {}
-					emu.register_periodic(periodic_cb)
+					if not periodicset then
+						emu.register_periodic(periodic_cb)
+						periodicset = true
+					end
 				end
 			end
 		end
diff --git a/plugins/gdbstub/init.lua b/plugins/gdbstub/init.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f463d816a35
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/gdbstub/init.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,289 @@
+-- license:BSD-3-Clause
+-- copyright-holders: Carl
+local exports = {}
+exports.name = "gdbstub"
+exports.version = "0.0.1"
+exports.description = "GDB stub plugin"
+exports.license = "The BSD 3-Clause License"
+exports.author = { name = "Carl" }
+
+local gdbstub = exports
+
+-- percpu mapping of mame registers to gdb register order
+local regmaps = {
+	i386 = {
+		togdb = {
+			EAX = 1, ECX = 2, EDX = 3, EBX = 4, ESP = 5, EBP = 6, ESI = 7, EDI = 8, EIP = 9, EFLAGS = 10, CS = 11, SS = 12,
+			DS = 13, ES = 14, FS = 15, GS = 16 },
+		fromgdb = {
+			"EAX", "ECX", "EDX", "EBX", "ESP", "EBP", "ESI", "EDI", "EIP", "EFLAGS", "CS", "SS", "DS", "ES", "FS", "GS" },
+		regsize = 4,
+		addrsize = 4,
+		pcreg = "EIP"
+	}
+}
+regmaps.i486 = regmaps.i386
+regmaps.pentium = regmaps.i386
+
+function gdbstub.startplugin()
+	local debugger
+	local debug
+	local cpu
+	local breaks
+	local watches
+	local consolelog
+	local consolelast
+	local running
+
+	emu.register_start(function ()
+		debugger = manager:machine():debugger()
+		if not debugger then
+			print("gdbstub: debugger not enabled")
+			return
+		end
+		cpu = manager:machine().devices[":maincpu"]
+		if not cpu then
+			print("gdbstub: maincpu not found")
+		end
+		if not regmaps[cpu:shortname()] then
+			print("gdbstub: no register map for cpu " .. cpu:shortname())
+			cpu = nil
+		end
+		consolelog = debugger.consolelog
+		consolelast = 0
+		breaks = {byaddr = {}, byidx = {}}
+		watches = {byaddr = {}, byidx = {}}
+		running = false
+	end)
+
+	emu.register_stop(function()
+		consolelog = nil
+		cpu = nil
+		debug = nil
+	end)
+
+	local socket = emu.file("", 7)
+	local connected = false
+	socket:open("socket.127.0.0.1:2159")
+
+	emu.register_periodic(function ()
+		if not cpu then
+			return
+		end
+
+		if running and debugger.execution_state == "stop" then
+			socket:write("$S05#B8")
+			running = false
+			return
+		elseif debugger.execution_state == "run" then
+			running = true
+		end
+
+		local function chksum(str)
+			local sum = 0
+			str:gsub(".", function(s) sum = sum + s:byte() end)
+			return string.format("%.2x", sum & 0xff)
+		end
+
+		local function makebestr(val, len)
+			local str = ""
+			for count = 0, len - 1 do
+				str = str .. string.format("%.2x", (val >> (count * 8)) & 0xff)
+			end
+			return str
+		end
+
+		local last = consolelast
+		local msg = consolelog[#consolelog]
+		consolelast = #consolelog
+		if #consolelog > last and msg:find("Stopped at", 1, true) then
+			local point = tonumber(msg:match("Stopped at breakpoint ([0-9]+)"))
+			local map = regmaps[cpu:shortname()]
+			running = false
+			if not point then
+				point = tonumber(msg:match("Stopped at watchpoint ([0-9]+"))
+				if not point then
+					return -- ??
+				end
+				local wp = watches.byidx[point]
+				if wp then
+					local reply = "T05" .. wp.type .. ":" .. makebestr(wp.addr, map.addrsize)
+					socket:write("$" .. reply .. "#" .. chksum(reply))
+				else
+					socket:write("$S05#B8")
+				end
+				return
+			else
+				local bp = breaks.byidx[point]
+				if bp then
+					local reply = "T05hwbreak:" .. makebestr(cpu.state[map.pcreg].value, map.regsize)
+					socket:write("$" .. reply .. "#" .. chksum(reply))
+				else
+					socket:write("$S05#B8")
+				end
+				return
+			end
+		end
+
+		if running and debugger.execution_state == "stop" then
+			socket:write("$S05#B8")
+			running = false
+			return
+		elseif debugger.execution_state == "run" then
+			running = true
+		end
+
+		local data = ""
+
+		repeat
+			local read = socket:read(100)
+			data = data .. read
+		until #read == 0
+		if #data == 0 then
+			return
+		end
+		if data == "\x03" then
+			debugger.execution_state = "stop"
+			socket:write("$S05#B8")
+			running = false
+			return
+		end
+		local packet, checksum = data:match("%$([^#]+)#(%x%x)")
+		if packet then
+			packet:gsub("}(.)", function(s) return string.char(string.byte(s) ~ 0x20) end)
+			local cmd = packet:sub(1, 1)
+			local map = regmaps[cpu:shortname()]
+			if cmd == "g" then
+				local regs = {}
+				for reg, idx in pairs(map.togdb) do
+					regs[idx] = makebestr(cpu.state[reg].value, map.regsize) 
+				end
+				local data = table.concat(regs)
+				socket:write("+$" .. data .. "#" .. chksum(data))
+			elseif cmd == "G" then
+				local count = 0
+				packet:sub(2):gsub(string.rep("%x", map.regsize * 2), function(s)
+						count = count + 1
+						cpu.state[map.fromgdb[count]].value = tonumber(s,16)
+					end)
+				socket:write("+$OK#9a")
+			elseif cmd == "m" then
+				local addr, len = packet:match("m(%x+),(%x+)")
+				if addr and len then
+					addr = tonumber(addr, 16)
+					len = tonumber(len, 16)
+					local data = ""
+					local space = cpu.spaces["program"]
+					for count = 1, len do
+						data = data .. string.format("%.2x", space:read_log_u8(addr))
+						addr = addr + 1
+					end
+					socket:write("+$" .. data .. "#" .. chksum(data))
+				else
+					socket:write("+$E00#a5") -- fix error
+				end
+			elseif cmd == "M" then
+				local count = 0
+				local addr, len, data = packet:match("M(%x+),(%x+),(%x+)")
+				if addr and len and data then
+					addr = tonumber(addr, 16)
+					local space = cpu.spaces["program"]
+					data:gsub("%x%x", function(s) space:write_log_u8(addr + count, tonumber(s, 16)) count = count + 1 end)
+					socket:write("+$OK#9a")
+				else
+					socket:write("+$E00#a5")
+				end
+			elseif cmd == "s" then
+				if #packet == 1 then
+					cpu:debug():step()
+					socket:write("+$OK#9a")
+					socket:write("$S05#B8")
+					running = false
+				else
+					socket:write("+$E00#a5")
+				end
+			elseif cmd == "c" then
+				if #packet == 1 then
+					cpu:debug():go()
+					socket:write("+$OK#9a")
+				else
+					socket:write("+$E00#a5")
+				end
+			elseif cmd == "Z" then
+				local btype, addr, kind = packet:match("Z([0-4]),(%x+),(.*)")
+				addr = tonumber(addr, 16)
+				if btype == "0" then
+					socket:write("") -- is machine dependant
+				elseif btype == "1" then
+					if breaks.byaddr[addr] then
+						socket:write("+$E00#a5")
+						return
+					end
+					local idx = cpu:debug():bpset(addr)
+					breaks.byaddr[addr] = idx
+					breaks.byidx[idx] = addr
+					socket:write("+$OK#9a")
+				elseif btype == "2" then
+					if watches.byaddr[addr] then
+						socket:write("+$E00#a5")
+						return
+					end
+					local idx = cpu:debug():wpset(cpu.spaces["program"], "w", addr, 1)
+					watches.byaddr[addr] = idx
+					watches.byidx[idx] = {addr = addr, type = "watch"}
+					socket:write("+$OK#9a")
+				elseif btype == "3" then
+					if watches.byaddr[addr] then
+						socket:write("+$E00#a5")
+						return
+					end
+					local idx = cpu:debug():wpset(cpu.spaces["program"], "r", addr, 1)
+					watches.byaddr[addr] = idx
+					watches.byidx[idx] = {addr = addr, type = "rwatch"}
+					socket:write("+$OK#9a")
+				elseif btype == "4" then
+					if watches.byaddr[addr] then
+						socket:write("+$E00#a5")
+						return
+					end
+					local idx = cpu:debug():wpset(cpu.spaces["program"], "rw", addr, 1)
+					watches.byaddr[addr] = idx
+					watches.byidx[idx] = {addr = addr, type = "awatch"}
+					socket:write("+$OK#9a")
+				end
+			elseif cmd == "z" then
+				local btype, addr, kind = packet:match("z([0-4]),(%x+),(.*)")
+				addr = tonumber(addr, 16)
+				if btype == "0" then
+					socket:write("") -- is machine dependent
+				elseif btype == "1" then
+					if not breaks.byaddr[addr] then
+						socket:write("+$E00#a5")
+						return
+					end
+					local idx = breaks.byaddr[addr]
+					cpu:debug():bpclr(idx)
+					breaks.byaddr[addr] = nil
+					breaks.byidx[idx] = nil
+					socket:write("+$OK#9a")
+				elseif btype == "2" or btype == "3" or btype == "4" then
+					if not watches.byaddr[addr] then
+						socket:write("+$E00#a5")
+						return
+					end
+					local idx = watches.byaddr[addr]
+					cpu:debug():wpclr(idx)
+					watches.byaddr[addr] = nil
+					watches.byidx[idx] = nil
+					socket:write("+$OK#9a")
+				end
+			elseif cmd == "?" then
+				socket:write("+$S05#B8")
+			else
+				socket:write("+$#00")
+			end
+		end
+	end)
+end
+
+return exports
diff --git a/plugins/gdbstub/plugin.json b/plugins/gdbstub/plugin.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..84c2d163b74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/gdbstub/plugin.json
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+{
+  "plugin": {
+	"name": "gdbstub",
+	"description": "GDB stub plugin",
+	"version": "0.0.1",
+	"author": "Carl",
+	"type": "plugin",
+	"start": "false"
+  }
+}