diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.cpp b/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.cpp
index d55e75df6fb..246077788d9 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.cpp
@@ -148,6 +148,10 @@ detail::queue_t::queue_t(netlist_state_t &nl)
 {
 }
 
+detail::queue_t::~queue_t()
+{
+}
+
 void detail::queue_t::register_state(plib::state_manager_t &manager, const pstring &module)
 {
 	//state().log().debug("register_state\n");
@@ -268,15 +272,6 @@ netlist_state_t::netlist_state_t(const pstring &aname,
 }
 
 
-netlist_state_t::~netlist_state_t()
-{
-	nets().clear();
-	m_devices.clear();
-}
-
-
-
-
 void netlist_t::stop()
 {
 	log().debug("Printing statistics ...\n");
@@ -695,12 +690,6 @@ detail::net_t::net_t(netlist_state_t &nl, const pstring &aname, core_terminal_t
 {
 }
 
-detail::net_t::~net_t()
-{
-	state().run_state_manager().remove_save_items(this);
-}
-
-
 void detail::net_t::rebuild_list()
 {
 	/* rebuild m_list */
diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.h b/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.h
index c2bf42999f3..69ace67d9d7 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.h
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/nl_base.h
@@ -713,7 +713,7 @@ namespace netlist
 		};
 
 		net_t(netlist_state_t &nl, const pstring &aname, core_terminal_t *mr = nullptr);
-		virtual ~net_t();
+		virtual ~net_t() = default;
 
 		void reset();
 
@@ -1221,6 +1221,7 @@ namespace netlist
 	public:
 		using entry_t = pqentry_t<net_t *, netlist_time>;
 		explicit queue_t(netlist_state_t &nl);
+		~queue_t();
 
 	protected:
 
@@ -1249,7 +1250,7 @@ namespace netlist
 			std::unique_ptr<callbacks_t> &&callbacks,
 			std::unique_ptr<setup_t> &&setup);
 
-		~netlist_state_t();
+		~netlist_state_t() = default;
 
 		friend class netlist_t; // allow access to private members
 
@@ -1320,11 +1321,20 @@ namespace netlist
 			m_devices.insert(m_devices.end(), { name, std::move(dev) });
 		}
 
+		/**
+		 * @brief Remove device
+		 *
+		 * Care needs to be applied if this is called to remove devices with
+		 * sub-devices which may have registered state.
+		 *
+		 * @param dev Device to be removed
+		 */
 		void remove_dev(core_device_t *dev)
 		{
 			for (auto it = m_devices.begin(); it != m_devices.end(); it++)
 				if (it->second.get() == dev)
 				{
+					m_state.remove_save_items(dev);
 					m_devices.erase(it);
 					return;
 				}
diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/nl_setup.cpp b/src/lib/netlist/nl_setup.cpp
index 2fad9ea4836..cfc9a7eb484 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/nl_setup.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/nl_setup.cpp
@@ -1000,6 +1000,7 @@ void setup_t::delete_empty_nets()
 				if (x->num_cons() == 0)
 				{
 					x->state().log().verbose("Deleting net {1} ...", x->name());
+					x->state().run_state_manager().remove_save_items(x.get());
 					return true;
 				}
 				else
diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/plib/pstate.cpp b/src/lib/netlist/plib/pstate.cpp
index 14d0da3d374..3bd93ed4f8e 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/plib/pstate.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/plib/pstate.cpp
@@ -18,19 +18,19 @@ void state_manager_t::save_state_ptr(const void *owner, const pstring &stname, c
 
 void state_manager_t::remove_save_items(const void *owner)
 {
-	for (auto i = m_save.begin(); i != m_save.end(); )
+	auto i = m_save.end();
+	while (i != m_save.begin())
 	{
+		i--;
 		if (i->get()->m_owner == owner)
 			i = m_save.erase(i);
-		else
-			i++;
 	}
-	for (auto i = m_custom.begin(); i != m_custom.end(); )
+	i = m_custom.end();
+	while (i > m_custom.begin())
 	{
+		i--;
 		if (i->get()->m_owner == owner)
 			i = m_custom.erase(i);
-		else
-			i++;
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/netlist/plib/pstate.h b/src/lib/netlist/plib/pstate.h
index 2e6026f355a..290333bf87d 100644
--- a/src/lib/netlist/plib/pstate.h
+++ b/src/lib/netlist/plib/pstate.h
@@ -117,7 +117,13 @@ public:
 	void post_load();
 	void remove_save_items(const void *owner);
 
-	const entry_t::list_t &save_list() const { return m_save; }
+	const std::vector<const entry_t *> save_list() const
+	{
+		std::vector<const entry_t *> ret;
+		for (auto &i : m_save)
+			ret.push_back(i.get());
+		return ret;
+	}
 
 	void save_state_ptr(const void *owner, const pstring &stname, const datatype_t &dt, const std::size_t count, void *ptr);