diff --git a/src/mame/includes/megadriv.h b/src/mame/includes/megadriv.h
index 6a455d8c4f5..be604fd5345 100644
--- a/src/mame/includes/megadriv.h
+++ b/src/mame/includes/megadriv.h
@@ -407,4 +407,3 @@ private:
 
 /* machine/megavdp.c */
 extern int megadrive_total_scanlines;
-extern int megadrive_vblank_flag;
diff --git a/src/mame/machine/mega32x.c b/src/mame/machine/mega32x.c
index 1fb2bd65af9..0499ec9a386 100644
--- a/src/mame/machine/mega32x.c
+++ b/src/mame/machine/mega32x.c
@@ -1017,16 +1017,16 @@ READ16_MEMBER( sega_32x_device::_32x_common_vdp_regs_r )
 			UINT16 hpos = get_hposition();
 			int megadrive_hblank_flag = 0;
 
-			if (megadrive_vblank_flag) retdata |= 0x8000;
+			if (m_32x_vblank_flag) retdata |= 0x8000;
 
 			if (hpos>400) megadrive_hblank_flag = 1;
 			if (hpos>460) megadrive_hblank_flag = 0;
 
 			if (megadrive_hblank_flag) retdata |= 0x4000;
 
-			if (megadrive_vblank_flag) { retdata |= 2; } // framebuffer approval (TODO: condition is unknown at current time)
+			if (m_32x_vblank_flag) { retdata |= 2; } // framebuffer approval (TODO: condition is unknown at current time)
 
-			if (megadrive_hblank_flag && megadrive_vblank_flag) { retdata |= 0x2000; } // palette approval (TODO: active high or low?)
+			if (megadrive_hblank_flag && m_32x_vblank_flag) { retdata |= 0x2000; } // palette approval (TODO: active high or low?)
 
 			return retdata;
 	}
@@ -1597,6 +1597,7 @@ void sega_32x_device::_32x_interrupt_cb(int scanline, int irq6)
 {
 	if (scanline == irq6)
 	{
+		m_32x_vblank_flag = 1;
 		m_sh2_master_vint_pending = 1;
 		m_sh2_slave_vint_pending = 1;
 		_32x_check_irqs();
diff --git a/src/mame/machine/mega32x.h b/src/mame/machine/mega32x.h
index 9a514edd447..2557f0cef57 100644
--- a/src/mame/machine/mega32x.h
+++ b/src/mame/machine/mega32x.h
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ public:
 
 	/* our main vblank handler resets this */
 	int m_32x_hcount_compare_val;
+	int m_32x_vblank_flag;
 	int m_sh2_are_running;
 	int m_32x_240mode;
 	UINT16 m_32x_a1518a_reg;
diff --git a/src/mame/machine/megadriv.c b/src/mame/machine/megadriv.c
index 2196b907a86..a0cdaf51208 100644
--- a/src/mame/machine/megadriv.c
+++ b/src/mame/machine/megadriv.c
@@ -1165,8 +1165,11 @@ void md_base_state::screen_eof_megadriv(screen_device &screen, bool state)
 			m_vdp->vdp_handle_eof();
 			m_vdp->m_megadriv_scanline_timer->adjust(attotime::zero);
 
-			if (m_32x) 
+			if (m_32x)
+			{
+				m_32x->m_32x_vblank_flag = 0;
 				m_32x->m_32x_hcount_compare_val = -1;
+			}
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/mame/machine/megavdp.c b/src/mame/machine/megavdp.c
index 9c0f2e7b474..5f5b015b501 100644
--- a/src/mame/machine/megavdp.c
+++ b/src/mame/machine/megavdp.c
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 
 /* external gunk still has dependencies on these */
 int megadrive_total_scanlines;
-int megadrive_vblank_flag = 0;
 
 
 const device_type SEGA_GEN_VDP = &device_creator<sega_genesis_vdp_device>;
@@ -148,6 +147,7 @@ void sega_genesis_vdp_device::device_start()
 	save_item(NAME(m_irq6_scanline));
 	save_item(NAME(m_z80irq_scanline));
 	save_item(NAME(m_scanline_counter));
+	save_item(NAME(m_vblank_flag));
 
 	m_sprite_renderline = auto_alloc_array(machine(), UINT8, 1024);
 	m_highpri_renderline = auto_alloc_array(machine(), UINT8, 320);
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ void sega_genesis_vdp_device::device_reset()
 	megadrive_irq6_pending = 0;
 	megadrive_irq4_pending = 0;
 	m_scanline_counter = 0;
+	m_vblank_flag = 0;
 
 	sega315_5124_device::device_reset();
 }
@@ -986,7 +987,7 @@ UINT16 sega_genesis_vdp_device::megadriv_vdp_ctrl_port_r()
 	int megadrive_odd_frame = m_imode_odd_frame^1;
 	int megadrive_hblank_flag = 0;
 	int megadrive_dma_active = 0;
-	int vblank;
+	int vblank = m_vblank_flag;
 	int fifo_empty = 1;
 	int fifo_full = 0;
 
@@ -995,8 +996,6 @@ UINT16 sega_genesis_vdp_device::megadriv_vdp_ctrl_port_r()
 	if (hpos>400) megadrive_hblank_flag = 1;
 	if (hpos>460) megadrive_hblank_flag = 0;
 
-	vblank = megadrive_vblank_flag;
-
 	/* extra case */
 	if (MEGADRIVE_REG01_DISP_ENABLE==0) vblank = 1;
 
@@ -2623,7 +2622,7 @@ void sega_genesis_vdp_device::vdp_handle_scanline_callback(int scanline)
 		//  mame_printf_debug("x %d",genesis_get_scanline_counter());
 			irq6_on_timer->adjust(attotime::from_usec(6));
 			megadrive_irq6_pending = 1;
-			megadrive_vblank_flag = 1;
+			m_vblank_flag = 1;
 
 		}
 
@@ -2682,7 +2681,7 @@ void sega_genesis_vdp_device::vdp_handle_eof()
 	rectangle visarea;
 	int scr_width = 320;
 
-	megadrive_vblank_flag = 0;
+	m_vblank_flag = 0;
 	//megadrive_irq6_pending = 0; /* NO! (breaks warlock) */
 
 	/* Set it to -1 here, so it becomes 0 when the first timer kicks in */
diff --git a/src/mame/machine/megavdp.h b/src/mame/machine/megavdp.h
index 53a45905fb9..155fcfde977 100644
--- a/src/mame/machine/megavdp.h
+++ b/src/mame/machine/megavdp.h
@@ -272,6 +272,7 @@ private:
 	int megadrive_irq6_pending;
 	int megadrive_irq4_pending;
 	int m_scanline_counter;
+	int m_vblank_flag;
 
 	int megadrive_imode;