diff --git a/src/emu/cpu/h8/h8_timer16.c b/src/emu/cpu/h8/h8_timer16.c
index c4b587abe8f..bc9c8c188ac 100644
--- a/src/emu/cpu/h8/h8_timer16.c
+++ b/src/emu/cpu/h8/h8_timer16.c
@@ -158,13 +158,13 @@ WRITE16_HANDLER(h8_timer16_channel_device::tbr_w)
 
 void h8_timer16_channel_device::device_start()
 {
-	io = &cpu->space(AS_IO);
 	intc = owner()->siblingdevice<h8_intc_device>(intc_tag);
+	channel_active = false;
 }
 
 void h8_timer16_channel_device::device_reset()
 {
-	channel_active = false;
+	// Don't touch channel_active here, top level device handles it
 	tcr = 0;
 	tcnt = 0;
 	memset(tgr, 0xff, sizeof(tgr));
diff --git a/src/emu/cpu/h8/h8_timer16.h b/src/emu/cpu/h8/h8_timer16.h
index efd294b7c8b..90d0038b329 100644
--- a/src/emu/cpu/h8/h8_timer16.h
+++ b/src/emu/cpu/h8/h8_timer16.h
@@ -133,7 +133,6 @@ public:
 
 protected:
 	required_device<h8_device> cpu;
-	address_space *io;
 	h8_timer16_channel_device *chained_timer;
 	h8_intc_device *intc;
 	const char *chain_tag, *intc_tag;