diff --git a/src/emu/devintrf.c b/src/emu/devintrf.c
index 628fb908ec1..89f0a30cc0b 100644
--- a/src/emu/devintrf.c
+++ b/src/emu/devintrf.c
@@ -82,15 +82,20 @@ device_config *device_list_add(device_config **listheadptr, device_type type, co
 		if (type == (*devptr)->type && strcmp(tag, (*devptr)->tag) == 0)
 			fatalerror("Attempted to add duplicate device: type=%s tag=%s\n", devtype_name(type), tag);
 	
+	/* get the size of the inline config */
+	info.i = 0;
+	(*type)(NULL, NULL, DEVINFO_INT_INLINE_CONFIG_BYTES, &info);
+	
 	/* allocate a new device */
-	device = malloc_or_die(sizeof(*device) + strlen(tag));
+	device = malloc_or_die(sizeof(*device) + strlen(tag) + info.i);
 	
 	/* populate all fields */
 	device->next = NULL;
 	device->type = type;
 	device->flags = 0;
 	device->clock = 0;
-	device->config = NULL;
+	device->static_config = NULL;
+	device->inline_config = (info.i == 0) ? NULL : (device->tag + strlen(tag) + 1);
 	device->token = NULL;
 	strcpy(device->tag, tag);
 
@@ -217,7 +222,7 @@ void device_list_start(running_machine *machine)
 		assert(config->start != NULL);
 
 		/* call the start function */	
-		config->token = (*config->start)(machine, config->clock, config->flags, config->config);
+		config->token = (*config->start)(machine, config->clock, config->flags, config->static_config, config->inline_config);
 		assert(config->token != NULL);
 			
 		/* fatal error if this fails */
diff --git a/src/emu/devintrf.h b/src/emu/devintrf.h
index d4cd2202e59..1da839984de 100644
--- a/src/emu/devintrf.h
+++ b/src/emu/devintrf.h
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ enum
 	/* --- the following bits of info are returned as 64-bit signed integers --- */
 	DEVINFO_INT_FIRST = 0x00000,
 
+	DEVINFO_INT_INLINE_CONFIG_BYTES = DEVINFO_INT_FIRST,/* R/O: bytes of inline configuration */
+
 	DEVINFO_INT_DEVICE_SPECIFIC = 0x08000,				/* R/W: device-specific values start here */
 
 	DEVINFO_INT_LAST = 0x0ffff,
@@ -77,7 +79,7 @@ typedef union _deviceinfo deviceinfo;
 /* device interface function types */
 typedef void (*device_get_info_func)(running_machine *machine, void *token, UINT32 state, deviceinfo *info);
 typedef void (*device_set_info_func)(running_machine *machine, void *token, UINT32 state, const deviceinfo *info);
-typedef void *(*device_start_func)(running_machine *machine, UINT32 clock, UINT32 flags, const void *config);
+typedef void *(*device_start_func)(running_machine *machine, UINT32 clock, UINT32 flags, const void *static_config, const void *inline_config);
 typedef void (*device_stop_func)(running_machine *machine, void *token);
 typedef void (*device_reset_func)(running_machine *machine, void *token);
 
@@ -109,11 +111,12 @@ struct _device_config
 	device_type				type;					/* device type */
 	UINT32					flags;					/* device flags */
 	UINT32					clock;					/* device clock */
-	const void *			config;					/* static device configuration */
 	device_set_info_func 	set_info;				/* quick pointer to set_info callback */
 	device_start_func		start;					/* quick pointer to start callback */
 	device_stop_func		stop;					/* quick pointer to stop callback */
 	device_reset_func		reset;					/* quick pointer to reset callback */
+	const void *			static_config;			/* static device configuration */
+	void *					inline_config;			/* inline device configuration */
 	void *					token;					/* token if device is live */
 	char					tag[1];					/* tag for this instance */
 };
diff --git a/src/emu/mconfig.h b/src/emu/mconfig.h
index c56ab1d6911..e040b86f8b0 100644
--- a/src/emu/mconfig.h
+++ b/src/emu/mconfig.h
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ struct _machine_config
 	device->flags = (_flags);											\
 
 #define MDRV_DEVICE_CONFIG(_config)										\
-	device->config = &(_config);										\
+	device->static_config = &(_config);									\
 
 
 
diff --git a/src/emu/video/mc6845.c b/src/emu/video/mc6845.c
index 4bd3c84f895..3885aafffb3 100644
--- a/src/emu/video/mc6845.c
+++ b/src/emu/video/mc6845.c
@@ -445,9 +445,9 @@ void mc6845_update(mc6845_t *mc6845, mame_bitmap *bitmap, const rectangle *clipr
 
 
 /* device interface */
-static void *mc6845_start(running_machine *machine, UINT32 clock, UINT32 flags, const void *config)
+static void *mc6845_start(running_machine *machine, UINT32 clock, UINT32 flags, const void *static_config, const void *inline_config)
 {
-	return mc6845_config(config);
+	return mc6845_config(static_config);
 }
 
 
@@ -465,6 +465,7 @@ void mc6845_get_info(running_machine *machine, void *token, UINT32 state, device
 	switch (state)
 	{
 		/* --- the following bits of info are returned as 64-bit signed integers --- */
+		case DEVINFO_INT_INLINE_CONFIG_BYTES:			info->i = 0;							break;
 
 		/* --- the following bits of info are returned as pointers to data or functions --- */
 		case DEVINFO_FCT_SET_INFO:						info->set_info = mc6845_set_info;		break;