diff --git a/src/emu/imagedev/midiin.c b/src/emu/imagedev/midiin.c
index 1ec7ba774fa..8e335b48da3 100644
--- a/src/emu/imagedev/midiin.c
+++ b/src/emu/imagedev/midiin.c
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ void midiin_device::device_reset()
 {
 	m_tx_busy = false;
 	m_xmit_read = m_xmit_write = 0;
-	m_timer->adjust(attotime::from_hz(1500), 0, attotime::from_hz(1500));
 
 	// we don't Rx, we Tx at 31250 8-N-1
 	set_rcv_rate(0);
@@ -102,6 +101,8 @@ bool midiin_device::call_load(void)
 		return IMAGE_INIT_FAIL;
 	}
 
+	m_timer->adjust(attotime::from_hz(1500), 0, attotime::from_hz(1500));
+
 	return IMAGE_INIT_PASS;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/emu/imagedev/midiin.h b/src/emu/imagedev/midiin.h
index ac6bbc49a54..7ee7c6082fa 100644
--- a/src/emu/imagedev/midiin.h
+++ b/src/emu/imagedev/midiin.h
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ public:
 	virtual bool is_readable()  const { return 1; }
 	virtual bool is_writeable() const { return 0; }
 	virtual bool is_creatable() const { return 0; }
-	virtual bool must_be_loaded() const { return 1; }
+	virtual bool must_be_loaded() const { return 0; }
 	virtual bool is_reset_on_load() const { return 0; }
 	virtual const char *file_extensions() const { return "mid"; }
 	virtual bool core_opens_image_file() const { return FALSE; }