diff --git a/src/emu/devcpu.cpp b/src/emu/devcpu.cpp
index 5f75bf826a2..616a501f438 100644
--- a/src/emu/devcpu.cpp
+++ b/src/emu/devcpu.cpp
@@ -21,15 +21,15 @@
 //  cpu_device - constructor
 //-------------------------------------------------
 
-cpu_device::cpu_device(const machine_config &mconfig, device_type type, const char *tag, device_t *owner, u32 clock)
-	: device_t(mconfig, type, tag, owner, clock),
-		device_execute_interface(mconfig, *this),
-		device_memory_interface(mconfig, *this),
-		device_state_interface(mconfig, *this),
-		device_disasm_interface(mconfig, *this),
-		m_force_no_drc(false),
-		m_access_to_be_redone(false),
-		m_access_before_delay_tag(nullptr)
+cpu_device::cpu_device(const machine_config &mconfig, device_type type, const char *tag, device_t *owner, u32 clock) :
+	device_t(mconfig, type, tag, owner, clock),
+	device_execute_interface(mconfig, *this),
+	device_memory_interface(mconfig, *this),
+	device_state_interface(mconfig, *this),
+	device_disasm_interface(mconfig, *this),
+	m_force_no_drc(false),
+	m_access_to_be_redone(false),
+	m_access_before_delay_tag(nullptr)
 {
 }
 
@@ -63,9 +63,7 @@ bool cpu_device::access_before_time(u64 access_time, u64 current_time) noexcept
 {
 	s32 delta = access_time - current_time;
 	if(*m_icountptr <= delta) {
-		if(*m_icountptr > 0)
-			*m_icountptr = 0;
-		m_access_to_be_redone = true;
+		defer_access();
 		return true;
 	}
 
@@ -104,3 +102,9 @@ void cpu_device::defer_access() noexcept
 		*m_icountptr = 0;
 	m_access_to_be_redone = true;
 }
+
+void cpu_device::retry_access() noexcept
+{
+	abort_timeslice();
+	m_access_to_be_redone = true;
+}
diff --git a/src/emu/devcpu.h b/src/emu/devcpu.h
index 70f7b1667a5..dcfa89a9480 100644
--- a/src/emu/devcpu.h
+++ b/src/emu/devcpu.h
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ public:
 	// The access has already happened, nothing to abort
 	void access_after_delay(u32 cycles) noexcept;
 	void defer_access() noexcept;
+	void retry_access() noexcept;
 
 protected:
 	// construction/destruction
@@ -58,7 +59,7 @@ protected:
 
 private:
 	// configured state
-	bool                    m_force_no_drc;             // whether or not to force DRC off
+	bool m_force_no_drc;                   // whether or not to force DRC off
 
 	bool m_access_to_be_redone;            // whether an access needs to be redone
 	const void *m_access_before_delay_tag; // if the tag matches on access_before_delay, consider the delay to have already happened
diff --git a/src/mame/adc/super6.cpp b/src/mame/adc/super6.cpp
index 9f5bd49047a..0abb5075dea 100644
--- a/src/mame/adc/super6.cpp
+++ b/src/mame/adc/super6.cpp
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ uint8_t super6_state::fdc_r()
 		if (!m_z80_wait)
 		{
 			m_maincpu->set_input_line(Z80_INPUT_LINE_WAIT, ASSERT_LINE);
-			m_maincpu->defer_access();
+			m_maincpu->retry_access();
 		}
 
 		m_z80_wait = !m_z80_wait;
diff --git a/src/mame/cinematronics/leland_a.cpp b/src/mame/cinematronics/leland_a.cpp
index ca094bb5b9e..3fcbfab7302 100644
--- a/src/mame/cinematronics/leland_a.cpp
+++ b/src/mame/cinematronics/leland_a.cpp
@@ -508,14 +508,9 @@ u8 leland_80186_sound_device::response_r()
 		   is also ineffective. In order to make sure the master CPU gets the real response,
 		   we force a synchronize on the read like this. */
 		if (!m_response_sync)
-		{
-			machine().scheduler().synchronize();
-			m_master->defer_access();
-		}
+			m_master->retry_access();
 		else
-		{
 			LOGMASKED(LOG_COMM, "%s:Read sound response latch = %02X\n", machine().describe_context(), m_sound_response);
-		}
 
 		m_response_sync = !m_response_sync;
 	}
diff --git a/src/mame/misc/quizpun2.cpp b/src/mame/misc/quizpun2.cpp
index 55490b9c540..d67d67d7dc3 100644
--- a/src/mame/misc/quizpun2.cpp
+++ b/src/mame/misc/quizpun2.cpp
@@ -397,7 +397,7 @@ uint8_t quizpun2_state::protection_r()
 			m_mcu_pending = true;
 			m_mcu_written = false;
 			m_maincpu->set_input_line(Z80_INPUT_LINE_WAIT, ASSERT_LINE);
-			m_maincpu->defer_access();
+			m_maincpu->retry_access();
 		}
 
 		m_mcu_repeat = !m_mcu_repeat;
diff --git a/src/mame/novag/savant.cpp b/src/mame/novag/savant.cpp
index 71b56baa838..bbce3304e9e 100644
--- a/src/mame/novag/savant.cpp
+++ b/src/mame/novag/savant.cpp
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ void savant_state::stall_w(offs_t offset, u8 data)
 		m_psu->ext_int_w(1);
 		m_maincpu->set_input_line(Z80_INPUT_LINE_WAIT, ASSERT_LINE);
 		m_maincpu->set_input_line(Z80_INPUT_LINE_BUSRQ, ASSERT_LINE);
-		m_maincpu->defer_access();
+		m_maincpu->retry_access();
 	}
 
 	m_z80_wait = !m_z80_wait;
diff --git a/src/mame/universal/docastle_m.cpp b/src/mame/universal/docastle_m.cpp
index 3152ab997a6..dbd0317ce8e 100644
--- a/src/mame/universal/docastle_m.cpp
+++ b/src/mame/universal/docastle_m.cpp
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ uint8_t docastle_state::main_from_sub_r(offs_t offset)
 			machine().scheduler().perfect_quantum(attotime::from_usec(100));
 			m_maincpu->set_input_line(Z80_INPUT_LINE_WAIT, ASSERT_LINE);
 
-			// defer access to let subcpu write the latch and clear WAIT
-			m_maincpu->defer_access();
+			// retry access after subcpu writes the latch and clears WAIT
+			m_maincpu->retry_access();
 		}
 		else
 		{