diff --git a/plugins/cheatfind/init.lua b/plugins/cheatfind/init.lua
index 5649113b265..5b52062a80b 100644
--- a/plugins/cheatfind/init.lua
+++ b/plugins/cheatfind/init.lua
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ function cheatfind.startplugin()
 	-- save data block
 	function cheat.save(space, start, size)
 		local data = { block = "", start = start, size = size, space = space }
-		if space.shortname then
+		if getmetatable(space).__name:match("device_t") then
 			if space:shortname() == "ram" then
 				data.block = emu.item(space.items["0/m_pointer"]):read_block(start, size)
 				if not data.block then
diff --git a/plugins/data/data_hiscore.lua b/plugins/data/data_hiscore.lua
index 3e46fabe50a..5f2214d814d 100644
--- a/plugins/data/data_hiscore.lua
+++ b/plugins/data/data_hiscore.lua
@@ -654,13 +654,15 @@ function dat.check(set, softlist)
 			local newbytes = {}
 			if skip == "odd" then
 				for i = 1, #bytes, 2 do
-					val = bytes[i]:byte(1)
-					newbytes[(i+1)/2] = string.char(((val & 0x0f) << 4) | (val & 0x0f))
+					val1 = bytes[i]:byte(1)
+					val2 = bytes[i+1]:byte(1)
+					newbytes[(i+1)/2] = string.char(((val1 & 0x0f) << 4) | (val2 & 0x0f))
 				end
 			elseif skip == "even" then
 				for i = 1, #bytes, 2 do
-					val = bytes[i]:byte(1)
-					newbytes[(i+1)/2] = string.char((val & 0xf0) | ((val & 0xf0) >> 4))
+					val1 = bytes[i]:byte(1)
+					val2 = bytes[i+1]:byte(1)
+					newbytes[(i+1)/2] = string.char((val1 & 0xf0) | ((val2 & 0xf0) >> 4))
 				end
 			end
 			return newbytes
diff --git a/src/frontend/mame/luaengine.cpp b/src/frontend/mame/luaengine.cpp
index 5f77a7a7245..4ca7f169835 100644
--- a/src/frontend/mame/luaengine.cpp
+++ b/src/frontend/mame/luaengine.cpp
@@ -56,13 +56,28 @@ namespace sol
 	class buffer
 	{
 	public:
+		// sol does lua_settop(0), save userdata buffer in registry if necessary
 		buffer(int size, lua_State *L)
 		{
 			ptr = luaL_buffinitsize(L, &buff, size);
 			len = size;
+			if(buff.b != buff.initb)
+			{
+				lua_pushvalue(L, -1);
+				lua_setfield(L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX, "sol::buffer_temp");
+			}
 		}
 		~buffer()
 		{
+			lua_State *L = buff.L;
+			if(lua_getfield(L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX, "sol::buffer_temp") != LUA_TNIL)
+			{
+				lua_pushnil(L);
+				lua_setfield(L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX, "sol::buffer_temp");
+			}
+			else
+				lua_pop(L, -1); 
+
 			luaL_pushresultsize(&buff, len);
 		}
 		void set_len(int size) { len = size; }
@@ -85,7 +100,7 @@ namespace sol
 		{
 			static int push(lua_State *L, osd_file::error error)
 			{
-				std::string strerror;
+				const char *strerror;
 				switch(error)
 				{
 					case osd_file::error::NONE:
@@ -152,7 +167,7 @@ namespace sol
 		{
 			static int push(lua_State *L, map_handler_type type)
 			{
-				std::string typestr;
+				const char *typestr;
 				switch(type)
 				{
 					case AMH_NONE:
@@ -1658,7 +1673,8 @@ void lua_engine::initialize()
 			"single_step", sol::property(&mame_ui_manager::single_step, &mame_ui_manager::set_single_step),
 			"get_line_height", &mame_ui_manager::get_line_height,
 			"get_string_width", &mame_ui_manager::get_string_width,
-			"get_char_width", &mame_ui_manager::get_char_width);
+			// sol converts char32_t to a string
+			"get_char_width", [](mame_ui_manager &m, uint32_t utf8char) { return m.get_char_width(utf8char); });
 
 /* device.state[]
  * state:name() - get device state name
diff --git a/src/frontend/mame/ui/datmenu.cpp b/src/frontend/mame/ui/datmenu.cpp
index 360039f2bc0..bd4e7a72865 100644
--- a/src/frontend/mame/ui/datmenu.cpp
+++ b/src/frontend/mame/ui/datmenu.cpp
@@ -396,6 +396,8 @@ void menu_dats_view::get_data()
 	for (int x = 0; x < lines; ++x)
 	{
 		std::string tempbuf(buffer.substr(xstart[x], xend[x] - xstart[x]));
+		if((tempbuf[0] == '#') && !x)
+			continue;
 		item_append(tempbuf, "", (FLAG_UI_DATS | FLAG_DISABLE), (void *)(uintptr_t)(x + 1));
 	}
 }