diff --git a/src/emu/distate.c b/src/emu/distate.c
index cee1f0a6c26..54e24b4d35a 100644
--- a/src/emu/distate.c
+++ b/src/emu/distate.c
@@ -49,8 +49,9 @@ const UINT64 device_state_entry::k_decimal_divisor[] =
 //  device_state_entry - constructor
 //-------------------------------------------------
 
-device_state_entry::device_state_entry(int index, const char *symbol, void *dataptr, UINT8 size)
-	: m_next(NULL),
+device_state_entry::device_state_entry(int index, const char *symbol, void *dataptr, UINT8 size, device_state_interface *dev)
+	: m_device_state(dev),
+		m_next(NULL),
 		m_index(index),
 		m_dataptr(dataptr),
 		m_datamask(0),
@@ -86,8 +87,9 @@ device_state_entry::device_state_entry(int index, const char *symbol, void *data
 		m_symbol.cpy("CURFLAGS");
 }
 
-device_state_entry::device_state_entry(int index)
-	: m_next(NULL),
+device_state_entry::device_state_entry(int index, device_state_interface *dev)
+	: m_device_state(dev),
+	    m_next(NULL),
 		m_index(index),
 		m_dataptr(NULL),
 		m_datamask(0),
@@ -523,7 +525,7 @@ device_state_entry &device_state_interface::state_add(int index, const char *sym
 	assert(symbol != NULL);
 
 	// allocate new entry
-	device_state_entry *entry = global_alloc(device_state_entry(index, symbol, data, size));
+	device_state_entry *entry = global_alloc(device_state_entry(index, symbol, data, size, this));
 
 	// append to the end of the list
 	m_state_list.append(*entry);
@@ -543,7 +545,7 @@ device_state_entry &device_state_interface::state_add(int index, const char *sym
 device_state_entry &device_state_interface::state_add_divider(int index)
 {
 	// allocate new entry
-	device_state_entry *entry = global_alloc(device_state_entry(index));
+	device_state_entry *entry = global_alloc(device_state_entry(index, this));
 
 	// append to the end of the list
 	m_state_list.append(*entry);
diff --git a/src/emu/distate.h b/src/emu/distate.h
index 7b5117e19e2..d3679b755e6 100644
--- a/src/emu/distate.h
+++ b/src/emu/distate.h
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ class device_state_entry
 
 private:
 	// construction/destruction
-	device_state_entry(int index, const char *symbol, void *dataptr, UINT8 size);
-	device_state_entry(int index);
+	device_state_entry(int index, const char *symbol, void *dataptr, UINT8 size, device_state_interface *dev);
+	device_state_entry(int index, device_state_interface *dev);
 
 public:
 	// post-construction modifiers
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ public:
 	const char *symbol() const { return m_symbol; }
 	bool visible() const { return ((m_flags & DSF_NOSHOW) == 0); }
 	bool divider() const { return m_flags & DSF_DIVIDER; }
+	device_state_interface *parent_state() const {return m_device_state;}
 
 protected:
 	// device state flags
@@ -98,6 +99,7 @@ protected:
 	static const UINT64 k_decimal_divisor[20];      // divisors for outputting decimal values
 
 	// public state description
+	device_state_interface *m_device_state;         // link to parent device state
 	device_state_entry *    m_next;                 // link to next item
 	UINT32                  m_index;                // index by which this item is referred
 	generic_ptr             m_dataptr;              // pointer to where the data lives