diff --git a/src/emu/cpu/m68000/m68kcpu.c b/src/emu/cpu/m68000/m68kcpu.c
index 5e986798758..183e2b389cd 100644
--- a/src/emu/cpu/m68000/m68kcpu.c
+++ b/src/emu/cpu/m68000/m68kcpu.c
@@ -790,6 +790,8 @@ int m68k_execute(int num_cycles)
 		SET_CYCLES(num_cycles);
 		m68ki_initial_cycles = num_cycles;
 
+		m68ki_check_interrupts();
+
 		/* ASG: update cycles */
 		USE_CYCLES(CPU_INT_CYCLES);
 		CPU_INT_CYCLES = 0;
@@ -877,9 +879,7 @@ void m68k_set_irq(unsigned int int_level)
 	/* A transition from < 7 to 7 always interrupts (NMI) */
 	/* Note: Level 7 can also level trigger like a normal IRQ */
 	if(old_level != 0x0700 && CPU_INT_LEVEL == 0x0700)
-		m68ki_exception_interrupt(7); /* Edge triggered level 7 (NMI) */
-	else
-		m68ki_check_interrupts(); /* Level triggered (IRQ) */
+		m68ki_cpu.nmi_pending = TRUE;
 }
 
 void m68k_set_virq(unsigned int level, unsigned int active)
diff --git a/src/emu/cpu/m68000/m68kcpu.h b/src/emu/cpu/m68000/m68kcpu.h
index fa13ad7b383..eb70ddf7ac3 100644
--- a/src/emu/cpu/m68000/m68kcpu.h
+++ b/src/emu/cpu/m68000/m68kcpu.h
@@ -899,6 +899,7 @@ struct _m68ki_cpu_core
 
 	/* Virtual IRQ lines state */
 	uint virq_state;
+	uint nmi_pending;
 
 	const uint8* cyc_instruction;
 	const uint8* cyc_exception;
@@ -2038,7 +2039,12 @@ void m68ki_exception_interrupt(uint int_level)
 /* ASG: Check for interrupts */
 INLINE void m68ki_check_interrupts(void)
 {
-	if(CPU_INT_LEVEL > FLAG_INT_MASK)
+	if(m68ki_cpu.nmi_pending)
+	{
+		m68ki_cpu.nmi_pending = FALSE;
+		m68ki_exception_interrupt(7);
+	}
+	else if(CPU_INT_LEVEL > FLAG_INT_MASK)
 		m68ki_exception_interrupt(CPU_INT_LEVEL>>8);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/emu/cpuint.c b/src/emu/cpuint.c
index fe88f0e7f88..6ee3fe88938 100644
--- a/src/emu/cpuint.c
+++ b/src/emu/cpuint.c
@@ -283,6 +283,58 @@ void cpunum_set_input_line_vector(int cpunum, int line, int vector)
 
 void cpunum_set_input_line_and_vector(running_machine *machine, int cpunum, int line, int state, int vector)
 {
+#ifdef MAME_DEBUG
+	/* catch errors where people use PULSE_LINE for CPUs that don't support it */
+	if (state == PULSE_LINE && line != INPUT_LINE_NMI && line != INPUT_LINE_RESET)
+	{
+		switch (machine->config->cpu[cpunum].type)
+		{
+			case CPU_Z80:
+			case CPU_Z180:
+			case CPU_M68000:
+			case CPU_M68008:
+			case CPU_M68010:
+			case CPU_M68EC020:
+			case CPU_M68020:
+			case CPU_M68040:
+			case CPU_R4600BE:
+			case CPU_R4600LE:
+			case CPU_R4650BE:
+			case CPU_R4650LE:
+			case CPU_R4700BE:
+			case CPU_R4700LE:
+			case CPU_R5000BE:
+			case CPU_R5000LE:
+			case CPU_QED5271BE:
+			case CPU_QED5271LE:
+			case CPU_RM7000BE:
+			case CPU_RM7000LE:
+			case CPU_PPC403GA:
+			case CPU_PPC403GCX:
+			case CPU_PPC601:
+			case CPU_PPC602:
+			case CPU_PPC603:
+			case CPU_PPC603E:
+			case CPU_PPC603R:
+			case CPU_PPC604:
+			case CPU_I8035:
+			case CPU_I8041:
+			case CPU_I8048:
+			case CPU_I8648:
+			case CPU_I8748:
+			case CPU_MB8884:
+			case CPU_N7751:
+			case CPU_TMS34010:
+			case CPU_TMS34020:
+			case CPU_TMS32010:
+			case CPU_TMS32025:
+			case CPU_TMS32026:
+				fatalerror("CPU %s: PULSE_LINE used with level-detected IRQ %d\n", machine->config->cpu[cpunum].tag, line);
+				break;
+		}
+	}
+#endif
+
 	if (line >= 0 && line < MAX_INPUT_LINES)
 	{
 		INT32 input_event = (state & 0xff) | (vector << 8);