diff --git a/src/emu/debug/debugcpu.c b/src/emu/debug/debugcpu.c
index dad8c178492..e4750fd52e7 100644
--- a/src/emu/debug/debugcpu.c
+++ b/src/emu/debug/debugcpu.c
@@ -1931,6 +1931,8 @@ void device_debug::instruction_hook(offs_t curpc)
 			// flush any pending updates before waiting again
 			machine.debug_view().flush_osd_updates();
 
+			machine.manager().web()->serve();
+			
 			// clear the memory modified flag and wait
 			global->memory_modified = false;
 			if (machine.debug_flags & DEBUG_FLAG_OSD_ENABLED)
diff --git a/src/emu/machine.c b/src/emu/machine.c
index 9120cb9c1bd..5b134e74f85 100644
--- a/src/emu/machine.c
+++ b/src/emu/machine.c
@@ -372,6 +372,8 @@ int running_machine::run(bool firstrun)
 			js_set_main_loop(this);
 			#endif
 
+			manager().web()->serve();
+			
 			// execute CPUs if not paused
 			if (!m_paused)
 				m_scheduler.timeslice();
diff --git a/src/emu/ui/ui.c b/src/emu/ui/ui.c
index c878dbec3f3..8d922696098 100644
--- a/src/emu/ui/ui.c
+++ b/src/emu/ui/ui.c
@@ -360,7 +360,10 @@ void ui_manager::display_startup_screens(bool first_time, bool show_disclaimer)
 
 		// loop while we have a handler
 		while (m_handler_callback != handler_ingame && !machine().scheduled_event_pending() && !ui_menu::stack_has_special_main_menu())
+		{
+			machine().manager().web()->serve();
 			machine().video().frame_update();
+		}
 
 		// clear the handler and force an update
 		set_handler(handler_ingame, 0);
diff --git a/src/emu/webengine.c b/src/emu/webengine.c
index 59b2b7bc8bf..33376e6f3aa 100644
--- a/src/emu/webengine.c
+++ b/src/emu/webengine.c
@@ -287,27 +287,6 @@ static int ev_handler(struct mg_connection *conn, enum mg_event ev) {
 	}
 }
 
-static int iterate_callback(struct mg_connection *c, enum mg_event ev) {
-	if (ev == MG_POLL && c->is_websocket) {
-	char buf[20];
-	int len = snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%lu",
-		(unsigned long) * (time_t *) c->callback_param);
-	mg_websocket_write(c, 1, buf, len);
-	}
-	return MG_TRUE;
-}
-
-static void *serve(void *server) {
-	time_t current_timer = 0, last_timer = time(NULL);
-	for (;;) mg_poll_server((struct mg_server *) server, 1000);
-	current_timer = time(NULL);
-	if (current_timer - last_timer > 0) {
-		last_timer = current_timer;
-		mg_iterate_over_connections((struct mg_server *)server, iterate_callback, &current_timer);
-	}
-	return NULL;
-}
-
 //-------------------------------------------------
 //  web_engine - constructor
 //-------------------------------------------------
@@ -325,8 +304,6 @@ web_engine::web_engine(emu_options &options)
 
 		mg_set_option(m_server, "listening_port", options.http_port());
 		mg_set_option(m_server, "document_root",  options.http_path());
-
-		mg_start_thread(serve, m_server);
 	}
 
 }
@@ -352,6 +329,11 @@ void web_engine::close()
 	mg_destroy_server(&m_server);
 }
 
+void web_engine::serve()
+{
+	if (m_options.http()) mg_poll_server(m_server, 0);
+}
+
 static int websocket_callback(struct mg_connection *c, enum mg_event ev) {
 	if (c->is_websocket) {
 	const char *message = (const char *)c->callback_param;
diff --git a/src/emu/webengine.h b/src/emu/webengine.h
index afa9b94ec2d..bea9bf133e6 100644
--- a/src/emu/webengine.h
+++ b/src/emu/webengine.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ public:
 	web_engine(emu_options &options);
 	~web_engine();
 
+	void serve();
 	void push_message(const char *message);
 	void close();