diff --git a/src/emu/machine/nvram.c b/src/emu/machine/nvram.c
index c243208c203..c0a8e45fa56 100644
--- a/src/emu/machine/nvram.c
+++ b/src/emu/machine/nvram.c
@@ -95,8 +95,7 @@ void nvram_device::static_set_custom_handler(device_t &device, nvram_init_delega
 void nvram_device::device_start()
 {
 	// bind our handler
-	if (!m_custom_handler.isnull())
-		m_custom_handler = nvram_init_delegate(m_custom_handler, *m_owner);
+	m_custom_handler.bind_relative_to(*owner());
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/emu/machine/nvram.h b/src/emu/machine/nvram.h
index 06906161ecc..81a231c6a76 100644
--- a/src/emu/machine/nvram.h
+++ b/src/emu/machine/nvram.h
@@ -64,9 +64,9 @@
 	MCFG_DEVICE_ADD(_tag, NVRAM, 0) \
 	nvram_device::static_set_default_value(*device, nvram_device::DEFAULT_NONE); \
 
-#define MCFG_NVRAM_ADD_CUSTOM(_tag, _class, _method) \
+#define MCFG_NVRAM_ADD_CUSTOM_DRIVER(_tag, _class, _method) \
 	MCFG_DEVICE_ADD(_tag, NVRAM, 0) \
-	nvram_device::static_set_custom_handler(*device, nvram_init_delegate(&_class::_method, #_class "::" #_method, (_class *)0)); \
+	nvram_device::static_set_custom_handler(*device, nvram_init_delegate(&_class::_method, #_class "::" #_method, NULL, (_class *)0)); \
 
 
 #define MCFG_NVRAM_REPLACE_0FILL(_tag) \
@@ -81,9 +81,9 @@
 	MCFG_DEVICE_REPLACE(_tag, NVRAM, 0) \
 	nvram_device::static_set_default_value(*device, nvram_device::DEFAULT_RANDOM); \
 
-#define MCFG_NVRAM_REPLACE_CUSTOM(_tag, _class, _method) \
+#define MCFG_NVRAM_REPLACE_CUSTOM_DRIVER(_tag, _class, _method) \
 	MCFG_DEVICE_REPLACE(_tag, NVRAM, 0) \
-	nvram_device::static_set_custom_handler(*device, nvram_init_delegate(&_class::_method, #_class "::" #_method, (_class *)0)); \
+	nvram_device::static_set_custom_handler(*device, nvram_init_delegate(&_class::_method, #_class "::" #_method, NULL, (_class *)0)); \
 
 
 
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ class nvram_device;
 
 
 // custom initialization for default state
-typedef delegate<void (nvram_device &, void *, size_t)> nvram_init_delegate;
+typedef device_delegate<void (nvram_device &, void *, size_t)> nvram_init_delegate;
 
 
 // ======================> nvram_device
diff --git a/src/mame/drivers/capbowl.c b/src/mame/drivers/capbowl.c
index 5884e08c7c5..63fdc669270 100644
--- a/src/mame/drivers/capbowl.c
+++ b/src/mame/drivers/capbowl.c
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ static MACHINE_CONFIG_START( capbowl, capbowl_state )
 
 	MCFG_MACHINE_START(capbowl)
 	MCFG_MACHINE_RESET(capbowl)
-	MCFG_NVRAM_ADD_CUSTOM("nvram", capbowl_state, init_nvram)
+	MCFG_NVRAM_ADD_CUSTOM_DRIVER("nvram", capbowl_state, init_nvram)
 
 	MCFG_TICKET_DISPENSER_ADD("ticket", 100, TICKET_MOTOR_ACTIVE_HIGH, TICKET_STATUS_ACTIVE_LOW)
 
diff --git a/src/mame/drivers/itech32.c b/src/mame/drivers/itech32.c
index a4aacad7e3b..782b11c046d 100644
--- a/src/mame/drivers/itech32.c
+++ b/src/mame/drivers/itech32.c
@@ -1709,7 +1709,7 @@ static MACHINE_CONFIG_START( timekill, itech32_state )
 	MCFG_CPU_PROGRAM_MAP(sound_map)
 
 	MCFG_MACHINE_RESET(itech32)
-	MCFG_NVRAM_ADD_CUSTOM("nvram", itech32_state, nvram_init)
+	MCFG_NVRAM_ADD_CUSTOM_DRIVER("nvram", itech32_state, nvram_init)
 
 	MCFG_TICKET_DISPENSER_ADD("ticket", 200, TICKET_MOTOR_ACTIVE_HIGH, TICKET_STATUS_ACTIVE_HIGH)
 
diff --git a/src/mame/drivers/merit.c b/src/mame/drivers/merit.c
index d8d29a2d110..fbe5ea6e5b5 100644
--- a/src/mame/drivers/merit.c
+++ b/src/mame/drivers/merit.c
@@ -1266,7 +1266,7 @@ static MACHINE_CONFIG_DERIVED( dodge, pitboss )
 	MCFG_CPU_MODIFY("maincpu")
 	MCFG_CPU_PROGRAM_MAP(dodge_map)
 
-	MCFG_NVRAM_REPLACE_CUSTOM("nvram", merit_state, dodge_nvram_init)
+	MCFG_NVRAM_REPLACE_CUSTOM_DRIVER("nvram", merit_state, dodge_nvram_init)
 MACHINE_CONFIG_END
 
 static MACHINE_CONFIG_DERIVED( tictac, pitboss )