diff --git a/src/mame/sinclair/sprinter.cpp b/src/mame/sinclair/sprinter.cpp
index 53db6dcc1..4b2f25eaa 100644
--- a/src/mame/sinclair/sprinter.cpp
+++ b/src/mame/sinclair/sprinter.cpp
@@ -1241,11 +1241,16 @@ template <u8 Bank> void sprinter_state::ram_w(offs_t offset, u8 data)
 		if (((~m_acc_ctrl & 1) || (((~m_port_y & 128) && (m_acc_ctrl & 2)) || ((m_port_y & 128) && (~m_acc_ctrl & 2)))) // y-clip
 			&& ((~m_acc_ctrl & 4) || (((~offset & 128) && (m_acc_ctrl & 8)) || ((offset & 128) && (~m_acc_ctrl & 8))))) // x-clip
 		{
+			const bool transparent = BIT(page, 3);
+			if (transparent && (data == 0xff))
+				return;
+
 			const u32 vaddr = m_port_y * 1024 + (offset & 0x3ff);
-			if (BIT(~page, 2))
+			const bool vram_only = BIT(page, 2);
+			if (!vram_only)
 				m_ram->pointer()[(0x50 << 14) + vaddr] = data;
-			if (BIT(~page, 3) || (data != 0xff))
-				vram_w(vaddr, data);
+
+			vram_w(vaddr, data);
 		}
 	}
 	else