diff --git a/src/GBACart.cpp b/src/GBACart.cpp
index 7753482c..4d44d3a1 100644
--- a/src/GBACart.cpp
+++ b/src/GBACart.cpp
@@ -76,10 +76,14 @@ void DeInit()
 }
 
 void Reset()
+{
+    // do nothing, we don't want to clear GBA SRAM on reset
+}
+
+void Eject()
 {
     if (SRAMFile) fclose(SRAMFile);
     if (SRAM) delete[] SRAM;
-
     SRAM = NULL;
     SRAMFile = NULL;
     SRAMLength = 0;
@@ -524,17 +528,32 @@ void DeInit()
 
 void Reset()
 {
-    CartInserted = false;
-    HasSolarSensor = false;
-    if (CartROM) delete[] CartROM;
-    CartROM = NULL;
-    CartROMSize = 0;
-    CartGPIO = {};
+    // Do not reset cartridge ROM.
+    // Prefer keeping the inserted cartridge on reset.
+    // This allows resetting a DS game without losing GBA state,
+    // and resetting to firmware without the slot being emptied.
+    // The Stop function will clear the cartridge state via Eject().
 
     GBACart_SRAM::Reset();
     GBACart_SolarSensor::Reset();
 }
 
+void Eject()
+{
+    if (CartROM) delete[] CartROM;
+
+    CartInserted = false;
+    HasSolarSensor = false;
+    CartROM = NULL;
+    CartROMSize = 0;
+    CartCRC = NULL;
+    CartID = NULL;
+    CartGPIO = {};
+
+    GBACart_SRAM::Eject();
+    Reset();
+}
+
 void DoSavestate(Savestate* file)
 {
     file->Section("GBAC"); // Game Boy Advance Cartridge
@@ -545,10 +564,16 @@ void DoSavestate(Savestate* file)
     // since unlike with DS, it's not loaded in advance
 
     file->Var32(&CartROMSize);
-    if (!CartROMSize) return; // no GBA cartridge state? nothing to do here.
+    if (!CartROMSize) // no GBA cartridge state? nothing to do here
+    {
+        // do eject the cartridge if something is inserted
+        Eject();
+        return;
+    }
 
     u32 oldCRC = CartCRC;
     file->Var32(&CartCRC);
+
     if (CartCRC != oldCRC)
     {
         // delete and reallocate ROM so that it is zero-padded to its full length
diff --git a/src/GBACart.h b/src/GBACart.h
index fd26326c..96a05b8b 100644
--- a/src/GBACart.h
+++ b/src/GBACart.h
@@ -57,10 +57,12 @@ extern bool CartInserted;
 extern bool HasSolarSensor;
 extern u8* CartROM;
 extern u32 CartROMSize;
+extern u32 CartCRC;
 
 bool Init();
 void DeInit();
 void Reset();
+void Eject();
 
 void DoSavestate(Savestate* file);
 bool LoadROM(const char* path, const char* sram);
diff --git a/src/libui_sdl/main.cpp b/src/libui_sdl/main.cpp
index 38804f69..af69f8e3 100644
--- a/src/libui_sdl/main.cpp
+++ b/src/libui_sdl/main.cpp
@@ -1694,6 +1694,7 @@ void Stop(bool internal)
     RunningSomething = false;
 
     // eject any inserted GBA cartridge
+    GBACart::Eject();
     ROMPath[1][0] = '\0';
 
     uiWindowSetTitle(MainWindow, "melonDS " MELONDS_VERSION);
@@ -1834,6 +1835,8 @@ void LoadState(int slot)
         return;
     }
 
+    u32 oldGBACartCRC = GBACart::CartCRC;
+
     // backup
     Savestate* backup = new Savestate("timewarp.mln", true);
     NDS::DoSavestate(backup);
@@ -1870,9 +1873,24 @@ void LoadState(int slot)
             NDS::RelocateSave(SRAMPath[0], false);
         }
 
+        bool loadedPartialGBAROM = false;
+
+        // in case we have a GBA cart inserted, and the GBA ROM changes
+        // due to having loaded a save state, we do not want to reload
+        // the previous cartridge on reset, or commit writes to any
+        // loaded save file. therefore, their paths are "nulled".
+        if (GBACart::CartInserted && GBACart::CartCRC != oldGBACartCRC)
+        {
+            ROMPath[1][0] = '\0';
+            SRAMPath[1][0] = '\0';
+            loadedPartialGBAROM = true;
+        }
+
         char msg[64];
-        if (slot > 0) sprintf(msg, "State loaded from slot %d", slot);
-        else          sprintf(msg, "State loaded from file");
+        if (slot > 0) sprintf(msg, "State loaded from slot %d%s",
+                        slot, loadedPartialGBAROM ? " (GBA ROM header only)" : "");
+        else          sprintf(msg, "State loaded from file%s",
+                        loadedPartialGBAROM ? " (GBA ROM header only)" : "");
         OSD::AddMessage(0, msg);
 
         SavestateLoaded = true;