diff --git a/src/include/86box/nvr.h b/src/include/86box/nvr.h
index 33b4c4310..9dc054b22 100644
--- a/src/include/86box/nvr.h
+++ b/src/include/86box/nvr.h
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
 typedef struct _nvr_ {
     char	*fn;			/* pathname of image file */
     uint16_t	size;			/* device configuration */
-    int8_t	irq;
+    int8_t	irq, new;
 
     uint8_t	onesec_cnt;
     pc_timer_t	onesec_time;
diff --git a/src/nvr.c b/src/nvr.c
index 2056bf1b2..45b89f306 100644
--- a/src/nvr.c
+++ b/src/nvr.c
@@ -262,13 +262,15 @@ nvr_load(void)
 	path = nvr_path(saved_nvr->fn);
 	nvr_log("NVR: loading from '%s'\n", path);
 	fp = plat_fopen(path, "rb");
+	saved_nvr->new = (fp == NULL);
 	if (fp != NULL) {
 		/* Read NVR contents from file. */
 		if (fread(saved_nvr->regs, 1, saved_nvr->size, fp) != saved_nvr->size)
 			fatal("nvr_load(): Error reading data\n");
 		(void)fclose(fp);
 	}
-    }
+    } else
+	saved_nvr->new = 1;
 
     /* Get the local RTC running! */
     if (saved_nvr->start != NULL)
diff --git a/src/nvr_at.c b/src/nvr_at.c
index ad7721d91..2a0679008 100644
--- a/src/nvr_at.c
+++ b/src/nvr_at.c
@@ -610,6 +610,10 @@ nvr_reg_write(uint16_t reg, uint8_t val, void *priv)
 		/*FALLTHROUGH*/
 
 	default:		/* non-RTC registers are just NVRAM */
+		if ((reg == 0x2c) && (local->flags & FLAG_LS_HACK))
+			nvr->new = 0;
+		if ((reg == 0x52) && (local->flags & FLAG_APOLLO_HACK))
+			nvr->new = 0;
 		if ((reg >= 0x38) && (reg <= 0x3f) && local->wp[0])
 			break;
 		if ((reg >= 0xb8) && (reg <= 0xbf) && local->wp[1])
@@ -701,7 +705,7 @@ nvr_read(uint16_t addr, void *priv)
 		break;
 
 	case 0x2c:
-		if (local->flags & FLAG_LS_HACK)
+		if (!nvr->new && (local->flags & FLAG_LS_HACK))
 			ret = nvr->regs[local->addr[addr_id]] & 0x7f;
 		else
 			ret = nvr->regs[local->addr[addr_id]];
@@ -709,7 +713,7 @@ nvr_read(uint16_t addr, void *priv)
 
 	case 0x2e:
 	case 0x2f:
-		if (local->flags & FLAG_LS_HACK) {
+		if (!nvr->new && (local->flags & FLAG_LS_HACK)) {
 			for (i = 0x10; i <= 0x2d; i++) {
 				if (i == 0x2c)
 					checksum += (nvr->regs[i] & 0x7f);
@@ -726,7 +730,7 @@ nvr_read(uint16_t addr, void *priv)
 
 	case 0x3e:
 	case 0x3f:
-		if (local->flags & FLAG_APOLLO_HACK) {
+		if (!nvr->new && (local->flags & FLAG_APOLLO_HACK)) {
 			/* The checksum at 3E-3F is for 37-3D and 40-7F. */
 			for (i = 0x37; i <= 0x3d; i++)
 				checksum += nvr->regs[i];
@@ -745,7 +749,7 @@ nvr_read(uint16_t addr, void *priv)
 		break;
 
 	case 0x52:
-		if (local->flags & FLAG_APOLLO_HACK)
+		if (!nvr->new && (local->flags & FLAG_APOLLO_HACK))
 			ret = nvr->regs[local->addr[addr_id]] & 0xf3;
 		else
 			ret = nvr->regs[local->addr[addr_id]];
@@ -935,10 +939,13 @@ nvr_at_init(const device_t *info)
 		if (info->local == 9)
 			local->flags |= FLAG_PIIX4;
 		else {
+			local->def = 0x00;
 			if ((info->local & 7) == 5)
 				local->flags |= FLAG_LS_HACK;
 			else if ((info->local & 7) == 6)
 				local->flags |= FLAG_APOLLO_HACK;
+			else
+				local->def = 0xff;
 		}
 		nvr->irq = 8;
 		local->cent = RTC_CENTURY_AT;