diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/config/Config.cs b/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/config/Config.cs
index d5fd7cd5700..f46027eab2e 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/config/Config.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Client.Common/config/Config.cs
@@ -188,12 +188,12 @@ public void SetWindowScaleFor(string sysID, int windowScale)
 		/// <summary>
 		/// Whether to make AutoSave files at periodic intervals
 		/// </summary>
-		public bool AutosaveSaveRAM { get; set; }
+		public bool AutosaveSaveRAM { get; set; } = true;
 
 		/// <summary>
 		/// Intervals at which to make AutoSave files
 		/// </summary>
-		public int FlushSaveRamFrames { get; set; }
+		public int FlushSaveRamFrames { get; set; } = 5/*min*/ * 60/*s/min*/ * 60/*fr/s*/;
 
 		public bool TurboSeek { get; set; }
 
diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/MainForm.cs b/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/MainForm.cs
index 2fd399af341..d30db3638a5 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/MainForm.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/MainForm.cs
@@ -769,6 +769,8 @@ _argParser.SocketAddress is var (socketIP, socketPort)
 					}
 				}
 			}
+			//TODO should we be calling `OnRomChanged` from this ctor? it handles this and a bunch of other things also done here
+			_trackingAutoSaveRAM = Config.AutosaveSaveRAM && MovieSession.Movie is null;
 
 			if (_argParser.startFullscreen || Config.StartFullscreen)
 			{
@@ -1760,6 +1762,8 @@ public bool RunLibretroCoreChooser()
 		public int AutoFlushSaveRamIn { get; set; }
 		private bool AutoFlushSaveRamFailed;
 
+		private bool _trackingAutoSaveRAM;
+
 		private void SetStatusBar()
 		{
 			if (!_inFullscreen)
@@ -3011,7 +3015,7 @@ private void StepRunLoop_Core(bool force = false)
 
 				RA?.OnFrameAdvance();
 
-				if (Config.AutosaveSaveRAM)
+				if (_trackingAutoSaveRAM)
 				{
 					AutoFlushSaveRamIn--;
 					if (AutoFlushSaveRamIn <= 0)
@@ -3897,6 +3901,7 @@ private void OnRomChanged()
 			UpdateCoreStatusBarButton();
 			UpdateDumpInfo();
 			SetMainformMovieInfo();
+			_trackingAutoSaveRAM = Config.AutosaveSaveRAM && MovieSession.Movie is null;
 			RA?.Restart();
 		}