diff --git a/src/frontend/qt_sdl/EmuThread.cpp b/src/frontend/qt_sdl/EmuThread.cpp
index c6ac80d7cd..9a7ea6cb72 100644
--- a/src/frontend/qt_sdl/EmuThread.cpp
+++ b/src/frontend/qt_sdl/EmuThread.cpp
@@ -541,7 +541,8 @@ void EmuThread::handleMessages()
             break;
 
         case msg_EmuStop:
-            if (msg.stopExternal) emuInstance->nds->Stop();
+            if (msg.param.value<bool>())
+                emuInstance->nds->Stop();
             emuStatus = emuStatus_Paused;
             emuActive = false;
 
@@ -574,6 +575,26 @@ void EmuThread::handleMessages()
             emuInstance->deinitOpenGL();
             useOpenGL = false;
             break;
+
+        case msg_BootROM:
+            bootResult = 0;
+            if (!emuInstance->loadROM(msg.param.value<QStringList>(), true))
+                break;
+
+            assert(emuInstance->nds != nullptr);
+            emuInstance->nds->Start();
+            bootResult = 1;
+            break;
+
+        case msg_BootFirmware:
+            bootResult = 0;
+            if (!emuInstance->bootToMenu())
+                break;
+
+            assert(emuInstance->nds != nullptr);
+            emuInstance->nds->Start();
+            bootResult = 1;
+            break;
         }
 
         msgSemaphore.release();
@@ -626,7 +647,7 @@ void EmuThread::emuTogglePause()
 
 void EmuThread::emuStop(bool external)
 {
-    sendMessage({.type = msg_EmuStop, .stopExternal = external});
+    sendMessage({.type = msg_EmuStop, .param = external});
     waitMessage();
 }
 
@@ -660,6 +681,32 @@ bool EmuThread::emuIsActive()
     return emuActive;
 }
 
+int EmuThread::bootROM(QStringList filename)
+{
+    sendMessage(msg_EmuPause);
+    sendMessage({.type = msg_BootROM, .param = filename});
+    waitMessage(2);
+    if (!bootResult)
+        return bootResult;
+
+    sendMessage(msg_EmuRun);
+    waitMessage();
+    return bootResult;
+}
+
+int EmuThread::bootFirmware()
+{
+    sendMessage(msg_EmuPause);
+    sendMessage(msg_BootFirmware);
+    waitMessage(2);
+    if (!bootResult)
+        return bootResult;
+
+    sendMessage(msg_EmuRun);
+    waitMessage();
+    return bootResult;
+}
+
 void EmuThread::updateRenderer()
 {
     if (videoRenderer != lastVideoRenderer)
diff --git a/src/frontend/qt_sdl/EmuThread.h b/src/frontend/qt_sdl/EmuThread.h
index f728788b6c..612f79208c 100644
--- a/src/frontend/qt_sdl/EmuThread.h
+++ b/src/frontend/qt_sdl/EmuThread.h
@@ -68,15 +68,15 @@ class EmuThread : public QThread
 
         msg_InitGL,
         msg_DeInitGL,
+
+        msg_BootROM,
+        msg_BootFirmware,
     };
 
     struct Message
     {
         MessageType type;
-        union
-        {
-            bool stopExternal;
-        };
+        QVariant param;
     };
 
     void sendMessage(Message msg);
@@ -100,6 +100,9 @@ class EmuThread : public QThread
     void emuFrameStep();
     void emuReset();
 
+    int bootROM(QStringList filename);
+    int bootFirmware();
+
     bool emuIsRunning();
     bool emuIsActive();
 
@@ -153,6 +156,8 @@ class EmuThread : public QThread
     constexpr static int emuPauseStackPauseThreshold = 1;
     int emuPauseStack;
 
+    int bootResult = 0;
+
     QMutex msgMutex;
     QSemaphore msgSemaphore;
     QQueue<Message> msgQueue;
diff --git a/src/frontend/qt_sdl/Window.cpp b/src/frontend/qt_sdl/Window.cpp
index 0280e7612d..6f2f86a954 100644
--- a/src/frontend/qt_sdl/Window.cpp
+++ b/src/frontend/qt_sdl/Window.cpp
@@ -1211,24 +1211,15 @@ void MainWindow::updateCartInserted(bool gba)
 
 void MainWindow::onOpenFile()
 {
-    emuThread->emuPause();
-
     if (!verifySetup())
-    {
-        emuThread->emuUnpause();
         return;
-    }
 
     QStringList file = pickROM(false);
     if (file.isEmpty())
-    {
-        emuThread->emuUnpause();
         return;
-    }
-    
-    if (!emuInstance->loadROM(file, true))
+
+    if (!emuThread->bootROM(file))
     {
-        emuThread->emuUnpause();
         return;
     }
 
@@ -1237,10 +1228,6 @@ void MainWindow::onOpenFile()
     recentFileList.prepend(filename);
     updateRecentFilesMenu();
 
-    assert(emuInstance->nds != nullptr);
-    emuInstance->nds->Start();
-    emuThread->emuRun();
-
     updateCartInserted(false);
 }
 
@@ -1310,24 +1297,15 @@ void MainWindow::onClickRecentFile()
     QAction *act = (QAction *)sender();
     QString filename = act->data().toString();
 
-    emuThread->emuPause();
-
     if (!verifySetup())
-    {
-        emuThread->emuUnpause();
         return;
-    }
 
     const QStringList file = splitArchivePath(filename, true);
     if (file.isEmpty())
-    {
-        emuThread->emuUnpause();
         return;
-    }
-    
-    if (!emuInstance->loadROM(file, true))
+
+    if (!emuThread->bootROM(file))
     {
-        emuThread->emuUnpause();
         return;
     }
 
@@ -1335,34 +1313,19 @@ void MainWindow::onClickRecentFile()
     recentFileList.prepend(filename);
     updateRecentFilesMenu();
 
-    assert(emuInstance->nds != nullptr);
-    emuInstance->nds->Start();
-    emuThread->emuRun();
-
     updateCartInserted(false);
 }
 
 void MainWindow::onBootFirmware()
 {
-    emuThread->emuPause();
-
     if (!verifySetup())
-    {
-        emuThread->emuUnpause();
         return;
-    }
 
-    if (!emuInstance->bootToMenu())
+    if (!emuThread->bootFirmware())
     {
-        // TODO: better error reporting?
         QMessageBox::critical(this, "melonDS", "This firmware is not bootable.");
-        emuThread->emuUnpause();
         return;
     }
-
-    assert(emuInstance->nds != nullptr);
-    emuInstance->nds->Start();
-    emuThread->emuRun();
 }
 
 void MainWindow::onInsertCart()