diff --git a/src/dusk/save/save.c b/src/dusk/save/save.c
index 0c22ca7e..ba49c46e 100644
--- a/src/dusk/save/save.c
+++ b/src/dusk/save/save.c
@@ -75,6 +75,13 @@ errorret_t saveUpdate() {
       // Reset slot, implying no slot has been selected.
       SAVE.slotCurrent = 0xFF;
 
+      // TEST: write settings back out immediately once a device is
+      // selected, to confirm the write path actually works on hardware.
+      errorChain(saveDeviceSettingsWrite(
+        &SAVE.devices[SAVE.deviceCurrent],
+        &SAVE.settings
+      ));
+
       SAVE.findingAvailableDevice = false;
       SAVE.findAvailableCallback(
         &SAVE.devices[SAVE.deviceCurrent],
diff --git a/src/dusk/scene/initial/sceneinitial.c b/src/dusk/scene/initial/sceneinitial.c
index b3482d72..b9e4baad 100644
--- a/src/dusk/scene/initial/sceneinitial.c
+++ b/src/dusk/scene/initial/sceneinitial.c
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ void sceneInitialSaveDeviceRetryCallback(const uint8_t opt, void *u);
 CUTSCENE(INITIAL, 0, DEFAULT,
   CUTSCENE_MODAL(
     "Checking for save data...",
-    "Checking for save data... Please wait."
+    "Please wait."
   ),
   CUTSCENE_WAIT(1.0f),
   CUTSCENE_CALLBACK(sceneInitialFindDevices),
@@ -58,8 +58,6 @@ void sceneInitialSaveDeviceRetryCallback(const uint8_t opt, void *u) {
   cutsceneGoTo(opt == 0 ? "RETRY" : "CONTINUE");
 }
 
-
-
 errorret_t sceneInitialInit(scenedata_t *sceneData) {
   assertNotNull(sceneData, "Scene data cannot be null");
   memoryZero(&sceneData->initial, sizeof(sceneinitial_t));
diff --git a/src/dusklinux/input/inputlinux.c b/src/dusklinux/input/inputlinux.c
index d3523a50..aaf268d3 100644
--- a/src/dusklinux/input/inputlinux.c
+++ b/src/dusklinux/input/inputlinux.c
@@ -517,7 +517,6 @@ errorret_t inputInitLinux(void) {
     X("tab", INPUT_ACTION_CANCEL);
     X("q", INPUT_ACTION_CANCEL);
     X("escape", INPUT_ACTION_RAGEQUIT);
-    X("enter", INPUT_ACTION_PAUSE);
     X("`", INPUT_ACTION_CONSOLE);
   #endif
 
diff --git a/src/duskpsp/save/savedevicepsp.c b/src/duskpsp/save/savedevicepsp.c
index 6240381a..6bfb8589 100644
--- a/src/duskpsp/save/savedevicepsp.c
+++ b/src/duskpsp/save/savedevicepsp.c
@@ -38,13 +38,18 @@ void saveDevicePSPCheckAvailability(savedevice_t *device) {
 
   // Confirm the memory stick is actually reachable - the real save/load
   // (via sceUtilitySavedata) only reports failure once a save/load is
-  // attempted, so this is checked separately up front.
-  SceIoStat stat;
-  if(sceIoGetstat(SAVE_DEVICE_PSP_ROOT, &stat) < 0) {
+  // attempted, so this is checked separately up front. sceIoGetstat on a
+  // bare device root (e.g. "ms0:/") is unreliable on real hardware -
+  // confirmed returning EINVAL there even with a memory stick present -
+  // so open/close the root directory instead, which is the SDK's own
+  // documented way to probe a device (see sceIoDopen's doc comment).
+  SceUID dir = sceIoDopen(SAVE_DEVICE_PSP_ROOT);
+  if(dir < 0) {
     device->state = SAVE_DEVICE_STATE_UNAVAILABLE;
     device->reasonKey = "save.psp.no_memory_stick";
     return saveDeviceFireCallback(device);
   }
+  sceIoDclose(dir);
 
   device->state = SAVE_DEVICE_STATE_AVAILABLE;
   device->reasonKey = NULL;