diff --git a/src/dusk/save/save.c b/src/dusk/save/save.c
index 71028594..9874680e 100644
--- a/src/dusk/save/save.c
+++ b/src/dusk/save/save.c
@@ -208,9 +208,15 @@ errorret_t saveSaveSlot() {
 }
 
 errorret_t saveLoadSlot() {
-  assertTrue(SAVE.deviceCurrent != 0xFF, "No current device");
   assertTrue(SAVE.slotCurrent < SAVE_SLOT_COUNT, "Invalid slot index");
 
+  if(SAVE.deviceCurrent == 0xFF) {
+    // No save device available, so we assume an empty slot.
+    saveSlotInit(&SAVE.slot);
+    SAVE.caches[SAVE.slotCurrent] = SAVE.slot.cachedData;
+    errorOk();
+  }
+
   errorChain(saveDeviceSlotRead(
     &SAVE.devices[SAVE.deviceCurrent],
     &SAVE.slot,
diff --git a/src/dusk/ui/dialog/save/uiselectsave.c b/src/dusk/ui/dialog/save/uiselectsave.c
index 12179ff8..ff20070b 100644
--- a/src/dusk/ui/dialog/save/uiselectsave.c
+++ b/src/dusk/ui/dialog/save/uiselectsave.c
@@ -99,20 +99,24 @@ void uiSelectSaveNameEntered(
 ) {
   if(!confirmed) return;
 
-  assertTrue(SAVE.deviceCurrent != 0xFF, "No current device");
   const uint8_t index = UI_SELECT_SAVE.pendingNameIndex;
 
   saveslot_t slot;
   saveSlotInit(&slot);
   stringCopy(slot.cachedData.name, text, SAVE_SLOT_NAME_LENGTH);
 
-  errorret_t writeResult = saveDeviceSlotWrite(
-    &SAVE.devices[SAVE.deviceCurrent], &slot, index
-  );
-  if(errorIsNotOk(writeResult)) {
-    errorCatch(errorPrint(writeResult));
-    uiFatalErrorOpen(writeResult.state->message);
-    return;
+  // No save device available - proceed with an in-memory-only slot rather
+  // than writing to a device that doesn't exist (see saveLoadSlot()'s own
+  // comment on the same "continue without a save device" flow).
+  if(SAVE.deviceCurrent != 0xFF) {
+    errorret_t writeResult = saveDeviceSlotWrite(
+      &SAVE.devices[SAVE.deviceCurrent], &slot, index
+    );
+    if(errorIsNotOk(writeResult)) {
+      errorCatch(errorPrint(writeResult));
+      uiFatalErrorOpen(writeResult.state->message);
+      return;
+    }
   }
 
   SAVE.caches[index] = slot.cachedData;