diff --git a/cheats.cpp b/cheats.cpp
index 31b07cc..be4e2cf 100644
--- a/cheats.cpp
+++ b/cheats.cpp
@@ -59,27 +59,23 @@ int find_by_crc(uint32_t romcrc)
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	struct dirent *de = 0;
+	struct dirent *de;
 	while((de = readdir(d)))
 	{
 		if (de->d_type == DT_REG)
 		{
-			char *ext = strcasestr(de->d_name, ".zip");
-			if (ext && (ext - de->d_name) > 10)
+			int len = strlen(de->d_name);
+			if (len >= 14 && de->d_name[len - 14] == '[' && !strcasecmp(de->d_name+len-5, "].zip"))
 			{
-				ext -= 10;
-				if (ext[0] == '[' && ext[9] == ']')
+				uint32_t crc = 0;
+				if (sscanf(de->d_name + len - 14, "[%X].zip", &crc) == 1)
 				{
-					uint32_t crc = 0;
-					if (sscanf(ext, "[%X].zip", &crc) == 1)
+					if (crc == romcrc)
 					{
-						if (crc == romcrc)
-						{
-							strcat(cheat_zip, "/");
-							strcat(cheat_zip, de->d_name);
-							closedir(d);
-							return 1;
-						}
+						strcat(cheat_zip, "/");
+						strcat(cheat_zip, de->d_name);
+						closedir(d);
+						return 1;
 					}
 				}
 			}
@@ -90,7 +86,7 @@ int find_by_crc(uint32_t romcrc)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-void cheats_init(char *rom_path, uint32_t romcrc)
+void cheats_init(const char *rom_path, uint32_t romcrc)
 {
 	cheats.clear();
 	loaded = 0;
@@ -109,17 +105,26 @@ void cheats_init(char *rom_path, uint32_t romcrc)
 	{
 		memset(&_z, 0, sizeof(_z));
 
-		char *rom_name = strrchr(rom_path, '/');
-		if (!rom_name) return;
-
-		sprintf(cheat_zip, "%s/cheats/%s%s", getRootDir(), HomeDir, rom_name);
-		char *p = strrchr(cheat_zip, '.');
-		if (p) *p = 0;
-		strcat(cheat_zip, ".zip");
-
-		if (!mz_zip_reader_init_file(&_z, cheat_zip, 0))
+		const char *rom_name = strrchr(rom_path, '/');
+		if (rom_name)
+		{
+			sprintf(cheat_zip, "%s/cheats/%s%s", getRootDir(), HomeDir, rom_name);
+			char *p = strrchr(cheat_zip, '.');
+			if (p) *p = 0;
+			strcat(cheat_zip, ".zip");
+
+			if (!mz_zip_reader_init_file(&_z, cheat_zip, 0))
+			{
+				memset(&_z, 0, sizeof(_z));
+				if (!find_by_crc(romcrc) || !mz_zip_reader_init_file(&_z, cheat_zip, 0))
+				{
+					printf("no cheat file found\n");
+					return;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		else
 		{
-			memset(&_z, 0, sizeof(_z));
 			if (!find_by_crc(romcrc) || !mz_zip_reader_init_file(&_z, cheat_zip, 0))
 			{
 				printf("no cheat file found\n");
diff --git a/cheats.h b/cheats.h
index 4201675..9d8d83f 100644
--- a/cheats.h
+++ b/cheats.h
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #ifndef CHEATS_H
 #define CHEATS_H
 
-void cheats_init(char *rom_path, uint32_t romcrc);
+void cheats_init(const char *rom_path, uint32_t romcrc);
 int cheats_available();
 void cheats_scan(int mode);
 void cheats_scroll_name();
diff --git a/user_io.cpp b/user_io.cpp
index d079ba9..d66ed6d 100644
--- a/user_io.cpp
+++ b/user_io.cpp
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "charrom.h"
 #include "scaler.h"
 #include "miniz.h"
+#include "cheats.h"
 
 #include "support.h"
 
@@ -622,6 +623,9 @@ void user_io_init(const char *path)
 							}
 						}
 					}
+
+					// cheats for boot file
+					if (user_io_use_cheats()) cheats_init("", user_io_get_file_crc());
 				}
 
 				if (is_cpc_core())