diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/PPUThread.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/PPUThread.cpp
index ffc31b11ec..d1d4ca3fc7 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/PPUThread.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/PPUThread.cpp
@@ -2438,11 +2438,6 @@ void ppu_thread::serialize_common(utils::serial& ar)
 		fmt::throw_exception("Failed to serialize PPU thread ID=0x%x (cia=0x%x, ar=%s)", this->id, cia, ar);
 	}
 
-	if (ar.is_writing())
-	{
-		ppu_log.notice("Saving PPU Thread [0x%x: %s]: cia=0x%x, state=%s", id, *ppu_tname.load(), cia, +state);
-	}
-
 	ar(optional_savestate_state, vr);
 
 	if (!ar.is_writing())
@@ -2514,7 +2509,9 @@ ppu_thread::ppu_thread(utils::serial& ar)
 		}
 	};
 
-	switch (const u32 status = ar.pop<u32>())
+	const u32 status = ar.pop<u32>();
+
+	switch (status)
 	{
 	case PPU_THREAD_STATUS_IDLE:
 	{
@@ -2645,11 +2642,14 @@ ppu_thread::ppu_thread(utils::serial& ar)
 
 	ppu_tname = make_single<std::string>(ar.pop<std::string>());
 
-	ppu_log.notice("Loading PPU Thread [0x%x: %s]: cia=0x%x, state=%s", id, *ppu_tname.load(), cia, +state);
+	ppu_log.notice("Loading PPU Thread [0x%x: %s]: cia=0x%x, state=%s, status=%s", id, *ppu_tname.load(), cia, +state, ppu_thread_status{status});
 }
 
 void ppu_thread::save(utils::serial& ar)
 {
+	// For debugging purposes, load this as soon as this function enters
+	const bs_t<cpu_flag> state_flags = state;
+
 	USING_SERIALIZATION_VERSION(ppu);
 
 	const u64 entry = std::bit_cast<u64>(entry_func);
@@ -2699,6 +2699,15 @@ void ppu_thread::save(utils::serial& ar)
 	}
 
 	ar(*ppu_tname.load());
+
+	if (current_module && current_module[0])
+	{
+		ppu_log.notice("Saving PPU Thread [0x%x: %s]: cia=0x%x, state=%s, statu=%s (at function: %s)", id, *ppu_tname.load(), cia, state_flags, ppu_thread_status{status}, last_function);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		ppu_log.notice("Saving PPU Thread [0x%x: %s]: cia=0x%x, state=%s, statu=%s", id, *ppu_tname.load(), cia, state_flags, ppu_thread_status{status});
+	}
 }
 
 ppu_thread::thread_name_t::operator std::string() const
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/RSXThread.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/RSXThread.cpp
index 57ffc0e11f..703c762ae0 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/RSXThread.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/RSXThread.cpp
@@ -961,7 +961,7 @@ namespace rsx
 		}
 
 		// Wait for startup (TODO)
-		while (!rsx_thread_running || Emu.IsPaused())
+		while (!rsx_thread_running || Emu.IsPausedOrReady())
 		{
 			// Execute backend-local tasks first
 			do_local_task(performance_counters.state);
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/System.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/System.cpp
index 21785a32be..7d60f57cdc 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/System.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/System.cpp
@@ -3038,6 +3038,11 @@ void Emulator::Kill(bool allow_autoexit, bool savestate, savestate_stage* save_s
 
 	if (!IsStopped() && savestate)
 	{
+		if (IsStarting())
+		{
+			return;
+		}
+
 		if (!save_stage || !save_stage->prepared)
 		{
 			if (m_emu_state_close_pending.exchange(true))