diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/System.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/System.cpp
index 69f97ed22b..485af84d32 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/System.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/System.cpp
@@ -281,9 +281,17 @@ std::string Emulator::GetLibDir()
 	return fmt::replace_all(g_cfg.vfs.dev_flash, "$(EmulatorDir)", emu_dir) + "sys/external/";
 }
 
+void Emulator::SetForceBoot(bool force_boot)
+{
+	m_force_boot = force_boot;
+}
+
 void Emulator::Load(bool add_only)
 {
-	Stop();
+	if (!IsStopped())
+	{
+		Stop();
+	}
 
 	try
 	{
@@ -616,9 +624,10 @@ void Emulator::Load(bool add_only)
 			return;
 		}
 
-		if (g_cfg.misc.autostart && IsReady())
+		if ((m_force_boot || g_cfg.misc.autostart) && IsReady())
 		{
 			Run();
+			m_force_boot = false;
 		}
 		else if (IsPaused())
 		{
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/System.h b/rpcs3/Emu/System.h
index ddc7271236..dbec6ce2df 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/System.h
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/System.h
@@ -182,6 +182,8 @@ class Emulator final
 	std::string m_title_id;
 	std::string m_title;
 
+	bool m_force_boot = false;
+
 public:
 	Emulator() = default;
 
@@ -247,6 +249,8 @@ public:
 	static std::string GetHddDir();
 	static std::string GetLibDir();
 
+	void SetForceBoot(bool force_boot);
+
 	void Load(bool add_only = false);
 	void Run();
 	bool Pause();
diff --git a/rpcs3/main.cpp b/rpcs3/main.cpp
index 4e48472da4..5a8e4fda9e 100644
--- a/rpcs3/main.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/main.cpp
@@ -74,8 +74,8 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
 		QTimer::singleShot(2, [path = sstr(QFileInfo(args.at(0)).canonicalFilePath()), argv = std::move(argv)]() mutable
 		{
 			Emu.argv = std::move(argv);
+			Emu.SetForceBoot(true);
 			Emu.BootGame(path, true);
-			Emu.Run();
 		});
 	}