diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index b740f4657..a4057d775 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ Other fixes:
  - mGUI: Load parent directory if last used directory is missing (fixes mgba.io/i/3379)
  - Qt: Fix savestate preview sizes with different scales (fixes mgba.io/i/2560)
  - Qt: Fix potential crash when configuring shortcuts
+ - Qt: Fix regression where loading BIOS creates a save file (fixes mgba.io/i/3359)
 Misc:
  - Core: Handle relative paths for saves, screenshots, etc consistently (fixes mgba.io/i/2826)
  - Core: Improve rumble emulation by averaging state over entire frame (fixes mgba.io/i/3232)
diff --git a/src/platform/qt/CoreController.cpp b/src/platform/qt/CoreController.cpp
index 152efc222..53d5b3892 100644
--- a/src/platform/qt/CoreController.cpp
+++ b/src/platform/qt/CoreController.cpp
@@ -1267,6 +1267,9 @@ void CoreController::finishFrame() {
 }
 
 void CoreController::updatePlayerSave() {
+	if (m_saveBlocked) {
+		return;
+	}
 	int savePlayerId = m_multiplayer->saveId(this);
 
 	QString saveSuffix;
diff --git a/src/platform/qt/CoreController.h b/src/platform/qt/CoreController.h
index a2ebe410e..4de454d4b 100644
--- a/src/platform/qt/CoreController.h
+++ b/src/platform/qt/CoreController.h
@@ -176,6 +176,7 @@ public slots:
 	void scanCards(const QStringList&);
 	void replaceGame(const QString&);
 	void yankPak();
+	void blockSave() { m_saveBlocked = true; }
 
 	void addKey(int key);
 	void clearKey(int key);
@@ -263,6 +264,7 @@ private:
 
 	bool m_patched = false;
 	bool m_preload = false;
+	bool m_saveBlocked = false;
 
 	uint32_t m_crc32;
 	QString m_internalTitle;
diff --git a/src/platform/qt/CoreManager.cpp b/src/platform/qt/CoreManager.cpp
index b2f7cabf0..385b3440b 100644
--- a/src/platform/qt/CoreManager.cpp
+++ b/src/platform/qt/CoreManager.cpp
@@ -169,6 +169,7 @@ CoreController* CoreManager::loadBIOS(int platform, const QString& path) {
 	mDirectorySetAttachBase(&core->dirs, VDirOpen(bytes.constData()));
 
 	CoreController* cc = new CoreController(core);
+	cc->blockSave();
 	if (m_multiplayer) {
 		cc->setMultiplayerController(m_multiplayer);
 	}