diff --git a/src/machine/c64.ts b/src/machine/c64.ts
index bbf9208c..4048c652 100644
--- a/src/machine/c64.ts
+++ b/src/machine/c64.ts
@@ -44,23 +44,38 @@ export class C64_WASMMachine extends BaseWASMMachine
       this.prgstart = this.romarr[0] + (this.romarr[1]<<8); // get load address
       // look for BASIC program start
       if (this.prgstart == 0x801) {
-        this.prgstart = this.romarr[2] + (this.romarr[3]<<8) + 2; // point to after BASIC program
-        console.log("prgstart", hex(this.prgstart));
+          // decode SYS address from decimal?
+          if (this.romarr[6] == 0x9e) {
+          var addr = 0;
+          for (var i=0; i<5; i++) {
+            var ch = this.romarr[7+i];
+            if (ch == 0x9b || ch == 0) break;
+            addr = addr * 10 + (ch & 0xf);
+          }
+          this.prgstart = addr;
+          console.log("SYS", addr, hex(addr));
+        } else {
+          this.prgstart = this.romarr[2] + (this.romarr[3]<<8) + 2; // point to after BASIC program
+          console.log("RUN", this.prgstart, hex(this.prgstart));
+        }
       }
       // is program loaded into RAM?
       if (this.prgstart < 0x8000) {
         // advance BIOS a few frames
         this.exports.machine_exec(this.sys, 250000);
         // type in command (SYS 2061)
-        var cmd = "\rSYS "+this.prgstart+"\r";
+        var cmd = "\rSYS "+this.prgstart;
         for (var i=0; i<cmd.length; i++) {
           var key = cmd.charCodeAt(i);
-          this.exports.machine_exec(this.sys, 20000);
+          this.exports.machine_exec(this.sys, 30000);
           this.exports.machine_key_down(this.sys, key);
-          this.exports.machine_exec(this.sys, 5000);
+          this.exports.machine_exec(this.sys, 30000);
           this.exports.machine_key_up(this.sys, key);
+          this.exports.machine_exec(this.sys, 1); // chips/kbd.c has a "sticky counter"
         }
         // advance clock until program starts
+        this.exports.machine_key_down(this.sys, 13);
+        this.exports.machine_exec(this.sys, 1); // chips/kbd.c has a "sticky counter"
         for (var i=0; i<100000 && this.getPC() != this.prgstart; i++) {
           this.exports.machine_tick(this.sys);
         }