diff --git a/src/core/cdrom.cpp b/src/core/cdrom.cpp
index 42403dca9..5729a9ee5 100644
--- a/src/core/cdrom.cpp
+++ b/src/core/cdrom.cpp
@@ -1749,8 +1749,6 @@ void CDROM::BeginReading(TickCount ticks_late /* = 0 */, bool after_seek /* = fa
   const TickCount ticks = GetTicksForRead();
   const TickCount first_sector_ticks = ticks + (after_seek ? 0 : GetTicksForSeek(m_current_lba)) - ticks_late;
 
-  m_secondary_status.ClearActiveBits();
-  m_secondary_status.motor_on = true;
   ResetAudioDecoder();
 
   m_drive_state = DriveState::Reading;
@@ -1792,9 +1790,6 @@ void CDROM::BeginPlaying(u8 track, TickCount ticks_late /* = 0 */, bool after_se
   const TickCount ticks = GetTicksForRead();
   const TickCount first_sector_ticks = ticks + (after_seek ? 0 : GetTicksForSeek(m_current_lba, true)) - ticks_late;
 
-  m_secondary_status.ClearActiveBits();
-  m_secondary_status.motor_on = true;
-  m_secondary_status.playing_cdda = true;
   ClearSectorBuffers();
   ResetAudioDecoder();
 
@@ -1824,9 +1819,7 @@ void CDROM::BeginSeeking(bool logical, bool read_after_seek, bool play_after_see
   const CDImage::LBA seek_lba = m_setloc_position.ToLBA();
   const TickCount seek_time = GetTicksForSeek(seek_lba, play_after_seek);
 
-  m_secondary_status.ClearActiveBits();
-  m_secondary_status.motor_on = true;
-  m_secondary_status.seeking = true;
+  m_secondary_status.SetSeeking();
   m_last_sector_header_valid = false;
   ResetAudioDecoder();
 
@@ -1983,7 +1976,6 @@ bool CDROM::CompleteSeek()
 {
   const bool logical = (m_drive_state == DriveState::SeekingLogical);
   ClearDriveState();
-  m_secondary_status.ClearActiveBits();
 
   bool seek_okay = m_reader.WaitForReadToComplete();
   if (seek_okay)
@@ -2057,6 +2049,7 @@ void CDROM::DoSeekComplete(TickCount ticks_late)
     }
     else
     {
+      m_secondary_status.ClearActiveBits();
       m_async_response_fifo.Push(m_secondary_status.bits);
       SetAsyncInterrupt(Interrupt::Complete);
     }
@@ -2066,6 +2059,8 @@ void CDROM::DoSeekComplete(TickCount ticks_late)
     CDImage::Position pos(CDImage::Position::FromLBA(m_reader.GetLastReadSector()));
     Log_WarningPrintf("%s seek to [%02u:%02u:%02u] failed", logical ? "Logical" : "Physical", pos.minute, pos.second,
                       pos.frame);
+
+    m_secondary_status.ClearActiveBits();
     SendAsyncErrorResponse(STAT_SEEK_ERROR, 0x04);
     m_last_sector_header_valid = false;
   }
@@ -2212,6 +2207,8 @@ void CDROM::DoSectorRead()
   m_physical_lba_update_tick = TimingEvents::GetGlobalTickCounter();
   m_physical_lba_update_carry = 0;
 
+  m_secondary_status.SetReadingBits(m_drive_state == DriveState::Playing);
+
   const CDImage::SubChannelQ& subq = m_reader.GetSectorSubQ();
   const bool subq_valid = subq.IsCRCValid();
   if (subq_valid)
@@ -2296,9 +2293,6 @@ void CDROM::ProcessDataSector(const u8* raw_sector, const CDImage::SubChannelQ&
                 ZeroExtend32(m_last_sector_header.sector_mode), ZeroExtend32(m_last_sector_subheader.submode.bits),
                 sb_num);
 
-  // The reading bit shouldn't be set until the first sector is processed.
-  m_secondary_status.reading = true;
-
   if (m_mode.xa_enable && m_last_sector_header.sector_mode == 2)
   {
     if (m_last_sector_subheader.submode.realtime && m_last_sector_subheader.submode.audio)
diff --git a/src/core/cdrom.h b/src/core/cdrom.h
index ae61a2d2e..240a7e984 100644
--- a/src/core/cdrom.h
+++ b/src/core/cdrom.h
@@ -200,6 +200,19 @@ private:
 
     /// Clears the CDDA/seeking bits.
     ALWAYS_INLINE void ClearActiveBits() { bits &= ~(STAT_SEEKING | STAT_READING | STAT_PLAYING_CDDA); }
+
+    /// Sets the bits for seeking.
+    ALWAYS_INLINE void SetSeeking()
+    {
+      bits = (bits & ~(STAT_READING | STAT_PLAYING_CDDA)) | (STAT_MOTOR_ON | STAT_SEEKING);
+    }
+
+    /// Sets the bits for reading/playing.
+    ALWAYS_INLINE void SetReadingBits(bool audio)
+    {
+      bits = (bits & ~(STAT_SEEKING | STAT_READING | STAT_PLAYING_CDDA)) |
+             ((audio) ? (STAT_MOTOR_ON | STAT_PLAYING_CDDA) : (STAT_MOTOR_ON | STAT_READING));
+    }
   };
 
   union ModeRegister