diff --git a/resources/systems/unix/es_systems.xml b/resources/systems/unix/es_systems.xml
index 6e0c993d5..5c4b602a6 100644
--- a/resources/systems/unix/es_systems.xml
+++ b/resources/systems/unix/es_systems.xml
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@
         <command label="MAME 2010">%EMULATOR_RETROARCH% -L %CORE_RETROARCH%/mame2010_libretro.so %ROM%</command>
         <command label="FinalBurn Neo">%EMULATOR_RETROARCH% -L %CORE_RETROARCH%/fbneo_libretro.so %ROM%</command>
         <command label="FB Alpha 2012">%EMULATOR_RETROARCH% -L %CORE_RETROARCH%/fbalpha2012_libretro.so %ROM%</command>
-        <command label="MAME (Standalone)">%EMULATOR_MAME% -rompath %ROMPATH%/arcade %BASENAME%</command>
+        <command label="MAME (Standalone)">%EMULATOR_MAME% %STARTDIR%=~/.mame -rompath %ROMPATH%/arcade %BASENAME%</command>
         <platform>arcade</platform>
         <theme>arcade</theme>
     </system>
@@ -587,7 +587,7 @@
         <command label="MAME - Current">%EMULATOR_RETROARCH% -L %CORE_RETROARCH%/mame_libretro.so %ROM%</command>
         <command label="FinalBurn Neo">%EMULATOR_RETROARCH% -L %CORE_RETROARCH%/fbneo_libretro.so %ROM%</command>
         <command label="FB Alpha 2012">%EMULATOR_RETROARCH% -L %CORE_RETROARCH%/fbalpha2012_libretro.so %ROM%</command>
-        <command label="MAME (Standalone)">%EMULATOR_MAME% -rompath %ROMPATH%/mame %BASENAME%</command>
+        <command label="MAME (Standalone)">%EMULATOR_MAME% %STARTDIR%=~/.mame -rompath %ROMPATH%/mame %BASENAME%</command>
         <platform>arcade</platform>
         <theme>mame</theme>
     </system>
diff --git a/resources/systems/windows/es_systems.xml b/resources/systems/windows/es_systems.xml
index eb2baf48b..3c49cb56f 100644
--- a/resources/systems/windows/es_systems.xml
+++ b/resources/systems/windows/es_systems.xml
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@
         <command label="MAME 2010">%EMULATOR_RETROARCH% -L %CORE_RETROARCH%\mame2010_libretro.dll %ROM%</command>
         <command label="FinalBurn Neo">%EMULATOR_RETROARCH% -L %CORE_RETROARCH%\fbneo_libretro.dll %ROM%</command>
         <command label="FB Alpha 2012">%EMULATOR_RETROARCH% -L %CORE_RETROARCH%\fbalpha2012_libretro.dll %ROM%</command>
-        <command label="MAME (Standalone)">%EMULATOR_MAME% -rompath %ROMPATH%\arcade %BASENAME%</command>
+        <command label="MAME (Standalone)">%EMULATOR_MAME% %STARTDIR%=%EMUDIR% -rompath %ROMPATH%\arcade %BASENAME%</command>
         <platform>arcade</platform>
         <theme>arcade</theme>
     </system>
@@ -586,7 +586,7 @@
         <command label="MAME - Current">%EMULATOR_RETROARCH% -L %CORE_RETROARCH%\mame_libretro.dll %ROM%</command>
         <command label="FinalBurn Neo">%EMULATOR_RETROARCH% -L %CORE_RETROARCH%\fbneo_libretro.dll %ROM%</command>
         <command label="FB Alpha 2012">%EMULATOR_RETROARCH% -L %CORE_RETROARCH%\fbalpha2012_libretro.dll %ROM%</command>
-        <command label="MAME (Standalone)">%EMULATOR_MAME% -rompath %ROMPATH%\mame %BASENAME%</command>
+        <command label="MAME (Standalone)">%EMULATOR_MAME% %STARTDIR%=%EMUDIR% -rompath %ROMPATH%\mame %BASENAME%</command>
         <platform>arcade</platform>
         <theme>mame</theme>
     </system>