diff --git a/src/osd/winui/mui_opts.cpp b/src/osd/winui/mui_opts.cpp
index 1d189cce99b1e..f6e7bee24ce70 100644
--- a/src/osd/winui/mui_opts.cpp
+++ b/src/osd/winui/mui_opts.cpp
@@ -1073,17 +1073,32 @@ BOOL GetSortReverse(void)
 	return settings.bool_value( MUIOPTION_SORT_REVERSED);
 }
 
-const char* GetLanguage(void)
+const char* GetLanguage(void)		// this is unused I guess
 {
 	return settings.value( MUIOPTION_LANGUAGE);
 }
 
-void SetLanguage(const char* lang)
+void SetLanguage(const char* lang)	// same as above, time to remove it?
 {
 	std::string error_string;
 	settings.set_value(MUIOPTION_LANGUAGE, lang, OPTION_PRIORITY_CMDLINE,error_string);
 }
 
+const char* GetLanguageUI(void)
+{
+	return global.value(OPTION_LANGUAGE);
+}
+
+bool GetEnablePlugins(void)
+{
+	return global.bool_value(OPTION_PLUGINS);
+}
+
+const char* GetPlugins(void)
+{
+	return global.value(OPTION_PLUGIN);
+}
+
 const char* GetRomDirs(void)
 {
 	return global.media_path();
diff --git a/src/osd/winui/mui_opts.h b/src/osd/winui/mui_opts.h
index 3301303a2daae..7cccc31375af5 100644
--- a/src/osd/winui/mui_opts.h
+++ b/src/osd/winui/mui_opts.h
@@ -230,6 +230,12 @@ BOOL GetSortReverse(void);
 const char* GetLanguage(void);
 void SetLanguage(const char* lang);
 
+const char* GetLanguageUI(void);
+
+bool GetEnablePlugins(void);
+
+const char* GetPlugins(void);
+
 const char* GetRomDirs(void);
 void SetRomDirs(const char* paths);
 
diff --git a/src/osd/winui/winui.cpp b/src/osd/winui/winui.cpp
index 64cafc7b6f642..37a24791f1441 100644
--- a/src/osd/winui/winui.cpp
+++ b/src/osd/winui/winui.cpp
@@ -886,17 +886,23 @@ static DWORD RunMAME(int nGameIndex, const play_options *playopts)
 	time_t start, end;
 	double elapsedtime;
 	int i;
-	mame_options mame_opts;
+	//mame_options mame_opts;	seems useless....
 	windows_options global_opts;
 	std::string error_string;
 	// set up MAME options
-//  mame_opts = mame_options_init(mame_win_options);
+	//  mame_opts = mame_options_init(mame_win_options);
 
 	// Tell mame were to get the INIs
 	SetDirectories(global_opts);
 
+	// set some startup options
+	global_opts.set_value(OPTION_LANGUAGE, GetLanguageUI(), OPTION_PRIORITY_CMDLINE, error_string);
+	global_opts.set_value(OPTION_PLUGINS, GetEnablePlugins(), OPTION_PRIORITY_CMDLINE, error_string);
+	global_opts.set_value(OPTION_PLUGIN, GetPlugins(), OPTION_PRIORITY_CMDLINE, error_string);
+
 	// add image specific device options
-	mame_opts.set_system_name(global_opts, driver_list::driver(nGameIndex).name);
+	//mame_opts.set_system_name(global_opts, driver_list::driver(nGameIndex).name);
+	global_opts.set_value(OPTION_SYSTEMNAME, driver_list::driver(nGameIndex).name, OPTION_PRIORITY_CMDLINE, error_string);
 
 	// set any specified play options
 	if (playopts_apply == 0x57)
@@ -932,6 +938,8 @@ static DWORD RunMAME(int nGameIndex, const play_options *playopts)
 	osd_output::push(&winerror);
 	osd.register_options();
 	mame_machine_manager *manager = mame_machine_manager::instance(global_opts, osd);
+	load_translation(global_opts);
+	manager->start_luaengine();
 	manager->execute();
 	osd_output::pop(&winerror);
 	global_free(manager);