diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/System.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/System.cpp
index f5a0f6b75d..0fa9300cc2 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/System.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/System.cpp
@@ -3991,6 +3991,9 @@ game_boot_result Emulator::Restart(bool graceful)
 			m_path = m_path_real;
 		}
 
+		// Allow Boot (guarded by GracefulShutdown, which is the scope of this callback)
+		m_restrict_emu_state_change = 0;
+
 		// Reload with prior configs.
 		if (const auto error = Load(m_title_id); error != game_boot_result::no_errors)
 		{
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/System.h b/rpcs3/Emu/System.h
index 3f5d8f4f57..3bf33bcd52 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/System.h
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/System.h
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ public:
 		{
 			if (active)
 			{
-				_this->m_restrict_emu_state_change--;
+				_this->m_restrict_emu_state_change.try_dec(0);
 			}
 		}