diff --git a/gopher2600.go b/gopher2600.go
index 52bab0fe..15a36893 100644
--- a/gopher2600.go
+++ b/gopher2600.go
@@ -81,7 +81,6 @@ func play(mf *magicflags.MagicFlags) bool {
 	scaling := mf.SubModeFlags.Float64("scale", 3.0, "television scaling")
 	stable := mf.SubModeFlags.Bool("stable", true, "wait for stable frame before opening display")
 	record := mf.SubModeFlags.Bool("record", false, "record user input to a file")
-	recording := mf.SubModeFlags.String("recording", "", "the file to use for recording/playback")
 
 	if mf.SubParse() != magicflags.ParseContinue {
 		return false
@@ -89,26 +88,21 @@ func play(mf *magicflags.MagicFlags) bool {
 
 	switch len(mf.SubModeFlags.Args()) {
 	case 0:
-		if *recording == "" {
-			fmt.Println("* 2600 cartridge required")
-			return false
-		}
-		fallthrough
+		fmt.Println("* 2600 cartridge required")
+		return false
 	case 1:
 		cartload := cartridgeloader.Loader{
 			Filename: mf.SubModeFlags.Arg(0),
 			Format:   *cartFormat,
 		}
 
-		err := playmode.Play(*tvType, float32(*scaling), *stable, *recording, *record, cartload)
+		err := playmode.Play(*tvType, float32(*scaling), *stable, *record, cartload)
 		if err != nil {
 			fmt.Printf("* %s\n", err)
 			return false
 		}
 		if *record {
 			fmt.Println("! recording completed")
-		} else if *recording != "" {
-			fmt.Println("! playback completed")
 		}
 	default:
 		fmt.Printf("* too many arguments for %s mode\n", mf.Mode)
diff --git a/playmode/play.go b/playmode/play.go
index cbe5595d..6ef2dbff 100644
--- a/playmode/play.go
+++ b/playmode/play.go
@@ -21,9 +21,20 @@ func uniqueFilename(cartload cartridgeloader.Loader) string {
 }
 
 // Play sets the emulation running - without any debugging features
-func Play(tvType string, scaling float32, stable bool, transcript string, newRecording bool, cartload cartridgeloader.Loader) error {
+func Play(tvType string, scaling float32, stable bool, newRecording bool, cartload cartridgeloader.Loader) error {
+	var transcript string
+
+	// if supplied cartridge name is actually a playback file then set
+	// transcript and dump cartridgeLoader information
 	if recorder.IsPlaybackFile(cartload.Filename) {
-		return errors.New(errors.PlayError, "specified cartridge is a playback file. use -recording flag")
+
+		// do not allow this if a new recording has been requested
+		if newRecording {
+			return errors.New(errors.PlayError, "cannot make a new recording using a playback file")
+		}
+
+		transcript = cartload.Filename
+		cartload = cartridgeloader.Loader{}
 	}
 
 	playtv, err := sdlplay.NewSdlPlay(tvType, scaling, nil)
@@ -36,23 +47,13 @@ func Play(tvType string, scaling float32, stable bool, transcript string, newRec
 		return errors.New(errors.PlayError, err)
 	}
 
-	// create default recording file name if no name has been supplied
-	if newRecording && transcript == "" {
-		n := time.Now()
-		timestamp := fmt.Sprintf("%04d%02d%02d_%02d%02d%02d", n.Year(), n.Month(), n.Day(), n.Hour(), n.Minute(), n.Second())
-		transcript = fmt.Sprintf("recording_%s_%s", cartload.ShortName(), timestamp)
-	}
-
 	// note that we attach the cartridge in three different branches below,
 	// depending on
 
 	if newRecording {
 		// new recording requested
 
-		// no transcript name given so we must generate a suitable default
-		if transcript == "" {
-			transcript = uniqueFilename(cartload)
-		}
+		transcript = uniqueFilename(cartload)
 
 		rec, err := recorder.NewRecorder(transcript, vcs)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/regression/frame.go b/regression/frame.go
index 2e405896..142a15c7 100644
--- a/regression/frame.go
+++ b/regression/frame.go
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ func (reg *FrameRegression) regress(newRegression bool, output io.Writer, msg st
 
 		if reg.State {
 			// create a unique filename
-			reg.stateFile = uniqueFilename(reg.CartLoad)
+			reg.stateFile = uniqueFilename("state", reg.CartLoad)
 
 			// check that the filename is unique
 			nf, _ := os.Open(reg.stateFile)
diff --git a/regression/playback.go b/regression/playback.go
index c6d98ec7..319e2a4d 100644
--- a/regression/playback.go
+++ b/regression/playback.go
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ func (reg *PlaybackRegression) regress(newRegression bool, output io.Writer, msg
 	// regressionScripts directory
 	if newRegression {
 		// create a unique filename
-		newScript := uniqueFilename(plb.CartLoad)
+		newScript := uniqueFilename("playback", plb.CartLoad)
 
 		// check that the filename is unique
 		nf, _ := os.Open(newScript)
diff --git a/regression/timestamp.go b/regression/unique.go
similarity index 51%
rename from regression/timestamp.go
rename to regression/unique.go
index 12bf4045..691aecc9 100644
--- a/regression/timestamp.go
+++ b/regression/unique.go
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@ import (
 	"time"
 )
 
-// create a unique filename from a CatridgeLoader instance
-
-func uniqueFilename(cartload cartridgeloader.Loader) string {
+// create a unique filename from a CatridgeLoader instance. used when saving
+// scripts into regressionScripts directory
+func uniqueFilename(prepend string, cartload cartridgeloader.Loader) string {
 	n := time.Now()
 	timestamp := fmt.Sprintf("%04d%02d%02d_%02d%02d%02d", n.Year(), n.Month(), n.Day(), n.Hour(), n.Minute(), n.Second())
-	newScript := fmt.Sprintf("%s_%s", cartload.ShortName(), timestamp)
+	newScript := fmt.Sprintf("%s_%s_%s", prepend, cartload.ShortName(), timestamp)
 	return paths.ResourcePath(regressionScripts, newScript)
 }