diff --git a/examples/arrays_and_functions.nes b/examples/arrays_and_functions.nes
index 9faa196..4c008ab 100644
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diff --git a/examples/audio_demo.nes b/examples/audio_demo.nes
index a8dee48..af2fc4d 100644
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diff --git a/examples/auto_chr_background.nes b/examples/auto_chr_background.nes
index c921938..7d808ba 100644
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diff --git a/examples/bitwise_ops.nes b/examples/bitwise_ops.nes
index 9f298a8..fa1b592 100644
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diff --git a/examples/bouncing_ball.nes b/examples/bouncing_ball.nes
index 9959992..19f3d91 100644
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diff --git a/examples/coin_cavern.nes b/examples/coin_cavern.nes
index 8fcf88a..4be191b 100644
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diff --git a/examples/comparisons.nes b/examples/comparisons.nes
index 84044f6..d094c40 100644
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diff --git a/examples/friendly_assets.nes b/examples/friendly_assets.nes
index 803da81..4590920 100644
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diff --git a/examples/function_chain.nes b/examples/function_chain.nes
index 287a713..2e5045e 100644
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diff --git a/examples/hello_sprite.nes b/examples/hello_sprite.nes
index 97eaccf..cd8fced 100644
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diff --git a/examples/inline_asm_demo.nes b/examples/inline_asm_demo.nes
index 97e2b5f..da31d21 100644
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diff --git a/examples/logic_ops.nes b/examples/logic_ops.nes
index ccdfff4..9399b71 100644
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diff --git a/examples/loop_break_continue.nes b/examples/loop_break_continue.nes
index 8e4e158..300079b 100644
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diff --git a/examples/match_demo.nes b/examples/match_demo.nes
index 9343b05..fe67689 100644
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diff --git a/examples/metasprite_demo.nes b/examples/metasprite_demo.nes
index 50f684d..8cf1b75 100644
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diff --git a/examples/mmc1_banked.nes b/examples/mmc1_banked.nes
index 7f250d2..56697f2 100644
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diff --git a/examples/mmc3_per_state_split.nes b/examples/mmc3_per_state_split.nes
index cd48257..7e5409b 100644
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diff --git a/examples/nested_structs.nes b/examples/nested_structs.nes
index df29244..547ab01 100644
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diff --git a/examples/noise_triangle_sfx.nes b/examples/noise_triangle_sfx.nes
index 8bfe217..c826255 100644
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diff --git a/examples/palette_and_background.nes b/examples/palette_and_background.nes
index 88751f6..4e0d548 100644
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diff --git a/examples/platformer.nes b/examples/platformer.nes
index 911e40a..81966a4 100644
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diff --git a/examples/pong.nes b/examples/pong.nes
index aae3928..ba800df 100644
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diff --git a/examples/scanline_split.nes b/examples/scanline_split.nes
index 93ba691..2365915 100644
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diff --git a/examples/sfx_pitch_envelope.nes b/examples/sfx_pitch_envelope.nes
index 032cd18..3b55f5e 100644
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diff --git a/examples/sha256.nes b/examples/sha256.nes
index b3e8569..c5fa92e 100644
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diff --git a/examples/sprite_flicker_demo.nes b/examples/sprite_flicker_demo.nes
index b128bd7..6d57fd4 100644
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diff --git a/examples/sprites_and_palettes.nes b/examples/sprites_and_palettes.nes
index 9cf96e7..3bf47ba 100644
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diff --git a/examples/state_machine.nes b/examples/state_machine.nes
index 97bbefa..bc2ec80 100644
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diff --git a/examples/structs_enums_for.nes b/examples/structs_enums_for.nes
index 9585948..85cad6b 100644
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diff --git a/examples/two_player.nes b/examples/two_player.nes
index cd07add..ce96cd0 100644
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diff --git a/examples/uxrom_banked.nes b/examples/uxrom_banked.nes
index a5e6030..50a6a2c 100644
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diff --git a/examples/uxrom_banked_to_banked.nes b/examples/uxrom_banked_to_banked.nes
index a8e6eb7..92e9f64 100644
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diff --git a/examples/uxrom_user_banked.nes b/examples/uxrom_user_banked.nes
index a71fe7e..231c269 100644
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diff --git a/examples/war.nes b/examples/war.nes
index e438709..05fc56d 100644
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diff --git a/src/codegen/ir_codegen.rs b/src/codegen/ir_codegen.rs
index 61b9e45..4c046d6 100644
--- a/src/codegen/ir_codegen.rs
+++ b/src/codegen/ir_codegen.rs
@@ -161,6 +161,53 @@ pub struct IrCodeGen<'a> {
     /// resulting `__ppu_update_used` marker label to decide whether
     /// to splice the in-NMI palette/nametable update helper.
     ppu_update_used: bool,
+    /// Set to true the first time we lower an `IrOp::Mul`. Drives
+    /// the `__mul_used` marker label so the linker can skip
+    /// `gen_multiply` (~50 bytes) for programs that never multiply.
+    /// The optimizer's strength reduction has already turned
+    /// multiplies by constant powers of two into shifts by the time
+    /// codegen runs, so this flag only gets set for real runtime
+    /// multiplications.
+    mul_used: bool,
+    /// Set to true the first time we lower an `IrOp::Div` or
+    /// `IrOp::Mod` (modulo reuses the divide routine). Drives the
+    /// `__div_used` marker label so the linker can skip `gen_divide`
+    /// (~70 bytes) for programs that never divide. Divide by
+    /// constant powers of two has been strength-reduced to shifts
+    /// by the optimizer, and modulo by constant powers of two to
+    /// masks; runtime divide only survives for non-constant or
+    /// non-power-of-two divisors.
+    div_used: bool,
+    /// Set to true the first time we lower an `IrOp::DrawSprite`.
+    /// Drives the `__oam_used` marker label. The linker reads this
+    /// to decide whether to splice the OAM DMA into NMI, emit the
+    /// `$FE`-fill OAM shadow init inside `gen_init`'s RAM clear,
+    /// and keep the default palette load. Programs that never
+    /// `draw` pay zero for any of those paths.
+    oam_used: bool,
+    /// Set to true the first time a `draw` either references a
+    /// sprite name that the resolver didn't turn into a user
+    /// sprite (falling back to tile 0) or uses a runtime `frame:`
+    /// override (which could index any tile, including 0). Drives
+    /// the `__default_sprite_used` marker label — the linker uses
+    /// it to decide whether to reserve CHR tile 0 for the built-in
+    /// smiley. Programs that only draw explicitly-declared sprites
+    /// with static names and no `frame:` override leave this flag
+    /// `false` and reclaim the 16 CHR bytes of tile 0 as a blank
+    /// background tile.
+    default_sprite_used: bool,
+    /// Set to true the first time we lower an `IrOp::ReadInput`
+    /// targeting player 1. Drives the `__p1_input_used` marker
+    /// label — the runtime's NMI skips the three instructions that
+    /// shift `$4016` into `ZP_INPUT_P1` when nobody reads the
+    /// player-1 byte.
+    p1_input_used: bool,
+    /// Set to true the first time we lower an `IrOp::ReadInput`
+    /// targeting player 2. Drives the `__p2_input_used` marker
+    /// label — single-player programs skip the `$4017` read inside
+    /// the NMI's shift loop, saving ~6 bytes of code and ~30 cycles
+    /// per frame.
+    p2_input_used: bool,
     /// Source-location markers produced from [`IrOp::SourceLoc`].
     /// Each entry is a `(label_name, span)` pair — the codegen
     /// emits a unique label-definition pseudo-op at the current
@@ -338,6 +385,12 @@ impl<'a> IrCodeGen<'a> {
             noise_used: false,
             triangle_used: false,
             ppu_update_used: false,
+            mul_used: false,
+            div_used: false,
+            oam_used: false,
+            default_sprite_used: false,
+            p1_input_used: false,
+            p2_input_used: false,
             source_locs: Vec::new(),
             next_source_loc: 0,
             emit_source_locs: false,
@@ -829,6 +882,15 @@ impl<'a> IrCodeGen<'a> {
             self.emit(JMP, AM::Label("__debug_halt".to_string()));
         }
 
+        // Pay-as-you-go marker labels for flags that got set during
+        // the IR walk above. Emitting them here (rather than at the
+        // call sites) keeps the markers out of peephole-sensitive
+        // instruction sequences — a label inside `IrOp::DrawSprite`
+        // or `IrOp::ReadInput`, for instance, would otherwise split
+        // the dead-load-elimination block and leave stale ZP
+        // stores in the stream.
+        self.emit_trailing_markers();
+
         // Snapshot the fixed-bank instruction stream before we
         // start emitting the banked function bodies into their own
         // streams. Programs without any banked functions skip the
@@ -1175,7 +1237,14 @@ impl<'a> IrCodeGen<'a> {
                 self.store_temp(*d);
             }
             IrOp::Mul(d, a, b) => {
-                // Software multiply: multiplicand in A, multiplier in $02
+                // Software multiply: multiplicand in A, multiplier in $02.
+                // Flag the `__mul_used` marker so the linker knows to
+                // link the `__multiply` subroutine in — programs that
+                // don't multiply skip ~50 bytes of runtime. The label
+                // itself is emitted at the end of generate() so it
+                // doesn't disturb peephole-sensitive instruction
+                // sequences here.
+                self.mul_used = true;
                 self.load_temp(*a);
                 self.emit(PHA, AM::Implied); // Save for __multiply contract
                 let b_addr = self.temp_addr(*b);
@@ -1222,7 +1291,11 @@ impl<'a> IrCodeGen<'a> {
             IrOp::Div(d, a, b) => {
                 // Software divide: dividend in A, divisor in $02.
                 // `__divide` returns quotient in A and leaves
-                // remainder in ZP $03.
+                // remainder in ZP $03. Flag the `__div_used` marker
+                // so the linker links the `__divide` subroutine in;
+                // programs that don't divide skip ~70 bytes. The
+                // label is emitted at the end of generate().
+                self.div_used = true;
                 self.load_temp(*a);
                 self.emit(PHA, AM::Implied);
                 let b_addr = self.temp_addr(*b);
@@ -1234,7 +1307,10 @@ impl<'a> IrCodeGen<'a> {
             }
             IrOp::Mod(d, a, b) => {
                 // Modulo reuses __divide and reads the remainder out
-                // of ZP $03 afterwards.
+                // of ZP $03 afterwards. Same `__div_used` marker as
+                // `IrOp::Div` — modulo doesn't have a separate
+                // runtime routine.
+                self.div_used = true;
                 self.load_temp(*a);
                 self.emit(PHA, AM::Implied);
                 let b_addr = self.temp_addr(*b);
@@ -1358,6 +1434,16 @@ impl<'a> IrCodeGen<'a> {
                 y,
                 frame,
             } => {
+                // Flag the `__oam_used` marker so the linker knows
+                // to emit the OAM DMA + shadow-init + default-palette
+                // machinery. Programs that never `draw` skip all of
+                // those paths — no DMA cycles per NMI, no $FE OAM
+                // shadow fill, no built-in smiley reserved in CHR,
+                // and the default palette is suppressed too when the
+                // program has no other visual output. The label is
+                // emitted at the end of generate() so it doesn't
+                // split a peephole block here.
+                self.oam_used = true;
                 // Runtime OAM-cursor-based draw. Each frame handler
                 // resets `ZP_OAM_CURSOR` to 0 after the OAM clear; a
                 // `draw` loads the cursor into Y, writes the four
@@ -1392,12 +1478,25 @@ impl<'a> IrCodeGen<'a> {
                 self.load_temp(*y);
                 self.emit(STA, AM::AbsoluteY(0x0200));
 
-                // Tile index at cursor+1 — frame override, sprite lookup, or 0
+                // Tile index at cursor+1 — frame override, sprite lookup, or 0.
+                //
+                // The `frame: <var>` override indexes into CHR at a
+                // runtime value we can't bound statically, so it
+                // might land on tile 0 and therefore needs the
+                // default smiley. The `sprite_name doesn't resolve`
+                // case falls back to tile 0 explicitly. Both drop
+                // the `__default_sprite_used` marker so the linker
+                // keeps the smiley tile in CHR; draws that resolve
+                // to a user sprite with a static `frame: None` leave
+                // the marker off and tile 0 becomes user-available
+                // as a blank (all-$00) background tile.
                 if let Some(f) = frame {
+                    self.default_sprite_used = true;
                     self.load_temp(*f);
                 } else if let Some(&tile) = self.sprite_tiles.get(sprite_name) {
                     self.emit(LDA, AM::Immediate(tile));
                 } else {
+                    self.default_sprite_used = true;
                     self.emit(LDA, AM::Immediate(0));
                 }
                 self.emit(STA, AM::AbsoluteY(0x0201));
@@ -1420,6 +1519,17 @@ impl<'a> IrCodeGen<'a> {
                 self.emit(INC, AM::ZeroPage(ZP_OAM_CURSOR));
             }
             IrOp::ReadInput(dest, player) => {
+                // Flag the per-player input marker so the linker
+                // can decide whether to keep that port's shift
+                // block inside NMI. IR uses `player_index` 0 = P1
+                // and 1 = P2; the ZP bytes the NMI populates match
+                // the constants at the top of `runtime/mod.rs`.
+                // Labels are emitted at the end of generate().
+                if *player == 1 {
+                    self.p2_input_used = true;
+                } else {
+                    self.p1_input_used = true;
+                }
                 // $01 = P1 input byte, $08 = P2 input byte
                 let addr = if *player == 1 { 0x08 } else { 0x01 };
                 self.emit(LDA, AM::ZeroPage(addr));
@@ -2018,6 +2128,37 @@ impl<'a> IrCodeGen<'a> {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Emit the marker labels for flags that got set somewhere
+    /// during `generate()`'s IR walk. Called once, at the end of
+    /// `generate()`, so the labels land after every instruction
+    /// that could have set a flag — never splitting a
+    /// peephole-sensitive block at the flag's call site.
+    ///
+    /// Each label is a zero-byte pseudo-op. The linker looks them
+    /// up by name via `has_label` and turns on the gated runtime
+    /// feature. Programs that never set a given flag emit nothing
+    /// for it — no label, no lookup hit, no gated code.
+    fn emit_trailing_markers(&mut self) {
+        if self.mul_used {
+            self.emit_label("__mul_used");
+        }
+        if self.div_used {
+            self.emit_label("__div_used");
+        }
+        if self.oam_used {
+            self.emit_label("__oam_used");
+        }
+        if self.default_sprite_used {
+            self.emit_label("__default_sprite_used");
+        }
+        if self.p1_input_used {
+            self.emit_label("__p1_input_used");
+        }
+        if self.p2_input_used {
+            self.emit_label("__p2_input_used");
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Emit the MMC3 `__irq_user` handler that dispatches on the
     /// `(current_state, scanline_step)` pair. Supports multiple
     /// `on scanline(N)` handlers per state — they fire in ascending
diff --git a/src/linker/mod.rs b/src/linker/mod.rs
index 94ec068..5c9bbe2 100644
--- a/src/linker/mod.rs
+++ b/src/linker/mod.rs
@@ -157,7 +157,13 @@ const DEFAULT_SPRITE_CHR: [u8; 16] = [
     0b0011_1100,
 ];
 
-/// Default palette data for M1 (writes to PPU $3F00).
+/// Default palette data for M1 (writes to PPU $3F00). Spliced into
+/// PRG under [`DEFAULT_PALETTE_LABEL`] when the program has no
+/// user-declared palette, and loaded by
+/// [`runtime::gen_initial_palette_load`] via the same indirect-loop
+/// path that user palettes use — keeps the reset-time palette
+/// loader small (one code path, ~20 bytes) instead of the old
+/// 170-byte per-entry unrolled store sequence.
 const DEFAULT_PALETTE: [u8; 32] = [
     // Background palettes
     0x0F, 0x00, 0x10, 0x20, // palette 0 (black, dark gray, light gray, white)
@@ -171,6 +177,12 @@ const DEFAULT_PALETTE: [u8; 32] = [
     0x0F, 0x12, 0x22, 0x32, // sprite palette 3
 ];
 
+/// Label under which [`DEFAULT_PALETTE`] is spliced into PRG when
+/// emitted. Prefixed with `__` so it can never collide with a
+/// user-declared palette's label, which the asset pipeline prefixes
+/// with `__palette_`.
+const DEFAULT_PALETTE_LABEL: &str = "__default_palette";
+
 impl Linker {
     pub fn new(mirroring: Mirroring) -> Self {
         Self {
@@ -384,11 +396,25 @@ impl Linker {
 
         let mut all_instructions = Vec::new();
 
+        // Does this program need the OAM DMA plumbing? True when
+        // either of two markers the IR codegen drops is present:
+        //   - `__oam_used`: user code contains at least one `draw`.
+        //   - `__sprite_cycle_used`: user code calls `cycle_sprites`
+        //     (which rotates the DMA start offset each frame; it
+        //     presupposes the DMA is running).
+        // Gates the `$FE` OAM shadow fill inside `gen_init`, the
+        // OAM DMA inside `gen_nmi`, and — cascaded via the
+        // `has_visual_output` check below — the default palette /
+        // smiley / rendering-enable machinery. Programs that don't
+        // draw save ~520 cycles per NMI plus a handful of bytes.
+        let has_oam =
+            has_label(user_code, "__oam_used") || has_label(user_code, "__sprite_cycle_used");
+
         // RESET entry point
         all_instructions.push(Instruction::new(NOP, AM::Label("__reset".into())));
 
         // Hardware initialization
-        all_instructions.extend(runtime::gen_init());
+        all_instructions.extend(runtime::gen_init(has_oam));
 
         // Mapper configuration: for banked mappers, set up the PRG
         // layout so the fixed bank sits at $C000-$FFFF. NROM is a
@@ -399,10 +425,25 @@ impl Linker {
             total_banks,
         ));
 
+        // Whether the program produces any visual output. True if
+        // the user declared a palette / sprite / background, or if
+        // user code contains the `__oam_used` marker (i.e. draws).
+        // A purely audio- or compute-only program is happy to leave
+        // the PPU fully silent — no palette load, no rendering
+        // enable, no default-sprite smiley in CHR — so we gate the
+        // reset-time palette machinery on this flag. See the
+        // sprite-chr / OAM-DMA gates for the other places it cascades.
+        let has_visual_output =
+            !palettes.is_empty() || !sprites.is_empty() || !backgrounds.is_empty() || has_oam;
+
         // Load the initial palette. If the program declared any
         // `palette` blocks, use the first one; otherwise fall back
         // to the built-in default palette so sprites show up in a
-        // reasonable colour scheme without any user setup.
+        // reasonable colour scheme without any user setup. Skipped
+        // entirely for programs with no visual output — those leave
+        // palette RAM in its power-on state (undefined on real
+        // hardware, zeros under jsnes / Mesen) which is fine since
+        // nothing gets rendered.
         //
         // IMPORTANT: `gen_init` leaves rendering fully disabled so
         // these $2006/$2007 writes are safe. We re-enable rendering
@@ -413,8 +454,18 @@ impl Linker {
         // about the first 72 bytes of a 1024-byte nametable load.
         if let Some(first_palette) = palettes.first() {
             all_instructions.extend(runtime::gen_initial_palette_load(&first_palette.label()));
-        } else {
-            all_instructions.extend(self.gen_palette_load());
+        } else if has_visual_output {
+            // No user palette but the program does render something
+            // — fall back to a sensible built-in palette so the
+            // sprites show up in a reasonable colour scheme without
+            // any user setup. Uses the same indirect loop loader as
+            // the user-palette path (reads a 32-byte blob through a
+            // ZP pointer) — ~20 bytes of code plus a 32-byte data
+            // block that gets spliced in below, versus the ~170
+            // bytes the old inline-stores path cost. The data block
+            // lives alongside the user palette blobs so the label
+            // resolves in the normal assembly pass.
+            all_instructions.extend(runtime::gen_initial_palette_load(DEFAULT_PALETTE_LABEL));
         }
 
         // Load the initial background if the program declared any.
@@ -432,8 +483,13 @@ impl Linker {
         // rendering on. Programs with a declared background get
         // bg+sprites ($1E); programs without get sprites only ($10)
         // to preserve the pre-fix behaviour of example ROMs that
-        // rely on a hidden nametable.
-        all_instructions.extend(runtime::gen_enable_rendering(has_user_background));
+        // rely on a hidden nametable. Programs with no visual
+        // output at all leave PPU_MASK at $00 from `gen_init` —
+        // the PPU stays silent, saves 4 bytes and avoids exposing
+        // an undefined palette on real hardware.
+        if has_visual_output {
+            all_instructions.extend(runtime::gen_enable_rendering(has_user_background));
+        }
 
         // User code (var init + main loop)
         all_instructions.extend(user_code.iter().cloned());
@@ -471,9 +527,22 @@ impl Linker {
             }
         }
 
-        // Math runtime routines (included always for simplicity)
-        all_instructions.extend(runtime::gen_multiply());
-        all_instructions.extend(runtime::gen_divide());
+        // Math runtime routines. Gated on the `__mul_used` /
+        // `__div_used` marker labels that the IR codegen drops at
+        // the first `IrOp::Mul` / `IrOp::Div` / `IrOp::Mod`. The
+        // optimizer rewrites multiplies and divides by constant
+        // powers of two into shifts (and modulo by constant powers
+        // of two into masks) before codegen runs, so these markers
+        // only fire for genuinely runtime-costly math. Programs
+        // without any surviving mul or div pay zero bytes here.
+        let has_mul = has_label(user_code, "__mul_used");
+        let has_div = has_label(user_code, "__div_used");
+        if has_mul {
+            all_instructions.extend(runtime::gen_multiply());
+        }
+        if has_div {
+            all_instructions.extend(runtime::gen_divide());
+        }
 
         // Audio subsystem — linked in whenever user code touched
         // audio (detected via the `__audio_used` marker emitted by
@@ -537,6 +606,18 @@ impl Linker {
         for pal in palettes {
             all_instructions.extend(runtime::gen_data_block(&pal.label(), pal.colors.to_vec()));
         }
+        // When the program needs the built-in default palette (i.e.
+        // it produces visual output but declared no palette of its
+        // own), splice the 32-byte blob under `__default_palette`
+        // so the reset-time loop loader above can resolve it.
+        // Programs that declare a palette OR have no visual output
+        // skip this entirely.
+        if palettes.is_empty() && has_visual_output {
+            all_instructions.extend(runtime::gen_data_block(
+                DEFAULT_PALETTE_LABEL,
+                DEFAULT_PALETTE.to_vec(),
+            ));
+        }
         for bg in backgrounds {
             all_instructions.extend(runtime::gen_data_block(
                 &bg.tiles_label(),
@@ -587,11 +668,16 @@ impl Linker {
         // every frame" hardware symptom into visible flicker that
         // the eye reconstructs across frames.
         let has_sprite_cycle = has_label(user_code, "__sprite_cycle_used");
+        let has_p1_input = has_label(user_code, "__p1_input_used");
+        let has_p2_input = has_label(user_code, "__p2_input_used");
         all_instructions.extend(runtime::gen_nmi(runtime::NmiOptions {
             has_ppu_updates,
             has_audio,
             debug_mode,
             has_sprite_cycle,
+            has_oam,
+            has_p2_input,
+            has_p1_input,
         }));
 
         // IRQ handler
@@ -701,7 +787,35 @@ impl Linker {
         // ranges overlap, but we still bounds-check on copy in
         // case a future change shifts the layout.
         let mut chr = vec![0u8; 8192];
-        chr[..16].copy_from_slice(&DEFAULT_SPRITE_CHR);
+        // Tile 0 is reserved for the built-in smiley *only* when
+        // something in the program depends on it. Three possible
+        // sources of that dependency:
+        //
+        //   1. `__default_sprite_used` marker — user code runs at
+        //      least one `draw` that falls back to tile 0, either
+        //      because the sprite name doesn't resolve or because
+        //      it uses a runtime `frame:` override.
+        //   2. A background nametable references tile 0 directly.
+        //      Some programs use the smiley as a placeholder
+        //      background tile (see `examples/friendly_assets.ne`).
+        //   3. A background's CHR was written at base tile 0 — the
+        //      resolver shouldn't allow this today, but checking
+        //      for `chr_base_tile == 0` keeps the gate honest.
+        //
+        // Programs whose draws all resolve to declared sprites with
+        // static frames and whose backgrounds reference tiles 1+
+        // skip the smiley emit and reclaim 16 CHR bytes.
+        let bg_uses_tile_zero = backgrounds.iter().any(|bg| {
+            // A nametable entry of 0 means "fetch tile 0" — the
+            // PPU can't tell the difference between sprite and
+            // background tiles, so we have to preserve the smiley
+            // when any background map byte reads 0.
+            bg.tiles.contains(&0)
+        });
+        let has_default_sprite = has_label(user_code, "__default_sprite_used") || bg_uses_tile_zero;
+        if has_default_sprite {
+            chr[..16].copy_from_slice(&DEFAULT_SPRITE_CHR);
+        }
         for sprite in sprites {
             let offset = sprite.tile_index as usize * 16;
             let end = offset + sprite.chr_bytes.len();
@@ -740,24 +854,4 @@ impl Linker {
             fixed_bank_file_offset,
         }
     }
-
-    /// Generate instructions to load the default palette into the PPU.
-    fn gen_palette_load(&self) -> Vec<Instruction> {
-        let mut out = Vec::new();
-
-        // Set PPU address to $3F00 (palette start)
-        out.push(Instruction::new(LDA, AM::Absolute(0x2002))); // read PPU status to reset latch
-        out.push(Instruction::new(LDA, AM::Immediate(0x3F)));
-        out.push(Instruction::new(STA, AM::Absolute(0x2006))); // PPU addr high byte
-        out.push(Instruction::new(LDA, AM::Immediate(0x00)));
-        out.push(Instruction::new(STA, AM::Absolute(0x2006))); // PPU addr low byte
-
-        // Write all 32 palette bytes
-        for &color in &DEFAULT_PALETTE {
-            out.push(Instruction::new(LDA, AM::Immediate(color)));
-            out.push(Instruction::new(STA, AM::Absolute(0x2007))); // PPU data
-        }
-
-        out
-    }
 }
diff --git a/src/linker/tests.rs b/src/linker/tests.rs
index 6b28c10..66ce23d 100644
--- a/src/linker/tests.rs
+++ b/src/linker/tests.rs
@@ -50,8 +50,14 @@ fn link_has_correct_vector_table() {
 
 #[test]
 fn link_includes_chr_data() {
+    // When user code signals that it uses the default smiley tile
+    // (fallback for an unresolved `draw` target), the linker should
+    // copy the built-in 16-byte smiley CHR blob into tile 0.
     let linker = Linker::new(Mirroring::Horizontal);
-    let user_code = vec![Instruction::implied(NOP)];
+    let user_code = vec![
+        Instruction::new(NOP, AM::Label("__default_sprite_used".into())),
+        Instruction::implied(NOP),
+    ];
     let rom_data = linker.link(&user_code);
 
     // CHR starts after PRG
@@ -64,6 +70,23 @@ fn link_includes_chr_data() {
     );
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn link_omits_default_smiley_without_marker() {
+    // Without the `__default_sprite_used` marker the linker should
+    // leave tile 0 as the all-zero blank tile — programs that draw
+    // only user-declared sprites or never draw at all reclaim the
+    // 16 CHR bytes.
+    let linker = Linker::new(Mirroring::Horizontal);
+    let user_code = vec![Instruction::implied(NOP)];
+    let rom_data = linker.link(&user_code);
+    let chr_start = 16 + 16384;
+    assert_eq!(
+        &rom_data[chr_start..chr_start + 16],
+        &[0u8; 16],
+        "tile 0 should be zero when no program draws fall back to the smiley"
+    );
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn link_rom_size_correct() {
     let linker = Linker::new(Mirroring::Horizontal);
@@ -74,10 +97,40 @@ fn link_rom_size_correct() {
     assert_eq!(rom_data.len(), 16 + 16384 + 8192);
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn sprite_cycle_marker_implies_oam_dma() {
+    // `cycle_sprites` rotates the OAM DMA start offset each frame;
+    // without the DMA itself the cycling is a no-op. The linker's
+    // `has_oam` gate therefore ORs `__sprite_cycle_used` with
+    // `__oam_used` so a program that only cycles still gets the
+    // DMA plumbing. The NMI of such a program writes the DMA
+    // trigger at `$4014`.
+    let linker = Linker::new(Mirroring::Horizontal);
+    let user_code = vec![
+        Instruction::new(NOP, AM::Label("__sprite_cycle_used".into())),
+        Instruction::implied(NOP),
+    ];
+    let rom = linker.link(&user_code);
+    // The OAM DMA write is `STA $4014` — `8D 14 40` in bytes.
+    let prg = &rom[16..16 + 16_384];
+    assert!(
+        prg.windows(3).any(|w| w == [0x8D, 0x14, 0x40]),
+        "cycle_sprites should force the OAM DMA even without a draw"
+    );
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn link_with_sprites_places_chr_data() {
     let linker = Linker::new(Mirroring::Horizontal);
-    let user_code = vec![Instruction::implied(NOP)];
+    // Seed the `__default_sprite_used` marker so the linker still
+    // emits the smiley tile alongside the user sprite — this test
+    // asserts the legacy "smiley at tile 0, user sprite at tile 1"
+    // layout that programs doing both fallback and named draws
+    // depend on.
+    let user_code = vec![
+        Instruction::new(NOP, AM::Label("__default_sprite_used".into())),
+        Instruction::implied(NOP),
+    ];
 
     let sprite_bytes: Vec<u8> = (0x20..0x30).collect(); // 16 bytes, one tile
     let sprites = vec![SpriteData {
@@ -621,9 +674,13 @@ fn link_with_mapper_nrom_produces_single_bank_rom() {
 #[test]
 fn link_banked_chr_rom_survives_with_switchable_banks() {
     // The default smiley + any sprites should still appear in CHR
-    // ROM even when switchable PRG banks are present.
+    // ROM even when switchable PRG banks are present. Seed the
+    // `__default_sprite_used` marker so the smiley gate fires.
     let linker = Linker::with_mapper(Mirroring::Horizontal, Mapper::MMC1);
-    let user_code = vec![Instruction::implied(NOP)];
+    let user_code = vec![
+        Instruction::new(NOP, AM::Label("__default_sprite_used".into())),
+        Instruction::implied(NOP),
+    ];
     let banks = vec![PrgBank::empty("X")];
     let rom = linker.link_banked(&user_code, &[], &[], &[], &banks);
     // CHR starts after 2 PRG banks.
@@ -633,30 +690,69 @@ fn link_banked_chr_rom_survives_with_switchable_banks() {
 }
 
 #[test]
-fn palette_load_writes_to_ppu() {
+fn default_palette_blob_present_when_no_user_palette() {
+    // With no user palette but some visual output (the IR codegen
+    // drops an `__oam_used` marker whenever it lowers a `draw`),
+    // the linker emits the shared reset-time loop loader and
+    // splices a 32-byte `__default_palette` data block into PRG.
+    // The end-to-end ROM should contain the default palette bytes
+    // verbatim at some offset in the fixed bank.
     let linker = Linker::new(Mirroring::Horizontal);
-    let palette_insts = linker.gen_palette_load();
+    let user_code = vec![
+        Instruction::new(NOP, AM::Label("__oam_used".into())),
+        Instruction::new(NOP, AM::Label("__ir_main_loop".into())),
+    ];
+    let rom = linker.link(&user_code);
 
-    // Should write to PPU address register ($2006) twice
-    let ppu_addr_writes: Vec<_> = palette_insts
-        .iter()
-        .filter(|i| i.opcode == STA && i.mode == AM::Absolute(0x2006))
-        .collect();
-    assert_eq!(
-        ppu_addr_writes.len(),
-        2,
-        "should set PPU address (high and low bytes)"
+    // The first four bytes of DEFAULT_PALETTE are {0x0F, 0x00, 0x10,
+    // 0x20}; they should appear verbatim in the PRG portion of the
+    // iNES file (bytes 16..16+16_384). We look for that 4-byte
+    // sequence rather than matching the full 32 bytes so this stays
+    // robust against minor palette tweaks.
+    let prg = &rom[16..16 + 16_384];
+    let found = prg.windows(4).any(|w| w == [0x0F, 0x00, 0x10, 0x20]);
+    assert!(found, "default palette bytes should appear in PRG");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn default_palette_suppressed_when_no_visual_output() {
+    // An audio- or compute-only program (no palette declared, no
+    // sprites, no backgrounds, no `draw`) shouldn't pay for the
+    // built-in default palette: no `__default_palette` label in
+    // the symbol table, and the 32 bytes of palette data must not
+    // appear anywhere in PRG.
+    let linker = Linker::new(Mirroring::Horizontal);
+    let user_code = vec![Instruction::new(NOP, AM::Label("__ir_main_loop".into()))];
+    let result = linker.link_banked_with_ppu_detailed(&user_code, &[], &[], &[], &[], &[], &[]);
+    assert!(
+        !result.labels.contains_key("__default_palette"),
+        "default palette label must not be defined without visual output"
     );
+    let prg = &result.rom[16..16 + 16_384];
+    assert!(
+        !prg.windows(4).any(|w| w == [0x0F, 0x00, 0x10, 0x20]),
+        "default palette bytes must not appear in PRG when suppressed"
+    );
+}
 
-    // Should write 32 palette bytes to $2007
-    let ppu_data_writes: Vec<_> = palette_insts
-        .iter()
-        .filter(|i| i.opcode == STA && i.mode == AM::Absolute(0x2007))
-        .collect();
-    assert_eq!(
-        ppu_data_writes.len(),
-        32,
-        "should write all 32 palette bytes"
+#[test]
+fn no_default_palette_blob_when_user_palette_present() {
+    // A program that declares its own palette should suppress the
+    // built-in fallback entirely — the `__default_palette` label
+    // never gets emitted, and the assembler's label table doesn't
+    // contain it.
+    use crate::assets::PaletteData;
+    let linker = Linker::new(Mirroring::Horizontal);
+    let user_code = vec![Instruction::new(NOP, AM::Label("__ir_main_loop".into()))];
+    let user_pal = PaletteData {
+        name: "Menu".into(),
+        colors: [0x0F; 32],
+    };
+    let result =
+        linker.link_banked_with_ppu_detailed(&user_code, &[], &[], &[], &[user_pal], &[], &[]);
+    assert!(
+        !result.labels.contains_key("__default_palette"),
+        "default palette must be suppressed when user palette is present"
     );
 }
 
diff --git a/src/runtime/mod.rs b/src/runtime/mod.rs
index ec322f7..ebe2d57 100644
--- a/src/runtime/mod.rs
+++ b/src/runtime/mod.rs
@@ -200,7 +200,17 @@ pub const AUDIO_SFX_PITCH_PTR_HI: u16 = 0x07F7;
 
 /// Generate the NES hardware initialization sequence.
 /// This runs at RESET and sets up the hardware before user code.
-pub fn gen_init() -> Vec<Instruction> {
+///
+/// `has_oam` controls the $0200 OAM shadow fill inside the RAM
+/// clear loop. When true, the shadow is filled with `$FE` so any
+/// sprite slot not explicitly written by a later `draw` stays
+/// off-screen (Y = $FE is out of the 240-line viewport). When
+/// false — i.e. the program never draws — the shadow stays at $00
+/// alongside the rest of RAM, saving ~4 bytes of init code since
+/// the inner-loop doesn't need the two extra LDA / mid-loop value
+/// swaps to load and restore the `$FE` immediate.
+#[must_use]
+pub fn gen_init(has_oam: bool) -> Vec<Instruction> {
     let mut out = Vec::new();
 
     // Disable IRQs and set decimal mode off
@@ -252,16 +262,24 @@ pub fn gen_init() -> Vec<Instruction> {
         AM::LabelRelative("__vblankwait1".into()),
     ));
 
-    // Clear RAM ($0000-$07FF)
+    // Clear RAM ($0000-$07FF). When the program uses sprites, the
+    // $0200-$02FF OAM shadow gets filled with $FE so unused slots
+    // stay off-screen (Y=$FE puts the sprite below scanline 240);
+    // programs that never draw skip that swap and zero-fill the
+    // whole 2 KB range uniformly.
     out.push(Instruction::new(LDA, AM::Immediate(0x00)));
     out.push(Instruction::new(LDX, AM::Immediate(0x00)));
     out.push(Instruction::new(NOP, AM::Label("__clrmem".into())));
     out.push(Instruction::new(STA, AM::AbsoluteX(0x0000)));
     out.push(Instruction::new(STA, AM::AbsoluteX(0x0100)));
-    // OAM shadow: fill with $FE (hide sprites off-screen)
-    out.push(Instruction::new(LDA, AM::Immediate(0xFE)));
-    out.push(Instruction::new(STA, AM::AbsoluteX(0x0200)));
-    out.push(Instruction::new(LDA, AM::Immediate(0x00)));
+    if has_oam {
+        // OAM shadow: fill with $FE (hide sprites off-screen).
+        out.push(Instruction::new(LDA, AM::Immediate(0xFE)));
+        out.push(Instruction::new(STA, AM::AbsoluteX(0x0200)));
+        out.push(Instruction::new(LDA, AM::Immediate(0x00)));
+    } else {
+        out.push(Instruction::new(STA, AM::AbsoluteX(0x0200)));
+    }
     out.push(Instruction::new(STA, AM::AbsoluteX(0x0300)));
     out.push(Instruction::new(STA, AM::AbsoluteX(0x0400)));
     out.push(Instruction::new(STA, AM::AbsoluteX(0x0500)));
@@ -361,6 +379,26 @@ pub struct NmiOptions {
     pub has_audio: bool,
     pub debug_mode: bool,
     pub has_sprite_cycle: bool,
+    /// When false, skip the OAM DMA (`$2003` address write + `$4014`
+    /// DMA trigger). A program that never `draw`s sprites has
+    /// nothing interesting to transfer — every one of the 256 OAM
+    /// bytes is either the $FE hide sentinel or a zeroed row —
+    /// so the DMA is ~520 wasted cycles per NMI. Skipping it saves
+    /// those cycles plus 9 bytes of NMI code.
+    pub has_oam: bool,
+    /// When false, drop the three instructions that shift `$4017`
+    /// (JOY2) into `ZP_INPUT_P2` from the NMI's 8-iteration input
+    /// loop. Single-player programs save ~6 bytes of code and ~88
+    /// cycles per frame (LDA abs + LSR A + ROL zp = 11 cycles × 8
+    /// iterations).
+    pub has_p2_input: bool,
+    /// When false, drop the three instructions that shift `$4016`
+    /// (JOY1) into `ZP_INPUT_P1`. If both `has_p1_input` and
+    /// `has_p2_input` are false the whole strobe-and-loop block
+    /// disappears — programs that never touch `button.*` pay
+    /// zero cycles for input sampling (~100 cycles: the 88-cycle
+    /// body plus the ~12-cycle strobe and loop scaffold).
+    pub has_p1_input: bool,
 }
 
 #[must_use]
@@ -370,6 +408,9 @@ pub fn gen_nmi(opts: NmiOptions) -> Vec<Instruction> {
         has_audio,
         debug_mode,
         has_sprite_cycle,
+        has_oam,
+        has_p2_input,
+        has_p1_input,
     } = opts;
     let mut out = Vec::new();
 
@@ -444,19 +485,26 @@ pub fn gen_nmi(opts: NmiOptions) -> Vec<Instruction> {
         out.push(Instruction::new(JSR, AM::Label("__audio_tick".into())));
     }
 
-    // OAM DMA — transfer sprite data from $0200. Programs that
-    // don't use `cycle_sprites` get the classic fixed-offset
-    // path (LDA #0); programs that opt in get the rotating
-    // offset read from SPRITE_CYCLE_ADDR. Both variants write
-    // the same low byte ($02) for the DMA source page.
-    if has_sprite_cycle {
-        out.push(Instruction::new(LDA, AM::Absolute(SPRITE_CYCLE_ADDR)));
-    } else {
-        out.push(Instruction::new(LDA, AM::Immediate(0x00)));
+    // OAM DMA — transfer sprite data from $0200. Skipped entirely
+    // for programs that never `draw`: gated on `has_oam`, which the
+    // linker sets from the `__oam_used` marker the IR codegen drops
+    // at the first `IrOp::DrawSprite`. `has_sprite_cycle` is a
+    // strict subset of `has_oam` so a program that opts into cycling
+    // has definitely also drawn something.
+    //
+    // Programs that *do* draw choose between two paths: the classic
+    // fixed-offset (LDA #0) and the rotating offset read from
+    // SPRITE_CYCLE_ADDR used by `cycle_sprites`.
+    if has_oam {
+        if has_sprite_cycle {
+            out.push(Instruction::new(LDA, AM::Absolute(SPRITE_CYCLE_ADDR)));
+        } else {
+            out.push(Instruction::new(LDA, AM::Immediate(0x00)));
+        }
+        out.push(Instruction::new(STA, AM::Absolute(OAM_ADDR)));
+        out.push(Instruction::new(LDA, AM::Immediate(0x02)));
+        out.push(Instruction::new(STA, AM::Absolute(OAM_DMA)));
     }
-    out.push(Instruction::new(STA, AM::Absolute(OAM_ADDR)));
-    out.push(Instruction::new(LDA, AM::Immediate(0x02)));
-    out.push(Instruction::new(STA, AM::Absolute(OAM_DMA)));
 
     // PPU updates: check the flags byte, apply any pending palette
     // or background write. Runs inside vblank where $2006/$2007
@@ -466,28 +514,40 @@ pub fn gen_nmi(opts: NmiOptions) -> Vec<Instruction> {
         out.extend(gen_ppu_update_apply());
     }
 
-    // Read controller 1
-    out.push(Instruction::new(LDA, AM::Immediate(0x01)));
-    out.push(Instruction::new(STA, AM::Absolute(JOY1)));
-    out.push(Instruction::new(LDA, AM::Immediate(0x00)));
-    out.push(Instruction::new(STA, AM::Absolute(JOY1)));
+    // Controller sampling. The strobe write to $4016 latches both
+    // controller ports on the same clock, so the 8-iteration shift
+    // loop that follows can read whichever of the two the program
+    // actually uses. Programs that touch no `button.*` at all skip
+    // the whole block.
+    if has_p1_input || has_p2_input {
+        // Strobe: write 1 then 0 to $4016 so both port latches
+        // capture the current button state.
+        out.push(Instruction::new(LDA, AM::Immediate(0x01)));
+        out.push(Instruction::new(STA, AM::Absolute(JOY1)));
+        out.push(Instruction::new(LDA, AM::Immediate(0x00)));
+        out.push(Instruction::new(STA, AM::Absolute(JOY1)));
 
-    // Read 8 button bits from controller 1 ($4016) into ZP_INPUT_P1
-    // and 8 button bits from controller 2 ($4017) into ZP_INPUT_P2
-    // simultaneously — shift each port's carry into its ZP byte.
-    out.push(Instruction::new(LDX, AM::Immediate(0x08)));
-    out.push(Instruction::new(NOP, AM::Label("__read_input".into())));
-    out.push(Instruction::new(LDA, AM::Absolute(JOY1)));
-    out.push(Instruction::new(LSR, AM::Accumulator));
-    out.push(Instruction::new(ROL, AM::ZeroPage(ZP_INPUT_P1)));
-    out.push(Instruction::new(LDA, AM::Absolute(0x4017))); // JOY2
-    out.push(Instruction::new(LSR, AM::Accumulator));
-    out.push(Instruction::new(ROL, AM::ZeroPage(ZP_INPUT_P2)));
-    out.push(Instruction::implied(DEX));
-    out.push(Instruction::new(
-        BNE,
-        AM::LabelRelative("__read_input".into()),
-    ));
+        // 8 iterations of read-and-shift. Each active port costs
+        // three instructions (LDA abs, LSR A, ROL zp) inside the
+        // loop; inactive ports emit nothing.
+        out.push(Instruction::new(LDX, AM::Immediate(0x08)));
+        out.push(Instruction::new(NOP, AM::Label("__read_input".into())));
+        if has_p1_input {
+            out.push(Instruction::new(LDA, AM::Absolute(JOY1)));
+            out.push(Instruction::new(LSR, AM::Accumulator));
+            out.push(Instruction::new(ROL, AM::ZeroPage(ZP_INPUT_P1)));
+        }
+        if has_p2_input {
+            out.push(Instruction::new(LDA, AM::Absolute(0x4017))); // JOY2
+            out.push(Instruction::new(LSR, AM::Accumulator));
+            out.push(Instruction::new(ROL, AM::ZeroPage(ZP_INPUT_P2)));
+        }
+        out.push(Instruction::implied(DEX));
+        out.push(Instruction::new(
+            BNE,
+            AM::LabelRelative("__read_input".into()),
+        ));
+    }
 
     // Debug frame-overrun check. The frame flag is "set on NMI,
     // cleared by wait_frame". If we see it set at the top of a
diff --git a/src/runtime/tests.rs b/src/runtime/tests.rs
index a368aef..70dcc63 100644
--- a/src/runtime/tests.rs
+++ b/src/runtime/tests.rs
@@ -4,13 +4,13 @@ use crate::asm::{AddressingMode as AM, Opcode::*};
 
 #[test]
 fn init_disables_irq() {
-    let init = gen_init();
+    let init = gen_init(true);
     assert_eq!(init[0].opcode, SEI);
 }
 
 #[test]
 fn init_sets_stack_pointer() {
-    let init = gen_init();
+    let init = gen_init(true);
     // LDX #$FF, TXS
     let has_ldx = init
         .iter()
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ fn init_sets_stack_pointer() {
 
 #[test]
 fn init_disables_ppu() {
-    let init = gen_init();
+    let init = gen_init(true);
     // Should write 0 to $2000 and $2001
     let writes_ppu_ctrl = init
         .iter()
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ fn init_disables_ppu() {
 
 #[test]
 fn init_enables_nmi_at_end() {
-    let init = gen_init();
+    let init = gen_init(true);
     // Last STA $2000 should enable NMI (bit 7 set = 0x80)
     let nmi_writes: Vec<_> = init
         .iter()
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ fn init_enables_nmi_at_end() {
 
 #[test]
 fn init_assembles_without_error() {
-    let init = gen_init();
+    let init = gen_init(true);
     let result = asm::assemble(&init, 0x8000);
     // Should produce non-empty output
     assert!(!result.bytes.is_empty(), "init should produce bytes");
@@ -85,22 +85,68 @@ fn nmi_saves_and_restores_registers() {
 }
 
 #[test]
-fn nmi_triggers_oam_dma() {
+fn nmi_triggers_oam_dma_when_requested() {
+    let nmi = gen_nmi(NmiOptions {
+        has_oam: true,
+        ..NmiOptions::default()
+    });
+    let has_dma = nmi
+        .iter()
+        .any(|i| i.opcode == STA && i.mode == AM::Absolute(0x4014));
+    assert!(has_dma, "NMI should trigger OAM DMA when has_oam is set");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn nmi_skips_oam_dma_by_default() {
+    // With `has_oam = false` (the default) the NMI must not write
+    // the OAM DMA trigger at $4014, saving ~520 cycles per frame
+    // for programs that don't `draw`.
     let nmi = gen_nmi(NmiOptions::default());
     let has_dma = nmi
         .iter()
         .any(|i| i.opcode == STA && i.mode == AM::Absolute(0x4014));
-    assert!(has_dma, "NMI should trigger OAM DMA");
+    assert!(!has_dma, "NMI should skip OAM DMA when has_oam is unset");
 }
 
 #[test]
-fn nmi_reads_controller() {
-    let nmi = gen_nmi(NmiOptions::default());
+fn nmi_reads_controller_when_p1_requested() {
+    let nmi = gen_nmi(NmiOptions {
+        has_p1_input: true,
+        ..NmiOptions::default()
+    });
     // Should write strobe to $4016
     let has_strobe = nmi
         .iter()
         .any(|i| i.opcode == STA && i.mode == AM::Absolute(0x4016));
-    assert!(has_strobe, "NMI should strobe controller");
+    assert!(has_strobe, "NMI should strobe controller when P1 requested");
+    let reads_joy1 = nmi
+        .iter()
+        .any(|i| i.opcode == LDA && i.mode == AM::Absolute(0x4016));
+    assert!(reads_joy1, "NMI should read JOY1 when P1 requested");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn nmi_skips_strobe_when_no_input() {
+    // With both `has_p1_input` and `has_p2_input` unset, the NMI
+    // should emit neither the strobe write to $4016 nor any reads
+    // from the two controller ports — programs that never touch
+    // `button.*` pay zero cycles for input sampling.
+    let nmi = gen_nmi(NmiOptions::default());
+    let has_strobe = nmi
+        .iter()
+        .any(|i| i.opcode == STA && i.mode == AM::Absolute(0x4016));
+    assert!(
+        !has_strobe,
+        "NMI must not strobe controllers when no input is requested"
+    );
+    let reads_joy1 = nmi
+        .iter()
+        .any(|i| i.opcode == LDA && i.mode == AM::Absolute(0x4016));
+    let reads_joy2 = nmi
+        .iter()
+        .any(|i| i.opcode == LDA && i.mode == AM::Absolute(0x4017));
+    assert!(!reads_joy1, "NMI must not read JOY1 without P1 input");
+    assert!(!reads_joy2, "NMI must not read JOY2 without P2 input");
 }
 
 #[test]
@@ -203,8 +249,11 @@ fn nmi_sprite_cycle_variant_reads_rotating_offset() {
     // read SPRITE_CYCLE_ADDR and write it to OAM_ADDR ($2003)
     // before the DMA, instead of the default fixed 0. The
     // default variant must stay byte-identical to legacy NMI.
+    // Sprite cycling is always paired with `has_oam = true`
+    // (cycling is pointless without the DMA).
     let cycling = gen_nmi(NmiOptions {
         has_sprite_cycle: true,
+        has_oam: true,
         ..NmiOptions::default()
     });
     let reads_cycle = cycling
diff --git a/tests/emulator/goldens/audio_demo.audio.hash b/tests/emulator/goldens/audio_demo.audio.hash
index 220a846..8c49484 100644
--- a/tests/emulator/goldens/audio_demo.audio.hash
+++ b/tests/emulator/goldens/audio_demo.audio.hash
@@ -1 +1 @@
-7b16a9db 132084
+23afaaa6 132084
diff --git a/tests/emulator/goldens/friendly_assets.audio.hash b/tests/emulator/goldens/friendly_assets.audio.hash
index d5069db..6f5573b 100644
--- a/tests/emulator/goldens/friendly_assets.audio.hash
+++ b/tests/emulator/goldens/friendly_assets.audio.hash
@@ -1 +1 @@
-e73a6a73 132084
+bc94ed30 132084
diff --git a/tests/emulator/goldens/noise_triangle_sfx.audio.hash b/tests/emulator/goldens/noise_triangle_sfx.audio.hash
index 7efa628..8b0ffae 100644
--- a/tests/emulator/goldens/noise_triangle_sfx.audio.hash
+++ b/tests/emulator/goldens/noise_triangle_sfx.audio.hash
@@ -1 +1 @@
-ea38044c 132084
+52d1836f 132084
diff --git a/tests/emulator/goldens/palette_and_background.png b/tests/emulator/goldens/palette_and_background.png
index 918aab9..1e82376 100644
Binary files a/tests/emulator/goldens/palette_and_background.png and b/tests/emulator/goldens/palette_and_background.png differ
diff --git a/tests/emulator/goldens/platformer.audio.hash b/tests/emulator/goldens/platformer.audio.hash
index e30b406..e2b0778 100644
--- a/tests/emulator/goldens/platformer.audio.hash
+++ b/tests/emulator/goldens/platformer.audio.hash
@@ -1 +1 @@
-dded3a6a 132084
+ea23d9c4 132084
diff --git a/tests/emulator/goldens/pong.audio.hash b/tests/emulator/goldens/pong.audio.hash
index da68c82..02f3dfa 100644
--- a/tests/emulator/goldens/pong.audio.hash
+++ b/tests/emulator/goldens/pong.audio.hash
@@ -1 +1 @@
-f2dbfbf3 132084
+555a22e1 132084
diff --git a/tests/emulator/goldens/sfx_pitch_envelope.audio.hash b/tests/emulator/goldens/sfx_pitch_envelope.audio.hash
index f4d7072..9f5aba3 100644
--- a/tests/emulator/goldens/sfx_pitch_envelope.audio.hash
+++ b/tests/emulator/goldens/sfx_pitch_envelope.audio.hash
@@ -1 +1 @@
-eec31111 132084
+8142ffb7 132084
diff --git a/tests/emulator/goldens/sfx_pitch_envelope.png b/tests/emulator/goldens/sfx_pitch_envelope.png
index ab3d666..2842948 100644
Binary files a/tests/emulator/goldens/sfx_pitch_envelope.png and b/tests/emulator/goldens/sfx_pitch_envelope.png differ
diff --git a/tests/emulator/goldens/war.audio.hash b/tests/emulator/goldens/war.audio.hash
index b37a532..9345746 100644
--- a/tests/emulator/goldens/war.audio.hash
+++ b/tests/emulator/goldens/war.audio.hash
@@ -1 +1 @@
-4e8bdb33 132084
+e3805766 132084
diff --git a/tests/integration_test.rs b/tests/integration_test.rs
index c8bd8ac..c8260d5 100644
--- a/tests/integration_test.rs
+++ b/tests/integration_test.rs
@@ -1226,11 +1226,15 @@ fn sprite_resolution_uses_tile_index() {
         "Player sprite CHR bytes should be placed at tile index 1",
     );
 
-    // The default smiley tile at index 0 should still be non-zero (untouched).
+    // The default smiley tile at index 0 should be blank ($00) —
+    // the program's one `draw Player at: (...)` resolves to the
+    // declared Player sprite at tile 1, so the `__default_sprite_used`
+    // marker never fires and the linker doesn't copy the smiley
+    // into tile 0. That frees the 16 bytes for user graphics.
     let tile0 = &rom_data[chr_start..chr_start + 16];
-    assert_ne!(
+    assert_eq!(
         tile0, &[0u8; 16],
-        "tile 0 should still contain the default smiley",
+        "tile 0 should be blank when no draw falls back to the smiley",
     );
 
     // In PRG ROM, look for `LDA #$01 ; STA $0201,Y` which writes
@@ -1882,12 +1886,16 @@ fn e2e_bank_declarations_dont_affect_nrom_prg_size() {
 #[test]
 fn e2e_banked_chr_rom_is_preserved() {
     // CHR ROM should still contain the default smiley sprite at
-    // tile 0 regardless of how many PRG banks the ROM has.
+    // tile 0 regardless of how many PRG banks the ROM has — but
+    // only when the program actually exercises the fallback. A
+    // `draw` of an undeclared sprite name drops the marker; we
+    // rely on that here rather than declaring a sprite so we keep
+    // testing the "banked ROM still emits the smiley" path.
     let source = r#"
         game "CHRCheck" { mapper: MMC1 }
         bank One: prg
         bank Two: prg
-        on frame { wait_frame }
+        on frame { draw Unknown at: (0, 0) }
         start Main
     "#;
     let rom = compile_banked(source);