diff --git a/firmware/Euclidean/Euclidean.ino b/firmware/Euclidean/Euclidean.ino
index 6a497e2..f0fdc54 100644
--- a/firmware/Euclidean/Euclidean.ino
+++ b/firmware/Euclidean/Euclidean.ino
@@ -244,8 +244,16 @@ void HandleEncoderPressed() {
       if (app.selected_param == PARAM_MAIN_LOAD_DATA) {
         if (app.selected_sub_param < StateManager::MAX_SAVE_SLOTS) {
           app.selected_save_slot = app.selected_sub_param;
+          // Load pattern data into app state.
           stateManager.loadData(app, app.selected_save_slot);
-          InitGravity(app);
+          // Load global performance settings if they have changed.
+          if (gravity.clock.Tempo() != app.tempo) {
+            gravity.clock.SetTempo(app.tempo);
+          }
+          // Load global settings only if clock is not active.
+          if (gravity.clock.IsPaused()) {
+            InitGravity(app);
+          }
         }
       }
       if (app.selected_param == PARAM_MAIN_RESET_STATE) {
diff --git a/firmware/Euclidean/save_state.cpp b/firmware/Euclidean/save_state.cpp
index 8045206..283739c 100644
--- a/firmware/Euclidean/save_state.cpp
+++ b/firmware/Euclidean/save_state.cpp
@@ -35,20 +35,23 @@ const int StateManager::EEPROM_DATA_START_ADDR = sizeof(StateManager::Metadata);
 StateManager::StateManager() : _isDirty(false), _lastChangeTime(0) {}
 
 bool StateManager::initialize(AppState &app) {
+  noInterrupts();
+  bool success = false;
   if (_isDataValid()) {
     // Load global settings.
     _loadMetadata(app);
     // Load app data from the transient slot.
     _loadState(app, TRANSIENT_SLOT);
-    return true;
+    success = true;
   }
   // EEPROM does not contain save data for this firmware & version.
   else {
     // Erase EEPROM and initialize state. Save default pattern to all save
     // slots.
     factoryReset(app);
-    return false;
   }
+  interrupts();
+  return success;
 }
 
 bool StateManager::loadData(AppState &app, byte slot_index) {
@@ -56,38 +59,49 @@ bool StateManager::loadData(AppState &app, byte slot_index) {
   if (slot_index >= MAX_SAVE_SLOTS + 1)
     return false;
 
+  noInterrupts();
+
   // Load the state data from the specified EEPROM slot and update the app state
   // save slot.
   _loadState(app, slot_index);
   app.selected_save_slot = slot_index;
-  // Persist this change in the global metadata.
-  _saveMetadata(app);
+  // Persist this change in the global metadata on next update.
+  _isDirty = true;
 
+  interrupts();
   return true;
 }
 
 // Save app state to user specified save slot.
 void StateManager::saveData(const AppState &app) {
+  noInterrupts();
   // Check if slot_index is within max range + 1 for transient.
-  if (app.selected_save_slot >= MAX_SAVE_SLOTS + 1)
+  if (app.selected_save_slot >= MAX_SAVE_SLOTS + 1) {
+    interrupts();
     return;
+  }
 
   _saveState(app, app.selected_save_slot);
   _saveMetadata(app);
   _isDirty = false;
+  interrupts();
 }
 
 // Save transient state if it has changed and enough time has passed since last
 // save.
 void StateManager::update(const AppState &app) {
   if (_isDirty && (millis() - _lastChangeTime > SAVE_DELAY_MS)) {
+    noInterrupts();
     _saveState(app, TRANSIENT_SLOT);
     _saveMetadata(app);
     _isDirty = false;
+    interrupts();
   }
 }
 
 void StateManager::reset(AppState &app) {
+  noInterrupts();
+
   AppState default_app;
   app.tempo = default_app.tempo;
   app.selected_param = default_app.selected_param;
@@ -105,6 +119,7 @@ void StateManager::reset(AppState &app) {
   _loadMetadata(app);
 
   _isDirty = false;
+  interrupts();
 }
 
 void StateManager::markDirty() {
@@ -142,7 +157,6 @@ void StateManager::_saveState(const AppState &app, byte slot_index) {
   if (app.selected_save_slot >= MAX_SAVE_SLOTS + 1)
     return;
 
-  noInterrupts();
   static EepromData save_data;
 
   save_data.tempo = app.tempo;
@@ -169,7 +183,6 @@ void StateManager::_saveState(const AppState &app, byte slot_index) {
 
   int address = EEPROM_DATA_START_ADDR + (slot_index * sizeof(EepromData));
   EEPROM.put(address, save_data);
-  interrupts();
 }
 
 void StateManager::_loadState(AppState &app, byte slot_index) {
@@ -177,7 +190,6 @@ void StateManager::_loadState(AppState &app, byte slot_index) {
   if (slot_index >= MAX_SAVE_SLOTS + 1)
     return;
 
-  noInterrupts();
   static EepromData load_data;
   int address = EEPROM_DATA_START_ADDR + (slot_index * sizeof(EepromData));
   EEPROM.get(address, load_data);
@@ -201,11 +213,9 @@ void StateManager::_loadState(AppState &app, byte slot_index) {
     ch.setCv1Dest(static_cast<CvDestination>(saved_ch_state.cv1_dest));
     ch.setCv2Dest(static_cast<CvDestination>(saved_ch_state.cv2_dest));
   }
-  interrupts();
 }
 
 void StateManager::_saveMetadata(const AppState &app) {
-  noInterrupts();
   Metadata current_meta;
   strcpy(current_meta.sketch_name, SKETCH_NAME);
   strcpy(current_meta.version, SEMANTIC_VERSION);
@@ -216,15 +226,12 @@ void StateManager::_saveMetadata(const AppState &app) {
   current_meta.rotate_display = app.rotate_display;
 
   EEPROM.put(METADATA_START_ADDR, current_meta);
-  interrupts();
 }
 
 void StateManager::_loadMetadata(AppState &app) {
-  noInterrupts();
   Metadata metadata;
   EEPROM.get(METADATA_START_ADDR, metadata);
   app.selected_save_slot = metadata.selected_save_slot;
   app.encoder_reversed = metadata.encoder_reversed;
   app.rotate_display = metadata.rotate_display;
-  interrupts();
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/firmware/Gravity/Gravity.ino b/firmware/Gravity/Gravity.ino
index 31b5805..b4f9b84 100644
--- a/firmware/Gravity/Gravity.ino
+++ b/firmware/Gravity/Gravity.ino
@@ -244,8 +244,16 @@ void HandleEncoderPressed() {
       if (app.selected_param == PARAM_MAIN_LOAD_DATA) {
         if (app.selected_sub_param < StateManager::MAX_SAVE_SLOTS) {
           app.selected_save_slot = app.selected_sub_param;
+          // Load pattern data into app state.
           stateManager.loadData(app, app.selected_save_slot);
-          InitGravity(app);
+          // Load global performance settings if they have changed.
+          if (gravity.clock.Tempo() != app.tempo) {
+            gravity.clock.SetTempo(app.tempo);
+          }
+          // Load global settings only if clock is not active.
+          if (gravity.clock.IsPaused()) {
+            InitGravity(app);
+          }
         }
       }
       if (app.selected_param == PARAM_MAIN_RESET_STATE) {
diff --git a/firmware/Gravity/save_state.cpp b/firmware/Gravity/save_state.cpp
index d51b89a..6e6c141 100644
--- a/firmware/Gravity/save_state.cpp
+++ b/firmware/Gravity/save_state.cpp
@@ -35,20 +35,23 @@ const int StateManager::EEPROM_DATA_START_ADDR = sizeof(StateManager::Metadata);
 StateManager::StateManager() : _isDirty(false), _lastChangeTime(0) {}
 
 bool StateManager::initialize(AppState &app) {
+  noInterrupts();
+  bool success = false;
   if (_isDataValid()) {
     // Load global settings.
     _loadMetadata(app);
     // Load app data from the transient slot.
     _loadState(app, TRANSIENT_SLOT);
-    return true;
+    success = true;
   }
   // EEPROM does not contain save data for this firmware & version.
   else {
     // Erase EEPROM and initialize state. Save default pattern to all save
     // slots.
     factoryReset(app);
-    return false;
   }
+  interrupts();
+  return success;
 }
 
 bool StateManager::loadData(AppState &app, byte slot_index) {
@@ -56,38 +59,49 @@ bool StateManager::loadData(AppState &app, byte slot_index) {
   if (slot_index >= MAX_SAVE_SLOTS + 1)
     return false;
 
+  noInterrupts();
+
   // Load the state data from the specified EEPROM slot and update the app state
   // save slot.
   _loadState(app, slot_index);
   app.selected_save_slot = slot_index;
-  // Persist this change in the global metadata.
-  _saveMetadata(app);
+  // Persist this change in the global metadata on next update.
+  _isDirty = true;
 
+  interrupts();
   return true;
 }
 
 // Save app state to user specified save slot.
 void StateManager::saveData(const AppState &app) {
+  noInterrupts();
   // Check if slot_index is within max range + 1 for transient.
-  if (app.selected_save_slot >= MAX_SAVE_SLOTS + 1)
+  if (app.selected_save_slot >= MAX_SAVE_SLOTS + 1) {
+    interrupts();
     return;
+  }
 
   _saveState(app, app.selected_save_slot);
   _saveMetadata(app);
   _isDirty = false;
+  interrupts();
 }
 
 // Save transient state if it has changed and enough time has passed since last
 // save.
 void StateManager::update(const AppState &app) {
   if (_isDirty && (millis() - _lastChangeTime > SAVE_DELAY_MS)) {
+    noInterrupts();
     _saveState(app, TRANSIENT_SLOT);
     _saveMetadata(app);
     _isDirty = false;
+    interrupts();
   }
 }
 
 void StateManager::reset(AppState &app) {
+  noInterrupts();
+
   AppState default_app;
   app.tempo = default_app.tempo;
   app.selected_param = default_app.selected_param;
@@ -105,6 +119,7 @@ void StateManager::reset(AppState &app) {
   _loadMetadata(app);
 
   _isDirty = false;
+  interrupts();
 }
 
 void StateManager::markDirty() {
@@ -142,7 +157,6 @@ void StateManager::_saveState(const AppState &app, byte slot_index) {
   if (app.selected_save_slot >= MAX_SAVE_SLOTS + 1)
     return;
 
-  noInterrupts();
   static EepromData save_data;
 
   save_data.tempo = app.tempo;
@@ -170,7 +184,6 @@ void StateManager::_saveState(const AppState &app, byte slot_index) {
 
   int address = EEPROM_DATA_START_ADDR + (slot_index * sizeof(EepromData));
   EEPROM.put(address, save_data);
-  interrupts();
 }
 
 void StateManager::_loadState(AppState &app, byte slot_index) {
@@ -178,7 +191,6 @@ void StateManager::_loadState(AppState &app, byte slot_index) {
   if (slot_index >= MAX_SAVE_SLOTS + 1)
     return;
 
-  noInterrupts();
   static EepromData load_data;
   int address = EEPROM_DATA_START_ADDR + (slot_index * sizeof(EepromData));
   EEPROM.get(address, load_data);
@@ -203,11 +215,9 @@ void StateManager::_loadState(AppState &app, byte slot_index) {
     ch.setCv1Dest(static_cast<CvDestination>(saved_ch_state.cv1_dest));
     ch.setCv2Dest(static_cast<CvDestination>(saved_ch_state.cv2_dest));
   }
-  interrupts();
 }
 
 void StateManager::_saveMetadata(const AppState &app) {
-  noInterrupts();
   Metadata current_meta;
   strcpy(current_meta.sketch_name, SKETCH_NAME);
   strcpy(current_meta.version, SEMANTIC_VERSION);
@@ -218,15 +228,12 @@ void StateManager::_saveMetadata(const AppState &app) {
   current_meta.rotate_display = app.rotate_display;
 
   EEPROM.put(METADATA_START_ADDR, current_meta);
-  interrupts();
 }
 
 void StateManager::_loadMetadata(AppState &app) {
-  noInterrupts();
   Metadata metadata;
   EEPROM.get(METADATA_START_ADDR, metadata);
   app.selected_save_slot = metadata.selected_save_slot;
   app.encoder_reversed = metadata.encoder_reversed;
   app.rotate_display = metadata.rotate_display;
-  interrupts();
 }
\ No newline at end of file