diff --git a/src/g_demo.c b/src/g_demo.c
index 4b51c85d7..06943e741 100644
--- a/src/g_demo.c
+++ b/src/g_demo.c
@@ -1237,8 +1237,8 @@ void G_GhostTicker(void)
 			continue;
 		}
 
-		// Pause jhosts that cross until we cross ourself.
-		if (g->linecrossed && !linecrossed)
+		// Pause jhosts that cross until the timer starts.
+		if (g->linecrossed && leveltime < starttime)
 			continue;
 
 readghosttic:
@@ -1548,7 +1548,8 @@ skippedghosttic:
 			continue;
 		}
 
-		if (linecrossed && !g->linecrossed)
+		// If the timer started, skip ahead until the ghost starts too.
+		if (starttime <= leveltime && !g->linecrossed)
 			goto readghosttic;
 
 		p = g;
diff --git a/src/p_spec.c b/src/p_spec.c
index e42c6f89c..5a79c0942 100644
--- a/src/p_spec.c
+++ b/src/p_spec.c
@@ -1961,7 +1961,8 @@ static void K_HandleLapIncrement(player_t *player)
 				linecrossed = leveltime;
 				if (starttime > leveltime) // Overlong starts shouldn't reset time on cross
 					starttime = leveltime;
-				demo_extradata[player-players] |= DXD_START;
+				if (demo.recording)
+					demo_extradata[player-players] |= DXD_START;
 				Music_Stop("position");
 			}