diff --git a/src/spice2x/games/iidx/bi2x_hook.cpp b/src/spice2x/games/iidx/bi2x_hook.cpp
index 3755a1b..62bc1e9 100644
--- a/src/spice2x/games/iidx/bi2x_hook.cpp
+++ b/src/spice2x/games/iidx/bi2x_hook.cpp
@@ -30,6 +30,14 @@ namespace games::iidx {
         uint8_t dummy1[0x9A0];
     };
 
+    // add padding before and after as the game will try to deref an offset
+    // from the address returned by aioNMgrIob2_Create
+    struct AIO_NMGR_IOB2_PTR {
+        uint8_t dummy0[0x100];
+        AIO_NMGR_IOB2 *iob2;
+        uint8_t dummy1[0x400 - sizeof(AIO_NMGR_IOB2 *)];
+    };
+
     struct AIO_IOB2_BI2X_TDJ {
         // who knows
         uint8_t data[0x13F8];
@@ -112,7 +120,7 @@ namespace games::iidx {
 
     AIO_IOB2_BI2X_TDJ *custom_node = nullptr;
     AC_HNDLIF *acHndlif = nullptr;
-    AIO_NMGR_IOB2 *aioNmgrIob2 = nullptr;
+    AIO_NMGR_IOB2_PTR *aioNmgrIob2 = nullptr;
 
     /*
      * implementations
@@ -458,12 +466,16 @@ namespace games::iidx {
 
     static AIO_NMGR_IOB2** __fastcall aioNMgrIob2_Create(AC_HNDLIF *a1, unsigned int a2) {
         if (aioNmgrIob2 == nullptr) {
-            aioNmgrIob2 = new AIO_NMGR_IOB2;
-            memset(aioNmgrIob2, 0x0, sizeof(AIO_NMGR_IOB2));
-            aioNmgrIob2->pAIO_NMGR_IOB_BeginManage = AIO_NMGR_IOB_BeginManageStub;
+            aioNmgrIob2 = new AIO_NMGR_IOB2_PTR{};
+            aioNmgrIob2->iob2 = new AIO_NMGR_IOB2{};
+            aioNmgrIob2->iob2->pAIO_NMGR_IOB_BeginManage = AIO_NMGR_IOB_BeginManageStub;
         }
-        log_info("bi2x_hook", "aioNMgrIob2_Create");
-        return &aioNmgrIob2;
+
+        log_info("bi2x_hook", "aioNMgrIob2_Create returned {}, padded size=0x{:x}, IOB2 @ {}, size=0x{:x}",
+            fmt::ptr(&aioNmgrIob2->iob2), sizeof(*aioNmgrIob2), 
+            fmt::ptr(aioNmgrIob2->iob2), sizeof(*aioNmgrIob2->iob2));
+
+        return &aioNmgrIob2->iob2;
     }
 
     static int64_t __fastcall aioIob2Bi2x_WriteFirmGetState(int64_t a1) {
diff --git a/src/spice2x/games/sdvx/bi2x_hook.cpp b/src/spice2x/games/sdvx/bi2x_hook.cpp
index 50d8601..e4153b2 100644
--- a/src/spice2x/games/sdvx/bi2x_hook.cpp
+++ b/src/spice2x/games/sdvx/bi2x_hook.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,14 @@ namespace games::sdvx {
         uint8_t dummy1[0x9A0];
     };
 
+    // add padding before and after as the game will try to deref an offset
+    // from the address returned by aioNMgrIob2_Create
+    struct AIO_NMGR_IOB2_PTR {
+        uint8_t dummy0[0x100];
+        AIO_NMGR_IOB2 *iob2;
+        uint8_t dummy1[0x400 - sizeof(AIO_NMGR_IOB2 *)];
+    };
+
     struct AIO_IOB2_BI2X_UFC {
         // who knows
         uint8_t data[0x13F8];
@@ -94,7 +102,7 @@ namespace games::sdvx {
 
     AIO_IOB2_BI2X_UFC *custom_node = nullptr;
     AC_HNDLIF *acHndlif = nullptr;
-    AIO_NMGR_IOB2 *aioNmgrIob2 = nullptr;
+    AIO_NMGR_IOB2_PTR* aioNmgrIob2 = nullptr;
     // state
     static uint8_t count = 0;
     static uint16_t VOL_L = 0;
@@ -347,11 +355,14 @@ namespace games::sdvx {
 
     static AIO_NMGR_IOB2** __fastcall aioNMgrIob2_Create(AC_HNDLIF *a1, unsigned int a2) {
         if (aioNmgrIob2 == nullptr) {
-            aioNmgrIob2 = new AIO_NMGR_IOB2;
-            memset(aioNmgrIob2, 0x0, sizeof(AIO_NMGR_IOB2));
-            aioNmgrIob2->pAIO_NMGR_IOB_BeginManage = AIO_NMGR_IOB_BeginManageStub;
+            aioNmgrIob2 = new AIO_NMGR_IOB2_PTR{};
+            aioNmgrIob2->iob2 = new AIO_NMGR_IOB2{};
+            aioNmgrIob2->iob2->pAIO_NMGR_IOB_BeginManage = AIO_NMGR_IOB_BeginManageStub;
         }
-        log_info("bi2x_hook", "aioNMgrIob2_Create");
+        log_info("bi2x_hook", "aioNMgrIob2_Create returned {}, padded size=0x{:x}, IOB2 @ {}, size=0x{:x}",
+            fmt::ptr(&aioNmgrIob2->iob2), sizeof(*aioNmgrIob2), 
+            fmt::ptr(aioNmgrIob2->iob2), sizeof(*aioNmgrIob2->iob2));
+
         BI2X_INITIALIZED = true;
 
         // enable hack to make PIN pad work for KFC in BI2X mode
@@ -359,7 +370,7 @@ namespace games::sdvx {
         // (as opposed to just doing a check for "isValkyrieCabMode?")
         // because there are hex edits that allow you to use legacy (KFC/BIO2) IO while in Valk mode
         acioemu::ICCA_DEVICE_HACK = true;
-        return &aioNmgrIob2;
+        return &aioNmgrIob2->iob2;
     }
 
     static int64_t __fastcall aioIob2Bi2x_WriteFirmGetState(int64_t a1) {