diff --git a/src/ale/emucore/TIA.cxx b/src/ale/emucore/TIA.cxx
index 3dad8f1d9..bc463051c 100644
--- a/src/ale/emucore/TIA.cxx
+++ b/src/ale/emucore/TIA.cxx
@@ -2746,30 +2746,13 @@ void TIA::poke(uint16_t addr, uint8_t value)
       myPOSM1 += ourCompleteMotionTable[x][myHMM1];
       myPOSBL += ourCompleteMotionTable[x][myHMBL];
 
-      if(myPOSP0 >= 160)
-        myPOSP0 -= 160;
-      else if(myPOSP0 < 0)
-        myPOSP0 += 160;
-
-      if(myPOSP1 >= 160)
-        myPOSP1 -= 160;
-      else if(myPOSP1 < 0)
-        myPOSP1 += 160;
-
-      if(myPOSM0 >= 160)
-        myPOSM0 -= 160;
-      else if(myPOSM0 < 0)
-        myPOSM0 += 160;
-
-      if(myPOSM1 >= 160)
-        myPOSM1 -= 160;
-      else if(myPOSM1 < 0)
-        myPOSM1 += 160;
-
-      if(myPOSBL >= 160)
-        myPOSBL -= 160;
-      else if(myPOSBL < 0)
-        myPOSBL += 160;
+      // Normalize all positions to valid range [0, 159] using modular arithmetic
+      myPOSP0 = ((myPOSP0 % 160) + 160) % 160;
+      myPOSP1 = ((myPOSP1 % 160) + 160) % 160;
+      myPOSM0 = ((myPOSM0 % 160) + 160) % 160;
+      myPOSM1 = ((myPOSM1 % 160) + 160) % 160;
+      myPOSBL = ((myPOSBL % 160) + 160) % 160;
+
 
       myCurrentBLMask = &ourBallMaskTable[myPOSBL & 0x03]
           [(myCTRLPF & 0x30) >> 4][160 - (myPOSBL & 0xFC)];