The invention provides in one embodiment a gypsum-containing slurry including stucco and an aqueous pre-dispersion of a pregelatinized starch. Also provided is a method of making gypsum wallboard by providing a pre-dispersion of the pregelatinized starch in water, and adding the pregelatinized starch pre-dispersion to the gypsum-containing slurry. The pregelatinized starch can have a particle size distribution within the following range: d (0.1)=about 20.mu.-35.mu., d (0.5)=about 60.mu.-110.mu., d (0.9)=about 100.mu.-220.mu..