diff --git a/engine/client/cl_main.c b/engine/client/cl_main.c
index 841615e2..56f21b29 100644
--- a/engine/client/cl_main.c
+++ b/engine/client/cl_main.c
@@ -987,7 +987,8 @@ void CL_PrepSound( void )
 	{
 		cl.sound_index[i+1] = S_RegisterSound( cl.sound_precache[i+1] );
 		Cvar_SetFloat( "scr_loading", scr_loading->value + 5.0f / sndcount );
-		if( cl_allow_levelshots->integer || host.developer > 3 ) SCR_UpdateScreen();
+		if( cl_allow_levelshots->integer || host.developer > 3 || cl.background )
+			SCR_UpdateScreen();
 	}
 
 	S_EndRegistration();
@@ -1054,7 +1055,7 @@ void CL_PrepVideo( void )
 		com.strncpy( name, cl.model_precache[i+1], MAX_STRING );
 		Mod_RegisterModel( name, i+1 );
 		Cvar_SetFloat( "scr_loading", scr_loading->value + 75.0f / mdlcount );
-		if( cl_allow_levelshots->integer || host.developer > 3 )
+		if( cl_allow_levelshots->integer || host.developer > 3 || cl.background )
 			SCR_UpdateScreen();
 	}
 
diff --git a/engine/client/cl_parse.c b/engine/client/cl_parse.c
index 157e9c21..dcef3558 100644
--- a/engine/client/cl_parse.c
+++ b/engine/client/cl_parse.c
@@ -629,7 +629,7 @@ void CL_ParseServerData( sizebuf_t *msg )
 	Cvar_Set( "cl_levelshot_name", va( "levelshots/%s", clgame.mapname ));
 	Cvar_SetFloat( "scr_loading", 0.0f ); // reset progress bar
 
-	if( cl_allow_levelshots->integer && !cls.changelevel )
+	if(( cl_allow_levelshots->integer && !cls.changelevel ) || cl.background )
 	{
 		if( !FS_FileExistsEx( va( "%s.bmp", cl_levelshot_name->string ), true )) 
 		{
diff --git a/engine/client/cl_scrn.c b/engine/client/cl_scrn.c
index 0ec0c742..f8ce36d5 100644
--- a/engine/client/cl_scrn.c
+++ b/engine/client/cl_scrn.c
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ void SCR_DrawFPS( void )
 	char		fpsstring[32];
 
 	if( cls.state != ca_active ) return; 
-	if( !cl_showfps->integer ) return;
+	if( !cl_showfps->integer || cl.background ) return;
 	if( cls.scrshot_action != scrshot_inactive )
 		return;
 	
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ void SCR_DrawPlaque( void )
 {
 	int	levelshot;
 
-	if( cl_allow_levelshots->integer && !cls.changelevel )
+	if(( cl_allow_levelshots->integer && !cls.changelevel ) || Cvar_VariableInteger( "sv_background" ))
 	{
 		levelshot = GL_LoadTexture( cl_levelshot_name->string, NULL, 0, TF_IMAGE );
 		GL_SetRenderMode( kRenderNormal );
diff --git a/engine/server/sv_cmds.c b/engine/server/sv_cmds.c
index eed80b49..23b7b7c4 100644
--- a/engine/server/sv_cmds.c
+++ b/engine/server/sv_cmds.c
@@ -300,6 +300,8 @@ void SV_MapBackground_f( void )
 	Cvar_FullSet( "deathmatch", "0",  CVAR_LATCH );
 	Cvar_FullSet( "maxplayers", "1", CVAR_LATCH );
 
+	SCR_BeginLoadingPlaque();
+
 	SV_SpawnServer( mapname, NULL );
 	SV_LevelInit( mapname, NULL, NULL, false );
 	SV_ActivateServer ();
diff --git a/engine/server/sv_game.c b/engine/server/sv_game.c
index be0e1c63..4d020479 100644
--- a/engine/server/sv_game.c
+++ b/engine/server/sv_game.c
@@ -2266,6 +2266,13 @@ void pfnMessageEnd( void )
 	if( !svgame.msg_started ) Host_Error( "MessageEnd: called with no active message\n" );
 	svgame.msg_started = false;
 
+	// HACKHACK: clearing HudText in background mode
+	if( sv.background && svgame.msg[svgame.msg_index].number == svgame.gmsgHudText )
+	{
+		BF_Clear( &sv.multicast );
+		return;
+	}
+
 	// check for system message
 	if( svgame.msg_index == -1 )
 	{
diff --git a/mainui/basemenu.cpp b/mainui/basemenu.cpp
index 06523eeb..ae13d102 100644
--- a/mainui/basemenu.cpp
+++ b/mainui/basemenu.cpp
@@ -719,17 +719,27 @@ void UI_RefreshServerList( void )
 UI_StartBackGroundMap
 =================
 */
-void UI_StartBackGroundMap( void )
+bool UI_StartBackGroundMap( void )
 {
+	static bool	first = TRUE;
+
+	if( !first ) return FALSE;
+
+	first = FALSE;
+
 	if( !uiStatic.bgmapcount || CVAR_GET_FLOAT( "sv_background" ))
-		return;
+		return FALSE;
 
 	int bgmapid = RANDOM_LONG( 0, uiStatic.bgmapcount - 1 );
 
 	char cmd[128];
-	sprintf( cmd, "map_background %s\n", uiStatic.bgmaps[bgmapid] );
+	sprintf( cmd, "maps/%s.bsp", uiStatic.bgmaps[bgmapid] );
+	if( !FILE_EXISTS( cmd )) return FALSE; 
 
+	sprintf( cmd, "map_background %s\n", uiStatic.bgmaps[bgmapid] );
 	CLIENT_COMMAND( FALSE, cmd );
+
+	return TRUE;
 }
 
 // =====================================================================
@@ -857,8 +867,14 @@ void UI_UpdateMenu( float flTime )
 	uiStatic.realTime = flTime * 1000;
 	uiStatic.framecount++;
 
+	if( CVAR_GET_FLOAT( "sv_background" ) && !g_engfuncs.pfnClientInGame())
+		return;	// don't draw menu while level is loading
+
 	if( uiStatic.firstDraw )
 	{
+		// we loading background so skip SCR_Update
+		if( UI_StartBackGroundMap( )) return;
+
 		if( uiStatic.menuActive->activateFunc )
 			uiStatic.menuActive->activateFunc();
 	}
@@ -876,7 +892,6 @@ void UI_UpdateMenu( float flTime )
                     
 		if( first )
 		{
-			UI_StartBackGroundMap ();
 			BACKGROUND_TRACK( "gamestartup.mp3", NULL );
 			first = FALSE;
 		}
diff --git a/mainui/menu_creategame.cpp b/mainui/menu_creategame.cpp
index 52290a1d..c2ad2c4f 100644
--- a/mainui/menu_creategame.cpp
+++ b/mainui/menu_creategame.cpp
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ static void UI_CreateGame_Begin( void )
 
 static void UI_PromptDialog( void )
 {
-	if( !CVAR_GET_FLOAT( "host_serverstate" ))
+	if( !CVAR_GET_FLOAT( "host_serverstate" ) || CVAR_GET_FLOAT( "sv_background" ))
 	{
 		UI_CreateGame_Begin();
 		return;
diff --git a/mainui/menu_langame.cpp b/mainui/menu_langame.cpp
index 8a1238da..09145a6a 100644
--- a/mainui/menu_langame.cpp
+++ b/mainui/menu_langame.cpp
@@ -182,7 +182,8 @@ static void UI_Background_Ownerdraw( void *self )
 {
 	menuCommon_s	*item = (menuCommon_s *)self;
 
-	UI_DrawPic(item->x, item->y, item->width, item->height, uiColorWhite, ((menuBitmap_s *)self)->pic);
+	if( !CVAR_GET_FLOAT( "sv_background" ))
+		UI_DrawPic(item->x, item->y, item->width, item->height, uiColorWhite, ((menuBitmap_s *)self)->pic);
 
 	if( uiStatic.realTime > uiLanGame.refreshTime )
 	{
diff --git a/mainui/menu_main.cpp b/mainui/menu_main.cpp
index 0e888c48..28e276e3 100644
--- a/mainui/menu_main.cpp
+++ b/mainui/menu_main.cpp
@@ -426,6 +426,7 @@ static void UI_Main_Init( void )
 		// server.dll needs for reading savefiles or startup newgame
 		if( !CheckGameDll( ))
 		{
+			uiMain.hazardCourse.generic.flags |= QMF_GRAYED;
 			uiMain.saveRestore.generic.flags |= QMF_GRAYED;
 			uiMain.newGame.generic.flags |= QMF_GRAYED;
 		}