diff --git a/engine/client/cl_cmds.c b/engine/client/cl_cmds.c
index 75b3c2ed..9a090bbc 100644
--- a/engine/client/cl_cmds.c
+++ b/engine/client/cl_cmds.c
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ void CL_SetSky_f( void )
 		return;
 	}
 
-	ref.dllFuncs.R_SetupSky( Cmd_Argv( 1 ));
+	R_SetupSky( Cmd_Argv( 1 ));
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/engine/client/cl_parse.c b/engine/client/cl_parse.c
index a240bc9b..1ad628cd 100644
--- a/engine/client/cl_parse.c
+++ b/engine/client/cl_parse.c
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ void CL_ParseMovevars( sizebuf_t *msg )
 
 	// update sky if changed
 	if( Q_strcmp( clgame.oldmovevars.skyName, clgame.movevars.skyName ) && cl.video_prepped )
-		ref.dllFuncs.R_SetupSky( clgame.movevars.skyName );
+		R_SetupSky( clgame.movevars.skyName );
 
 	memcpy( &clgame.oldmovevars, &clgame.movevars, sizeof( movevars_t ));
 	clgame.entities->curstate.scale = clgame.movevars.waveHeight;
@@ -1646,6 +1646,9 @@ void CL_RegisterResources( sizebuf_t *msg )
 
 			CL_ClearWorld ();
 
+			// load skybox
+			R_SetupSky( clgame.movevars.skyName );
+
 			// tell rendering system we have a new set of models.
 			ref.dllFuncs.R_NewMap ();
 
diff --git a/engine/client/cl_parse_48.c b/engine/client/cl_parse_48.c
index 54ffbe8f..0654100c 100644
--- a/engine/client/cl_parse_48.c
+++ b/engine/client/cl_parse_48.c
@@ -664,6 +664,9 @@ void CL_LegacyPrecache_f( void )
 	if( clgame.entities )
 		clgame.entities->model = cl.worldmodel;
 
+	// load skybox
+	R_SetupSky( clgame.movevars.skyName );
+
 	// tell rendering system we have a new set of models.
 	ref.dllFuncs.R_NewMap ();
 
diff --git a/engine/client/ref_common.c b/engine/client/ref_common.c
index 9e8b01bc..2abcf86f 100644
--- a/engine/client/ref_common.c
+++ b/engine/client/ref_common.c
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 struct ref_state_s ref;
 ref_globals_t refState;
 
+static const char* r_skyBoxSuffix[SKYBOX_MAX_SIDES] = { "rt", "bk", "lf", "ft", "up", "dn" };
+
 CVAR_DEFINE_AUTO( gl_vsync, "0", FCVAR_ARCHIVE,  "enable vertical syncronization" );
 CVAR_DEFINE_AUTO( r_showtextures, "0", FCVAR_CHEAT, "show all uploaded textures" );
 CVAR_DEFINE_AUTO( r_adjust_fov, "1", FCVAR_ARCHIVE, "making FOV adjustment for wide-screens" );
@@ -49,13 +51,102 @@ void R_GetTextureParms( int *w, int *h, int texnum )
 	if( h ) *h = REF_GET_PARM( PARM_TEX_HEIGHT, texnum );
 }
 
-/*
-================
-GL_FreeImage
+static qboolean CheckSkybox( const char *name, char out[SKYBOX_MAX_SIDES][MAX_STRING] )
+{
+	static const char *skybox_ext[3] = { "dds", "tga", "bmp" };
+	static const char *skybox_delim[2] = { "", "_" }; // no space for HL style, underscore for Q1 style
+	int	i;
+
+	// search for skybox images
+	for( i = 0; i <	ARRAYSIZE( skybox_ext ); i++ )
+	{
+		int j;
+
+		for( j = 0; j < ARRAYSIZE( skybox_delim ); j++ )
+		{
+			int k, num_checked_sides = 0;
+
+			for( k = 0; k < SKYBOX_MAX_SIDES; k++ )
+			{
+				char sidename[MAX_VA_STRING];
+
+				Q_snprintf( sidename, sizeof( sidename ), "%s%s%s.%s", name, skybox_delim[j], r_skyBoxSuffix[k], skybox_ext[i] );
+				if( g_fsapi.FileExists( sidename, false ))
+				{
+					Q_strncpy( out[k], sidename, sizeof( out[k] ));
+					num_checked_sides++;
+				}
+			}
+
+			if( num_checked_sides == SKYBOX_MAX_SIDES )
+				return true; // image exists
+		}
+	}
+
+	return false;
+}
+
+void R_SetupSky( const char *name )
+{
+	string loadname;
+	char sidenames[SKYBOX_MAX_SIDES][MAX_STRING];
+	int skyboxTextures[SKYBOX_MAX_SIDES] = { 0 };
+	int i, len;
+	qboolean result;
+
+	if( !COM_CheckString( name ))
+	{
+		ref.dllFuncs.R_SetupSky( NULL ); // unload skybox
+		return;
+	}
+
+	Q_snprintf( loadname, sizeof( loadname ), "gfx/env/%s", name );
+	COM_StripExtension( loadname );
+
+	// kill the underline suffix to find them manually later
+	len = Q_strlen( loadname );
+
+	if( loadname[len - 1] == '_' )
+		loadname[len - 1] = '\0';
+	result = CheckSkybox( loadname, sidenames );
+
+	// to prevent infinite recursion if default skybox was missed
+	if( !result && Q_stricmp( name, DEFAULT_SKYBOX_NAME ))
+	{
+		Con_Reportf( S_WARN "missed or incomplete skybox '%s'\n", name );
+		R_SetupSky( DEFAULT_SKYBOX_NAME ); // force to default
+		return;
+	}
+
+	ref.dllFuncs.R_SetupSky( NULL ); // unload skybox
+	Con_DPrintf( "SKY:  " );
+
+	for( i = 0; i < SKYBOX_MAX_SIDES; i++ )
+	{
+		skyboxTextures[i] = ref.dllFuncs.GL_LoadTexture( sidenames[i], NULL, 0, TF_CLAMP|TF_SKY );
+
+		if( !skyboxTextures[i] )
+			break;
+
+		Con_DPrintf( "%s%s%s", name, r_skyBoxSuffix[i], i != 5 ? ", " : ". " );
+	}
+
+	if( i == SKYBOX_MAX_SIDES )
+	{
+		SetBits( world.flags, FWORLD_CUSTOM_SKYBOX );
+		Con_DPrintf( "done\n" );
+		ref.dllFuncs.R_SetupSky( skyboxTextures );
+		return; // loaded
+	}
+
+	Con_DPrintf( "^2failed\n" );
+	for( i = 0; i < SKYBOX_MAX_SIDES; i++ )
+	{
+		if( skyboxTextures[i] )
+			ref.dllFuncs.GL_FreeTexture( skyboxTextures[i] );
+	}
+}
 
-Frees image by name
-================
-*/
 void GAME_EXPORT GL_FreeImage( const char *name )
 {
 	int	texnum;
diff --git a/engine/client/ref_common.h b/engine/client/ref_common.h
index dfbbf700..cbed5bc4 100644
--- a/engine/client/ref_common.h
+++ b/engine/client/ref_common.h
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ void R_GetTextureParms( int *w, int *h, int texnum );
 
 void GL_RenderFrame( const struct ref_viewpass_s *rvp );
 
+void R_SetupSky( const char *name );
+
 // common engine and renderer cvars
 extern convar_t r_decals;
 extern convar_t r_adjust_fov;
diff --git a/engine/common/com_strings.h b/engine/common/com_strings.h
index e256d19a..b4bc9ece 100644
--- a/engine/common/com_strings.h
+++ b/engine/common/com_strings.h
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ GNU General Public License for more details.
 #define DEFAULT_SAVE_DIRECTORY	"save/"
 
 // fallback to this skybox
-#define DEFAULT_SKYBOX_PATH		"gfx/env/desert"
+#define DEFAULT_SKYBOX_NAME     "desert"
 
 // playlist for startup videos
 #define DEFAULT_VIDEOLIST_PATH	"media/StartupVids.txt"
diff --git a/engine/ref_api.h b/engine/ref_api.h
index 02cbfd91..cde1d242 100644
--- a/engine/ref_api.h
+++ b/engine/ref_api.h
@@ -82,6 +82,8 @@ GNU General Public License for more details.
 // (probably will be expanded at some point)
 #define kRenderScreenFadeModulate 0x1000
 
+#define SKYBOX_MAX_SIDES 6 // a box can only have 6 sides
+
 typedef enum
 {
 	DEMO_INACTIVE = 0,
@@ -495,7 +497,7 @@ typedef struct ref_interface_s
 	const byte *(*R_GetTextureOriginalBuffer)( unsigned int idx ); // not always available
 	int (*GL_LoadTextureFromBuffer)( const char *name, rgbdata_t *pic, texFlags_t flags, qboolean update );
 	void (*GL_ProcessTexture)( int texnum, float gamma, int topColor, int bottomColor );
-	void (*R_SetupSky)( const char *skyname );
+	void (*R_SetupSky)( int *skyboxTextures );
 
 	// 2D
 	void (*R_Set2DMode)( qboolean enable );
diff --git a/ref/gl/gl_context.c b/ref/gl/gl_context.c
index 2a68d540..1fc2283d 100644
--- a/ref/gl/gl_context.c
+++ b/ref/gl/gl_context.c
@@ -342,6 +342,24 @@ static void GAME_EXPORT R_SetSkyCloudsTextures( int solidskyTexture, int alphask
 	tr.alphaskyTexture = alphaskyTexture;
 }
 
+/*
+===============
+R_SetupSky
+===============
+*/
+static void GAME_EXPORT R_SetupSky( int *skyboxTextures )
+{
+	int i;
+
+	R_UnloadSkybox();
+
+	if( !skyboxTextures )
+		return;
+
+	for( i = 0; i < SKYBOX_MAX_SIDES; i++ )
+		tr.skyboxTextures[i] = skyboxTextures[i];
+}
+
 static qboolean R_SetDisplayTransform( ref_screen_rotation_t rotate, int offset_x, int offset_y, float scale_x, float scale_y )
 {
 	qboolean ret = true;
diff --git a/ref/gl/gl_local.h b/ref/gl/gl_local.h
index 76338b3d..8c79f7ed 100644
--- a/ref/gl/gl_local.h
+++ b/ref/gl/gl_local.h
@@ -102,7 +102,6 @@ extern poolhandle_t r_temppool;
 #define HACKS_RELATED_HLMODS		// some HL-mods works differently under Xash and can't be fixed without some hacks at least at current time
 
 #define SKYBOX_BASE_NUM 5800 // set skybox base (to let some mods load hi-res skyboxes)
-#define SKYBOX_MAX_SIDES 6   // box can only have 6 sides
 
 typedef struct gltexture_s
 {
@@ -491,6 +490,7 @@ void R_AddSkyBoxSurface( msurface_t *fa );
 void R_ClearSkyBox( void );
 void R_DrawSkyBox( void );
 void R_DrawClouds( void );
+void R_UnloadSkybox( void );
 void EmitWaterPolys( msurface_t *warp, qboolean reverse );
 void R_InitRipples( void );
 void R_ResetRipples( void );
@@ -539,7 +539,6 @@ void R_GetSpriteParms( int *frameWidth, int *frameHeight, int *numFrames, int cu
 void R_DrawStretchRaw( float x, float y, float w, float h, int cols, int rows, const byte *data, qboolean dirty );
 void R_DrawStretchPic( float x, float y, float w, float h, float s1, float t1, float s2, float t2, int texnum );
 qboolean R_SpeedsMessage( char *out, size_t size );
-void R_SetupSky( const char *skyboxname );
 qboolean R_CullBox( const vec3_t mins, const vec3_t maxs );
 int R_WorldToScreen( const vec3_t point, vec3_t screen );
 void R_ScreenToWorld( const vec3_t screen, vec3_t point );
diff --git a/ref/gl/gl_rmisc.c b/ref/gl/gl_rmisc.c
index 0ce9a8a1..83bc1422 100644
--- a/ref/gl/gl_rmisc.c
+++ b/ref/gl/gl_rmisc.c
@@ -146,8 +146,6 @@ void R_NewMap( void )
  		tx->texturechain = NULL;
 	}
 
-	R_SetupSky( tr.movevars->skyName );
-
 	GL_BuildLightmaps ();
 	R_GenerateVBO();
 	R_ResetRipples();
diff --git a/ref/gl/gl_warp.c b/ref/gl/gl_warp.c
index 74a1b79d..2c824259 100644
--- a/ref/gl/gl_warp.c
+++ b/ref/gl/gl_warp.c
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ GNU General Public License for more details.
 #define MAX_CLIP_VERTS	128 // skybox clip vertices
 #define TURBSCALE		( 256.0f / ( M_PI2 ))
 
-static const char* r_skyBoxSuffix[SKYBOX_MAX_SIDES] = { "rt", "bk", "lf", "ft", "up", "dn" };
 static const int r_skyTexOrder[SKYBOX_MAX_SIDES] = { 0, 2, 1, 3, 4, 5 };
 
 static const vec3_t skyclip[SKYBOX_MAX_SIDES] =
@@ -85,50 +84,6 @@ static struct
 	float texturescale; // not all textures are 128x128, scale the texcoords down
 } g_ripple;
 
-static qboolean CheckSkybox( const char *name, char out[6][MAX_STRING] )
-{
-	const char	*skybox_ext[3] = { "dds", "tga", "bmp" };
-	int		i, j, num_checked_sides;
-	char		sidename[MAX_VA_STRING];
-
-	// search for skybox images
-	for( i = 0; i < 3; i++ )
-	{
-		// check HL-style skyboxes
-		num_checked_sides = 0;
-		for( j = 0; j < SKYBOX_MAX_SIDES; j++ )
-		{
-			// build side name
-			Q_snprintf( sidename, sizeof( sidename ), "%s%s.%s", name, r_skyBoxSuffix[j], skybox_ext[i] );
-			if( gEngfuncs.fsapi->FileExists( sidename, false ))
-			{
-				Q_strncpy( out[j], sidename, sizeof( out[j] ));
-				num_checked_sides++;
-			}
-		}
-
-		if( num_checked_sides == 6 )
-			return true; // image exists
-
-		// check Q1-style skyboxes
-		num_checked_sides = 0;
-		for( j = 0; j < SKYBOX_MAX_SIDES; j++ )
-		{
-			// build side name
-			Q_snprintf( sidename, sizeof( sidename ), "%s_%s.%s", name, r_skyBoxSuffix[j], skybox_ext[i] );
-			if( gEngfuncs.fsapi->FileExists( sidename, false ))
-			{
-				Q_strncpy( out[j], sidename, sizeof( out[j] ));
-				num_checked_sides++;
-			}
-		}
-
-		if( num_checked_sides == 6 )
-			return true; // images exists
-	}
-
-	return false;
-}
 
 static void DrawSkyPolygon( int nump, vec3_t vecs )
 {
@@ -362,7 +317,7 @@ R_UnloadSkybox
 Unload previous skybox
 ==============
 */
-static void R_UnloadSkybox( void )
+void R_UnloadSkybox( void )
 {
 	int	i;
 
@@ -426,67 +381,6 @@ void R_DrawSkyBox( void )
 	R_LoadIdentity();
 }
 
-/*
-===============
-R_SetupSky
-===============
-*/
-void R_SetupSky( const char *skyboxname )
-{
-	char	loadname[MAX_STRING];
-	char	sidenames[6][MAX_STRING];
-	int	i, len;
-	qboolean result;
-
-	if( !COM_CheckString( skyboxname ))
-	{
-		R_UnloadSkybox();
-		return; // clear old skybox
-	}
-
-	Q_snprintf( loadname, sizeof( loadname ), "gfx/env/%s", skyboxname );
-	COM_StripExtension( loadname );
-
-	// kill the underline suffix to find them manually later
-	len = Q_strlen( loadname );
-
-	if( loadname[len - 1] == '_' )
-		loadname[len - 1] = '\0';
-	result = CheckSkybox( loadname, sidenames );
-
-	// to prevent infinite recursion if default skybox was missed
-	if( !result && Q_stricmp( loadname, DEFAULT_SKYBOX_PATH ))
-	{
-		gEngfuncs.Con_Reportf( S_WARN "missed or incomplete skybox '%s'\n", skyboxname );
-		R_SetupSky( "desert" ); // force to default
-		return;
-	}
-
-	// release old skybox
-	R_UnloadSkybox();
-	gEngfuncs.Con_DPrintf( "SKY:  " );
-
-	for( i = 0; i < SKYBOX_MAX_SIDES; i++ )
-	{
-		tr.skyboxTextures[i] = GL_LoadTexture( sidenames[i], NULL, 0, TF_CLAMP|TF_SKY );
-
-		if( !tr.skyboxTextures[i] )
-			break;
-
-		gEngfuncs.Con_DPrintf( "%s%s%s", skyboxname, r_skyBoxSuffix[i], i != 5 ? ", " : ". " );
-	}
-
-	if( i == 6 )
-	{
-		SetBits( tr.world->flags, FWORLD_CUSTOM_SKYBOX );
-		gEngfuncs.Con_DPrintf( "done\n" );
-		return; // loaded
-	}
-
-	gEngfuncs.Con_DPrintf( "^2failed\n" );
-	R_UnloadSkybox();
-}
-
 //==============================================================================
 //
 //  RENDER CLOUDS
diff --git a/ref/soft/r_context.c b/ref/soft/r_context.c
index 46c0f6b4..6dceaf70 100644
--- a/ref/soft/r_context.c
+++ b/ref/soft/r_context.c
@@ -317,9 +317,16 @@ static void GAME_EXPORT R_ShowTextures( void )
 	// textures undone too
 }
 
-void GAME_EXPORT R_SetupSky(const char *skyboxname)
+static void GAME_EXPORT R_SetupSky( int *skyboxTextures )
 {
+	int i;
 
+	// TODO: R_UnloadSkybox();
+	if( !skyboxTextures )
+		return;
+
+	for( i = 0; i < SKYBOX_MAX_SIDES; i++ )
+		tr.skyboxTextures[i] = skyboxTextures;
 }
 
 qboolean GAME_EXPORT VID_CubemapShot(const char *base, uint size, const float *vieworg, qboolean skyshot)
diff --git a/ref/soft/r_local.h b/ref/soft/r_local.h
index 64ca1c54..21ce42df 100644
--- a/ref/soft/r_local.h
+++ b/ref/soft/r_local.h
@@ -626,7 +626,6 @@ void R_GetSpriteParms( int *frameWidth, int *frameHeight, int *numFrames, int cu
 void R_DrawStretchRaw( float x, float y, float w, float h, int cols, int rows, const byte *data, qboolean dirty );
 void R_DrawStretchPic( float x, float y, float w, float h, float s1, float t1, float s2, float t2, int texnum );
 qboolean R_SpeedsMessage( char *out, size_t size );
-void R_SetupSky( const char *skyboxname );
 qboolean R_CullBox( const vec3_t mins, const vec3_t maxs );
 int R_WorldToScreen( const vec3_t point, vec3_t screen );
 void R_ScreenToWorld( const vec3_t screen, vec3_t point );