diff --git a/engine/client/cl_game.c b/engine/client/cl_game.c
index 7daff3e1..8d37265f 100644
--- a/engine/client/cl_game.c
+++ b/engine/client/cl_game.c
@@ -1641,6 +1641,7 @@ get actual screen info
 */
 int GAME_EXPORT CL_GetScreenInfo( SCREENINFO *pscrinfo )
 {
+	qboolean apply_scale_factor = false;
 	float scale_factor = hud_scale.value;
 
 	if( FBitSet( hud_fontscale.flags, FCVAR_CHANGED ))
@@ -1655,17 +1656,24 @@ int GAME_EXPORT CL_GetScreenInfo( SCREENINFO *pscrinfo )
 	clgame.scrInfo.iSize = sizeof( clgame.scrInfo );
 	clgame.scrInfo.iFlags = SCRINFO_SCREENFLASH;
 
-	if( scale_factor && scale_factor != 1.0f)
+	if( scale_factor && scale_factor != 1.0f )
+	{
+		float scaled_width = (float)refState.width / scale_factor;
+		if( scaled_width >= hud_scale_minimal_width.value )
+			apply_scale_factor = true;
+	}
+
+	if( apply_scale_factor )
 	{
 		clgame.scrInfo.iWidth = (float)refState.width / scale_factor;
 		clgame.scrInfo.iHeight = (float)refState.height / scale_factor;
-		clgame.scrInfo.iFlags |= SCRINFO_STRETCHED;
+		SetBits( clgame.scrInfo.iFlags, SCRINFO_STRETCHED );
 	}
 	else
 	{
 		clgame.scrInfo.iWidth = refState.width;
 		clgame.scrInfo.iHeight = refState.height;
-		clgame.scrInfo.iFlags &= ~SCRINFO_STRETCHED;
+		ClearBits( clgame.scrInfo.iFlags, SCRINFO_STRETCHED );
 	}
 
 	if( !pscrinfo ) return 0;
diff --git a/engine/client/cl_main.c b/engine/client/cl_main.c
index 3ffad555..8de09c73 100644
--- a/engine/client/cl_main.c
+++ b/engine/client/cl_main.c
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ CVAR_DEFINE_AUTO( cl_clockreset, "0.1", FCVAR_ARCHIVE, "frametime delta maximum
 CVAR_DEFINE_AUTO( cl_fixtimerate, "7.5", FCVAR_ARCHIVE, "time in msec to client clock adjusting" );
 CVAR_DEFINE_AUTO( hud_fontscale, "1.0", FCVAR_ARCHIVE|FCVAR_LATCH, "scale hud font texture" );
 CVAR_DEFINE_AUTO( hud_scale, "0", FCVAR_ARCHIVE|FCVAR_LATCH, "scale hud at current resolution" );
+CVAR_DEFINE_AUTO( hud_scale_minimal_width, "640", FCVAR_ARCHIVE|FCVAR_LATCH, "if hud_scale results in a HUD virtual screen smaller than this value, it won't be applied" );
 CVAR_DEFINE_AUTO( cl_solid_players, "1", 0, "Make all players not solid (can't traceline them)" );
 CVAR_DEFINE_AUTO( cl_updaterate, "20", FCVAR_USERINFO|FCVAR_ARCHIVE, "refresh rate of server messages" );
 CVAR_DEFINE_AUTO( cl_showevents, "0", FCVAR_ARCHIVE, "show events playback" );
@@ -2926,6 +2927,7 @@ static void CL_InitLocal( void )
 	Cvar_RegisterVariable( &cl_fixtimerate );
 	Cvar_RegisterVariable( &hud_fontscale );
 	Cvar_RegisterVariable( &hud_scale );
+	Cvar_RegisterVariable( &hud_scale_minimal_width );
 	Cvar_Get( "cl_background", "0", FCVAR_READ_ONLY, "indicate what background map is running" );
 	Cvar_RegisterVariable( &cl_showevents );
 	Cvar_Get( "lastdemo", "", FCVAR_ARCHIVE, "last played demo" );
diff --git a/engine/client/client.h b/engine/client/client.h
index d9ad920a..c01e18a5 100644
--- a/engine/client/client.h
+++ b/engine/client/client.h
@@ -683,6 +683,7 @@ extern convar_t	cl_clockreset;
 extern convar_t	cl_fixtimerate;
 extern convar_t	hud_fontscale;
 extern convar_t	hud_scale;
+extern convar_t hud_scale_minimal_width;
 extern convar_t	r_showtextures;
 extern convar_t	cl_bmodelinterp;
 extern convar_t	cl_lw;		// local weapons