diff --git a/src/d_main.c b/src/d_main.c
index 47ecb5fbf..011e38e2a 100644
--- a/src/d_main.c
+++ b/src/d_main.c
@@ -417,9 +417,11 @@ static void D_Display(void)
 	if (gamestate != GS_TIMEATTACK)
 		CON_Drawer();
 
-	// Running a wipe, but it doesn't freeze the game
-	if (WipeInAction && (!WipeFreezeGame))
+#ifdef LEVELWIPES
+	// Running a level wipe
+	if (WipeInAction && WipeInLevel)
 		F_WipeTicker();
+#endif
 
 	M_Drawer(); // menu is drawn even on top of everything
 	// focus lost moved to M_Drawer
diff --git a/src/doomdef.h b/src/doomdef.h
index 511dad858..8cf9e5d09 100644
--- a/src/doomdef.h
+++ b/src/doomdef.h
@@ -628,6 +628,9 @@ extern const char *compdate, *comptime, *comprevision, *compbranch;
 #define ROTANGLES 24	// Needs to be a divisor of 360 (45, 60, 90, 120...)
 #define ROTANGDIFF (360 / ROTANGLES)
 
+/// Level wipes
+//#define LEVELWIPES
+
 #ifndef HAVE_PNG
 #define NO_PNG_LUMPS
 #endif
diff --git a/src/f_finale.h b/src/f_finale.h
index 6fd94d9c0..ba4afec42 100644
--- a/src/f_finale.h
+++ b/src/f_finale.h
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ void F_MenuPresTicker(boolean run);
 #define FORCEWIPEOFF -2
 
 extern boolean WipeInAction;
-extern boolean WipeFreezeGame;
+extern boolean WipeInLevel;
 extern INT32 lastwipetic;
 
 typedef enum
diff --git a/src/f_wipe.c b/src/f_wipe.c
index b5b60403e..203d7c08d 100644
--- a/src/f_wipe.c
+++ b/src/f_wipe.c
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ UINT8 wipedefs[NUMWIPEDEFS] = {
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 boolean WipeInAction = false;
-boolean WipeFreezeGame = true;
+boolean WipeInLevel = false;
 INT32 lastwipetic = 0;
 
 wipestyle_t wipestyle = WIPESTYLE_NORMAL;
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ static void F_DoWipe(fademask_t *fademask)
 			relativepos = (draw_linestart * vid.width) + draw_rowstart;
 			draw_linestogo = draw_lineend - draw_linestart;
 
-			if ((*mask == 0) && (wipestyle == WIPESTYLE_NORMAL))
+			if (*mask == 0)
 			{
 				// shortcut - memcpy source to work
 				while (draw_linestogo--)
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ static void F_DoWipe(fademask_t *fademask)
 					relativepos += vid.width;
 				}
 			}
-			else if ((*mask >= 10) && (wipestyle == WIPESTYLE_NORMAL))
+			else if (*mask >= ((wipestyle == WIPESTYLE_LEVEL) ? FADECOLORMAPROWS : 10))
 			{
 				// shortcut - memcpy target to work
 				while (draw_linestogo--)
@@ -412,8 +412,10 @@ void F_RunWipe(UINT8 wipetype, boolean drawMenu)
 
 	curwipetype = wipetype;
 	curwipeframe = 0;
-	if (!WipeFreezeGame)
+#ifdef LEVELWIPES
+	if (WipeInLevel)
 		return;
+#endif
 
 	// lastwipetic should either be 0 or the tic we last wiped
 	// on for fade-to-black
@@ -454,13 +456,17 @@ void F_RunWipe(UINT8 wipetype, boolean drawMenu)
 			M_SaveFrame();
 	}
 	WipeInAction = false;
-	WipeFreezeGame = true;
+	WipeInLevel = false;
 #endif
 }
 
 // Works On My Machine seal of approval
 void F_WipeTicker(void)
 {
+#ifndef NOWIPE
+#ifndef LEVELWIPES
+	WipeInAction = false;
+#else
 	fademask_t *fmask;
 
 	// Wait, what?
@@ -476,7 +482,7 @@ void F_WipeTicker(void)
 	{
 		// stop
 		WipeInAction = false;
-		WipeFreezeGame = true;
+		WipeInLevel = false;
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -487,6 +493,8 @@ void F_WipeTicker(void)
 	else
 #endif
 		F_DoWipe(fmask);
+#endif
+#endif
 }
 
 /** Returns tic length of wipe
diff --git a/src/hardware/hw_main.c b/src/hardware/hw_main.c
index fb45ca4f7..4cb407621 100644
--- a/src/hardware/hw_main.c
+++ b/src/hardware/hw_main.c
@@ -7079,6 +7079,7 @@ void HWR_DoTintedWipe(UINT8 wipenum, UINT8 scrnnum)
 
 void HWR_DoLevelWipe(UINT8 wipenum, UINT8 scrnnum, UINT8 wipecolorfill)
 {
+#ifdef LEVELWIPES
 	if (!HWR_WipeCheck(wipenum, scrnnum))
 		return;
 
@@ -7089,6 +7090,7 @@ void HWR_DoLevelWipe(UINT8 wipenum, UINT8 scrnnum, UINT8 wipecolorfill)
 
 	HWD.pfnDoScreenWipeLevel();
 	F_WipeTitleCard();
+#endif
 }
 
 void HWR_MakeScreenFinalTexture(void)
diff --git a/src/m_menu.c b/src/m_menu.c
index 098f34b97..28799a9c3 100644
--- a/src/m_menu.c
+++ b/src/m_menu.c
@@ -3364,7 +3364,7 @@ boolean M_Responder(event_t *ev)
 void M_Drawer(void)
 {
 	boolean wipe = WipeInAction;
-	if (!WipeFreezeGame)
+	if (WipeInLevel)
 		wipe = false;
 
 	if (currentMenu == &MessageDef)
diff --git a/src/p_setup.c b/src/p_setup.c
index 77fb3b511..60e507e86 100644
--- a/src/p_setup.c
+++ b/src/p_setup.c
@@ -3247,7 +3247,7 @@ boolean P_SetupLevel(boolean skipprecip)
 	// Stage title!
 	wipestyleflags |= WSF_FADEIN;
 	wipestyleflags &= ~WSF_FADEOUT;
-	WipeFreezeGame = false;
+	WipeInLevel = true;
 	if (rendermode != render_none
 		&& (!titlemapinaction)
 		&& ranspecialwipe != 2