diff --git a/engine/client/cl_main.c b/engine/client/cl_main.c
index 53fd759b8..14629b1a3 100644
--- a/engine/client/cl_main.c
+++ b/engine/client/cl_main.c
@@ -922,6 +922,7 @@ void CL_ClearState (void)
 	CL_AllowIndependantSendCmd(false);	//model stuff could be a problem.
 
 	S_StopAllSounds (true);
+	S_ResetFailedLoad();
 
 	Cvar_ApplyLatches(CVAR_SERVEROVERRIDE);
 
diff --git a/engine/client/cl_parse.c b/engine/client/cl_parse.c
index 06d26a84b..bc418d9eb 100644
--- a/engine/client/cl_parse.c
+++ b/engine/client/cl_parse.c
@@ -432,6 +432,7 @@ void CL_FinishDownload(char *filename, char *tempname)
 				break;
 			}
 		}
+		S_ResetFailedLoad();	//okay, so this can still get a little spammy in bad places...
 
 		//this'll do the magic for us
 		Skin_FlushSkin(filename);
diff --git a/engine/client/snd_dma.c b/engine/client/snd_dma.c
index 709cdccd8..b00c8895f 100644
--- a/engine/client/snd_dma.c
+++ b/engine/client/snd_dma.c
@@ -720,6 +720,13 @@ sfx_t *S_FindName (char *name)
 	return sfx;
 }
 
+void S_ResetFailedLoad(void)
+{
+	int i;
+	for (i=0 ; i < num_sfx ; i++)
+		known_sfx[i].failedload = false;
+}
+
 
 /*
 ==================
diff --git a/engine/client/snd_mem.c b/engine/client/snd_mem.c
index f2e337557..7b738d55d 100644
--- a/engine/client/snd_mem.c
+++ b/engine/client/snd_mem.c
@@ -785,6 +785,9 @@ sfxcache_t *S_LoadSound (sfx_t *s)
 
 	char *name = s->name;
 
+	if (s->failedload)
+		return NULL;	//it failed to load once before, don't bother trying again.
+
 // see if still in memory
 	sc = Cache_Check (&s->cache);
 	if (sc)
@@ -854,6 +857,7 @@ sfxcache_t *S_LoadSound (sfx_t *s)
 	{
 		//FIXME: check to see if qued for download.
 		Con_DPrintf ("Couldn't load %s\n", namebuffer);
+		s->failedload = true;
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
@@ -866,6 +870,8 @@ sfxcache_t *S_LoadSound (sfx_t *s)
 				return sc;
 		}
 	}
+
+	s->failedload = true;
 	return NULL;
 }
 
diff --git a/engine/client/sound.h b/engine/client/sound.h
index c442a1c12..a3d3b408b 100644
--- a/engine/client/sound.h
+++ b/engine/client/sound.h
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ typedef struct {
 typedef struct sfx_s
 {
 	char 	name[MAX_OSPATH];
+	qboolean failedload; //no more super-spammy
 	cache_user_t	cache;
 	sfxdecode_t *decoder;
 } sfx_t;