diff --git a/engine/client/m_single.c b/engine/client/m_single.c
index aaa66bcd5..555be9f12 100644
--- a/engine/client/m_single.c
+++ b/engine/client/m_single.c
@@ -330,6 +330,25 @@ void M_Menu_SinglePlayer_f (void)
 	static menuresel_t resel;
 #endif
 
+#if MAX_SPLITS > 1
+	static const char *splitopts[] =
+		{
+			"Single",
+			"Dual",
+			"Tripple",
+			"QUAD",
+			NULL
+		};
+	static const char *splitvals[] =
+		{
+			"0",
+			"1",
+			"2",
+			"3",
+			NULL
+		};
+#endif
+
 	Key_Dest_Add(kdm_emenu);
 
 #ifdef CLIENTONLY
@@ -351,13 +370,18 @@ void M_Menu_SinglePlayer_f (void)
 
 		//quake2 uses the 'newgame' alias, which controls the intro video and then start map.
 		menu->selecteditem = (menuoption_t*)
-		MC_AddConsoleCommand	(menu, 64, 170, 40,	"Easy",		va("closemenu; skill 0;deathmatch 0; coop %i;newgame\n", cl_splitscreen.ival>0));
-		MC_AddConsoleCommand	(menu, 64, 170, 48,	"Medium",	va("closemenu; skill 1;deathmatch 0; coop %i;newgame\n", cl_splitscreen.ival>0));
-		MC_AddConsoleCommand	(menu, 64, 170, 56,	"Hard",		va("closemenu; skill 2;deathmatch 0; coop %i;newgame\n", cl_splitscreen.ival>0));
+		MC_AddConsoleCommand	(menu, 64, 170, 40,	"Easy",		va("closemenu; skill 0;deathmatch 0; set_calc coop ($cl_splitscreen>0);newgame\n"));
+		MC_AddConsoleCommand	(menu, 64, 170, 48,	"Medium",	va("closemenu; skill 1;deathmatch 0; set_calc coop ($cl_splitscreen>0);newgame\n"));
+		MC_AddConsoleCommand	(menu, 64, 170, 56,	"Hard",		va("closemenu; skill 2;deathmatch 0; set_calc coop ($cl_splitscreen>0);newgame\n"));
 #ifdef SAVEDGAMES
 		MC_AddConsoleCommand	(menu, 64, 170, 72,	"Load Game", "menu_load\n");
 		MC_AddConsoleCommand	(menu, 64, 170, 80,	"Save Game", "menu_save\n");
 #endif
+
+#if MAX_SPLITS > 1
+		b = (menubutton_t*)MC_AddCvarCombo(menu, 72, 170, 96, "Splitscreen", &cl_splitscreen, splitopts, splitvals);
+#endif
+
 		menu->cursoritem = (menuoption_t*)MC_AddWhiteText(menu, 48, 0, 40, NULL, false);
 		return;
 #endif
@@ -483,6 +507,8 @@ void M_Menu_SinglePlayer_f (void)
 				MC_AddConsoleCommandHexen2BigFont(menu, 80, y+=20,		"Save Game",	"menu_save\n");
 				MC_AddConsoleCommandHexen2BigFont(menu, 80, y+=20,		"Load Game",	"menu_load\n");
 #endif
+
+				MC_AddCvarCombo(menu, 72, 170, y+=20, "Splitscreen", &cl_splitscreen, splitopts, splitvals);
 			}
 
 			menu->cursoritem = (menuoption_t *)MC_AddCursor(menu, &resel, 56, menu->selecteditem?menu->selecteditem->common.posy:0);
@@ -527,24 +553,6 @@ void M_Menu_SinglePlayer_f (void)
 	}
 	else
 	{
-#if MAX_SPLITS > 1
-		const char *opts[] =
-		{
-			"Single",
-			"Dual",
-			"Tripple",
-			"QUAD",
-			NULL
-		};
-		const char *vals[] =
-		{
-			"0",
-			"1",
-			"2",
-			"3",
-			NULL
-		};
-#endif
 		int width;
 		if (R_GetShaderSizes(p, &width, NULL, true) <= 0)
 			width = 232;
@@ -565,7 +573,7 @@ void M_Menu_SinglePlayer_f (void)
 #endif
 
 #if MAX_SPLITS > 1
-		b = (menubutton_t*)MC_AddCvarCombo(menu, 72, 72+width/2, 92, "", &cl_splitscreen, opts, vals);
+		b = (menubutton_t*)MC_AddCvarCombo(menu, 72, 72+width/2, 92, "", &cl_splitscreen, splitopts, splitvals);
 		MC_AddWhiteText(menu, 72, 0, 92, "^aSplitscreen", false);
 		b->common.height = 20;
 		b->common.width = width;
diff --git a/engine/server/svq2_game.c b/engine/server/svq2_game.c
index 6eee37bb7..c06dbb9e2 100644
--- a/engine/server/svq2_game.c
+++ b/engine/server/svq2_game.c
@@ -908,15 +908,18 @@ qboolean SVQ2_InitGameProgs(void)
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	//stop q2 from crashing.
+	//Q2 gamecode depends upon maxclients being set+locked in order to know how many player slots there actually are. It crashes when its wrong.
 	if (!deathmatch.value && !coop.value)
-		maxclients.value = 1;
+		svq2_maxclients = 1;
 	else
-		maxclients.value = maxclients.ival;
-	if (maxclients.value > MAX_CLIENTS)
-		Cvar_SetValue(&maxclients, MAX_CLIENTS);
+		svq2_maxclients = maxclients.ival;
+	if (Cvar_VariableValue("cl_splitscreen"))
+		svq2_maxclients = max(svq2_maxclients, MAX_SPLITS);
+	if (svq2_maxclients > MAX_CLIENTS)
+		svq2_maxclients = MAX_CLIENTS;
+	if (svq2_maxclients != maxclients.value)
+		Cvar_SetValue(&maxclients, svq2_maxclients);
 
-	svq2_maxclients = maxclients.value;
 	maxclients.flags |= CVAR_LATCH;
 	deathmatch.flags |= CVAR_LATCH;
 	coop.flags |= CVAR_LATCH;