diff --git a/quakespasm/Quake/gl_model.c b/quakespasm/Quake/gl_model.c
index d63486a9..c3181e2d 100644
--- a/quakespasm/Quake/gl_model.c
+++ b/quakespasm/Quake/gl_model.c
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ void Mod_LoadBrushModel (model_t *mod, void *buffer);
 void Mod_LoadAliasModel (model_t *mod, void *buffer);
 model_t *Mod_LoadModel (model_t *mod, qboolean crash);
 
+cvar_t	external_ents = {"external_ents", "1", true};
+
 byte	mod_novis[MAX_MAP_LEAFS/8];
 
 #define	MAX_MOD_KNOWN	2048 //johnfitz -- was 512
@@ -50,6 +52,8 @@ Mod_Init
 */
 void Mod_Init (void)
 {
+	Cvar_RegisterVariable (&external_ents, NULL);
+
 	memset (mod_novis, 0xff, sizeof(mod_novis));
 
 	//johnfitz -- create notexture miptex
@@ -720,6 +724,9 @@ void Mod_LoadEntities (lump_t *l)
 	int		mark;
 	unsigned int	path_id;
 
+	if (! external_ents.value)
+		goto _load_embedded;
+
 	strcpy(entfilename, loadmodel->name);
 	COM_StripExtension(entfilename, entfilename);
 	strcat(entfilename, ".ent");
@@ -743,6 +750,7 @@ void Mod_LoadEntities (lump_t *l)
 		}
 	}
 
+_load_embedded:
 	if (!l->filelen)
 	{
 		loadmodel->entities = NULL;