diff --git a/Quake/common.c b/Quake/common.c
index d42495ea..3c36a19a 100644
--- a/Quake/common.c
+++ b/Quake/common.c
@@ -34,8 +34,6 @@ cvar_t	cmdline = {"cmdline","",CVAR_ROM/*|CVAR_SERVERINFO*/}; /* sending cmdline
 
 qboolean	com_modified;	// set true if using non-id files
 
-int	com_nummissionpacks; //johnfitz
-
 qboolean		fitzmode;
 
 static void COM_Path_f (void);
@@ -1466,6 +1464,7 @@ typedef struct searchpath_s
 } searchpath_t;
 
 searchpath_t	*com_searchpaths;
+searchpath_t	*com_base_searchpaths;
 
 /*
 ============
@@ -1994,25 +1993,20 @@ void COM_InitFilesystem (void) //johnfitz -- modified based on topaz's tutorial
 	// start up with GAMENAME by default (id1)
 	COM_AddGameDirectory (com_basedir, GAMENAME);
 
-	//johnfitz -- track number of mission packs added
-	//since we don't want to allow the "game" command to strip them away
-	com_nummissionpacks = 0;
 	if (COM_CheckParm ("-rogue"))
-	{
 		COM_AddGameDirectory (com_basedir, "rogue");
-		com_nummissionpacks++;
-	}
 	if (COM_CheckParm ("-hipnotic"))
-	{
 		COM_AddGameDirectory (com_basedir, "hipnotic");
-		com_nummissionpacks++;
-	}
 	if (COM_CheckParm ("-quoth"))
-	{
 		COM_AddGameDirectory (com_basedir, "quoth");
-		com_nummissionpacks++;
-	}
-	//johnfitz
+
+/* this is the end of our base searchpath:
+ * any set gamedirs, such as those from -game command line
+ * arguments or by the 'game' console command will be freed
+ * up to here upon a new game command.
+ * Set here instead of just after 'id1', because we don't want
+ * to allow the 'game' command to strip away the mission packs */
+	com_base_searchpaths = com_searchpaths;
 
 	i = COM_CheckParm ("-game");
 	if (i && i < com_argc-1)
diff --git a/Quake/host_cmd.c b/Quake/host_cmd.c
index 40956219..b3d414ed 100644
--- a/Quake/host_cmd.c
+++ b/Quake/host_cmd.c
@@ -27,8 +27,6 @@ Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
 
 extern cvar_t	pausable;
 
-extern int com_nummissionpacks; //johnfitz
-
 int	current_skill;
 
 void Mod_Print (void);
@@ -84,43 +82,9 @@ typedef struct searchpath_s
 
 extern qboolean com_modified;
 extern searchpath_t *com_searchpaths;
+extern searchpath_t *com_base_searchpaths;
 pack_t *COM_LoadPackFile (const char *packfile);
 
-// Kill all the search packs until the game path is found. Kill it, then return
-// the next path to it.
-void KillGameDir(searchpath_t *search)
-{
-	searchpath_t *search_killer;
-	while (search)
-	{
-		if (*search->filename)
-		{
-			com_searchpaths = search->next;
-			Z_Free(search);
-			return; //once you hit the dir, youve already freed the paks
-		}
-		Sys_FileClose (search->pack->handle); //johnfitz
-		search_killer = search->next;
-		Z_Free(search->pack->files);
-		Z_Free(search->pack);
-		Z_Free(search);
-		search = search_killer;
-	}
-}
-
-// Return the number of games in memory
-int NumGames(searchpath_t *search)
-{
-	int found = 0;
-	while (search)
-	{
-		if (*search->filename)
-			found++;
-		search = search->next;
-	}
-	return found;
-}
-
 void ExtraMaps_NewGame (void);
 
 /*
@@ -132,7 +96,7 @@ void Host_Game_f (void)
 {
 	int i;
 	unsigned int path_id;
-	searchpath_t *search = com_searchpaths;
+	searchpath_t *search;
 	pack_t *pak;
 	char   pakfile[MAX_OSPATH];
 
@@ -168,8 +132,18 @@ void Host_Game_f (void)
 		Host_WriteConfiguration ();
 
 		//Kill the extra game if it is loaded
-		if (NumGames(com_searchpaths) > 1 + com_nummissionpacks)
-			KillGameDir(com_searchpaths);
+		while (com_searchpaths != com_base_searchpaths)
+		{
+			if (com_searchpaths->pack)
+			{
+				Sys_FileClose (com_searchpaths->pack->handle);
+				Z_Free (com_searchpaths->pack->files);
+				Z_Free (com_searchpaths->pack);
+			}
+			search = com_searchpaths->next;
+			Z_Free (com_searchpaths);
+			com_searchpaths = search;
+		}
 
 		q_strlcpy (com_gamedir, va("%s/%s", com_basedir, p), sizeof(com_gamedir));