diff --git a/Quake/common.c b/Quake/common.c
index c2737d38..3cf3df30 100644
--- a/Quake/common.c
+++ b/Quake/common.c
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ int             static_registered = 1;  // only for startup check, then set
 
 qboolean		msg_suppress_1 = 0;
 
+qboolean		fitzmode;
+
 void COM_InitFilesystem (void);
 
 // if a packfile directory differs from this, it is assumed to be hacked
@@ -1232,6 +1234,9 @@ void COM_Init (char *basedir)
 	COM_InitFilesystem ();
 	COM_CheckRegistered ();
 
+	if (COM_CheckParm("-fitz"))
+		fitzmode = true;
+
 #ifdef _DEBUG
 	Cmd_AddCommand ("test", Test_f); //johnfitz
 #endif
diff --git a/Quake/common.h b/Quake/common.h
index 15f785c8..c84856db 100644
--- a/Quake/common.h
+++ b/Quake/common.h
@@ -185,3 +185,7 @@ void COM_LoadCacheFile (char *path, struct cache_user_s *cu);
 extern	struct cvar_s	registered;
 
 extern qboolean		standard_quake, rogue, hipnotic;
+
+extern qboolean		fitzmode;
+// if true, runs in fitzquake mode and disabling custom quakespasm hacks.
+