diff --git a/Quake/host.c b/Quake/host.c
index 70d1e29f..b964494a 100644
--- a/Quake/host.c
+++ b/Quake/host.c
@@ -242,6 +242,7 @@ void Host_InitLocal (void)
 	Cvar_RegisterVariable (&devstats, NULL); //johnfitz
 
 	Cvar_RegisterVariable (&sys_ticrate, NULL);
+	Cvar_RegisterVariable (&sys_throttle, NULL);
 	Cvar_RegisterVariable (&serverprofile, NULL);
 
 	Cvar_RegisterVariable (&fraglimit, NULL);
diff --git a/Quake/main_sdl.c b/Quake/main_sdl.c
index 9e562111..aafd6ad6 100644
--- a/Quake/main_sdl.c
+++ b/Quake/main_sdl.c
@@ -170,8 +170,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		time = newtime - oldtime;
 		Host_Frame(time);
 
-		// throttle the game loop just a little bit - noone needs more than 1000fps, I think
-		if (newtime - oldtime < 1)
+		/* throttle the game loop just a little bit
+		   and make the game run a little cooler:
+		   noone needs more than 1000fps, I think */
+		if (time < sys_throttle.value)
 			SDL_Delay(1);
 
 		oldtime = newtime;
diff --git a/Quake/quakedef.h b/Quake/quakedef.h
index f100f815..12394484 100644
--- a/Quake/quakedef.h
+++ b/Quake/quakedef.h
@@ -268,6 +268,7 @@ extern qboolean noclip_anglehack;
 extern	quakeparms_t host_parms;
 
 extern	cvar_t		sys_ticrate;
+extern	cvar_t		sys_throttle;
 extern	cvar_t		sys_nostdout;
 extern	cvar_t		developer;
 extern	cvar_t		max_edicts; //johnfitz
diff --git a/Quake/sys_sdl_unix.c b/Quake/sys_sdl_unix.c
index ec0abf35..f0f1586c 100644
--- a/Quake/sys_sdl_unix.c
+++ b/Quake/sys_sdl_unix.c
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
 
 
 qboolean		isDedicated;
+cvar_t		sys_throttle = {"sys_throttle", "0.02", true};
 
 #define	MAX_HANDLES		32	/* johnfitz -- was 10 */
 static FILE		*sys_handles[MAX_HANDLES];
diff --git a/Quake/sys_sdl_win.c b/Quake/sys_sdl_win.c
index 4ecfba1a..da42a778 100644
--- a/Quake/sys_sdl_win.c
+++ b/Quake/sys_sdl_win.c
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
 
 qboolean		isDedicated;
 qboolean	Win95, Win95old, WinNT, WinVista;
+cvar_t		sys_throttle = {"sys_throttle", "0.02", true};
 
 static HANDLE		hinput, houtput;