diff --git a/engine/client/view.c b/engine/client/view.c
index 5889e9fdd..fdac17112 100644
--- a/engine/client/view.c
+++ b/engine/client/view.c
@@ -74,13 +74,13 @@ cvar_t	v_ipitch_level = SCVAR("v_ipitch_level", "0.3");
 cvar_t	v_idlescale = SCVAR("v_idlescale", "0");
 
 cvar_t	crosshair = SCVARF("crosshair", "0", CVAR_ARCHIVE);
-cvar_t	crosshaircolor = SCVARF("crosshaircolor", "79", CVAR_ARCHIVE);
+cvar_t	crosshaircolor = SCVARF("crosshaircolor", "79", CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_RENDERERCALLBACK);
 cvar_t	crosshairsize = SCVARF("crosshairsize", "8", CVAR_ARCHIVE);
 
 cvar_t  cl_crossx = SCVARF("cl_crossx", "0", CVAR_ARCHIVE);
 cvar_t  cl_crossy = SCVARF("cl_crossy", "0", CVAR_ARCHIVE);
 cvar_t	crosshaircorrect = SCVARF("crosshaircorrect", "0", CVAR_SEMICHEAT);
-cvar_t	crosshairimage = SCVAR("crosshairimage", "");
+cvar_t	crosshairimage = SCVARF("crosshairimage", "", CVAR_RENDERERCALLBACK);
 cvar_t	crosshairalpha = SCVAR("crosshairalpha", "1");
 
 cvar_t	gl_cshiftpercent = SCVAR("gl_cshiftpercent", "100");
diff --git a/engine/common/cvar.c b/engine/common/cvar.c
index 60086e861..40c09bc35 100644
--- a/engine/common/cvar.c
+++ b/engine/common/cvar.c
@@ -763,22 +763,6 @@ void Cvar_ForceCheatVars(qboolean semicheats, qboolean absolutecheats)
 	}
 }
 
-void Cvar_ApplyCallbacks(int callbackflag)
-{
-	cvar_group_t	*grp;
-	cvar_t	*var;
-
-	for (grp=cvar_groups ; grp ; grp=grp->next)
-	for (var=grp->cvars ; var ; var=var->next)
-	{
-		if (var->flags & callbackflag)
-		{
-			if (var->callback)
-				var->callback(var, var->string);
-		}
-	}
-}
-
 void Cvar_ApplyLatches(int latchflag)
 {
 	cvar_group_t	*grp;
@@ -1127,6 +1111,32 @@ void Cvar_WriteVariables (vfsfile_t *f, qboolean all)
 	}
 }
 
+void Cvar_Hook(cvar_t *cvar, void (*callback) (struct cvar_s *var, char *oldvalue))
+{
+	cvar->callback = callback;
+}
+
+void Cvar_Unhook(cvar_t *cvar)
+{
+	cvar->callback = NULL;
+}
+
+void Cvar_ApplyCallbacks(int callbackflag)
+{
+	cvar_group_t	*grp;
+	cvar_t	*var;
+
+	for (grp=cvar_groups ; grp ; grp=grp->next)
+	for (var=grp->cvars ; var ; var=var->next)
+	{
+		if (var->flags & callbackflag)
+		{
+			if (var->callback)
+				var->callback(var, var->string);
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 void Cvar_Shutdown(void)
 {
 	cvar_t	*var;
diff --git a/engine/common/cvar.h b/engine/common/cvar.h
index fc307381b..05b654fea 100644
--- a/engine/common/cvar.h
+++ b/engine/common/cvar.h
@@ -131,6 +131,12 @@ void	Cvar_SetValue (cvar_t *var, float value);
 void Cvar_ApplyLatches(int latchflag);
 //sets vars to thier latched values
 
+void Cvar_Hook(cvar_t *cvar, void (*callback) (struct cvar_s *var, char *oldvalue));
+//hook a cvar with a given callback function at runtime
+
+void Cvar_Unhook(cvar_t *cvar);
+//unhook a cvar
+
 void Cvar_ApplyCallbacks(int callbackflag);
 //forces callbacks to be ran for given flags
 
diff --git a/engine/gl/gl_draw.c b/engine/gl/gl_draw.c
index fc5c2c8e5..e5580bb40 100644
--- a/engine/gl/gl_draw.c
+++ b/engine/gl/gl_draw.c
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ float custom_char_instep, default_char_instep;	//to avoid blending issues
 float	char_instep;
 
 static unsigned cs_data[16*16];
+static int externalhair;
 
 typedef struct
 {
@@ -1347,20 +1348,66 @@ void GLDraw_Alt_String (int x, int y, const qbyte *str)
 vec3_t chcolor;
 int chmodified;
 
+void GLCrosshairimage_Callback(struct cvar_s *var, char *oldvalue)
+{
+	if (*(var->string))
+		externalhair = Mod_LoadHiResTexture (var->string, "crosshairs", false, true, true);
+}
+
+void GLCrosshair_Callback(struct cvar_s *var, char *oldvalue)
+{
+	unsigned int c, c2;
+
+	if (!var->value)
+		return;
+
+	c = (unsigned int)(chcolor[0] * 255) | // red
+		((unsigned int)(chcolor[1] * 255) << 8) | // green
+		((unsigned int)(chcolor[2] * 255) << 16) | // blue
+		0xff000000; // alpha
+	c2 = c;
+
+#define Pix(x,y,c) {	\
+		if (y+8<0)c=0;	\
+		if (y+8>=16)c=0;	\
+		if (x+8<0)c=0;	\
+		if (x+8>=16)c=0;	\
+			\
+		cs_data[(y+8)*16+(x+8)] = c;	\
+	}
+	memset(cs_data, 0, sizeof(cs_data));
+	switch((int)var->value)
+	{
+	default:
+#include "crosshairs.dat"
+	}
+#undef Pix
+
+	GL_Bind (cs_texture);
+	GL_Upload32(NULL, cs_data, 16, 16, 0, true);
+
+}
+
+void GLCrosshaircolor_Callback(struct cvar_s *var, char *oldvalue)
+{
+	SCR_StringToRGB(var->string, chcolor, 255);
+
+	chcolor[0] = bound(0, chcolor[0], 1);
+	chcolor[1] = bound(0, chcolor[1], 1);
+	chcolor[2] = bound(0, chcolor[2], 1);
+
+	GLCrosshair_Callback(&crosshair, "");
+}
+
 void GLDraw_Crosshair(void)
 {
 	int x, y;
 	int sc;
-	static int externalhair;
 
 	float x1, x2, y1, y2;
 	float size, chc;
 
-	int c2, c, usecolor;
-	int chrebuild;
-
-	usecolor = 0;
-	c2 = c = 0; // shut up msvc
+	int usecolor = 0;
 
 	if (crosshair.value == 1 && !*crosshairimage.string)
 	{
@@ -1373,36 +1420,9 @@ void GLDraw_Crosshair(void)
 	}
 	GL_TexEnv(GL_MODULATE);
 
-	chrebuild = chmodified != crosshaircolor.modified ||
-		crosshair.modified ||
-		(*crosshairimage.string && crosshairimage.modified) ||
-		crosshair.value >= FIRSTANIMATEDCROSHAIR;
-
-	if (chrebuild)
-	{
-		SCR_StringToRGB(crosshaircolor.string, chcolor, 255);
-
-		chcolor[0] = bound(0, chcolor[0], 1);
-		chcolor[1] = bound(0, chcolor[1], 1);
-		chcolor[2] = bound(0, chcolor[2], 1);
-
-		c = (int)(chcolor[0] * 255) | // red
-			((int)(chcolor[1] * 255) << 8) | // green
-			((int)(chcolor[2] * 255) << 16) | // blue
-			0xff000000; // alpha
-		c2 = c;
-
-		chmodified = crosshaircolor.modified;
-	}
-
 	if (*crosshairimage.string)
 	{
 		usecolor = 1;
-		if (crosshairimage.modified)
-		{
-			crosshairimage.modified = false;
-			externalhair = Mod_LoadHiResTexture (crosshairimage.string, "crosshairs", false, true, true);
-		}
 		GL_Bind (externalhair);
 		chc = 0;
 
@@ -1414,28 +1434,10 @@ void GLDraw_Crosshair(void)
 		GL_Bind (cs_texture);
 		chc = 1/16.0;
 
-		if (chrebuild)
-		{
-			crosshair.modified = false;
+		// force crosshair refresh with animated crosshairs
+		if (crosshair.value >= FIRSTANIMATEDCROSHAIR)
+			GLCrosshair_Callback(&crosshair, "");
 
-#define Pix(x,y,c) {	\
-			if (y+8<0)c=0;	\
-			if (y+8>=16)c=0;	\
-			if (x+8<0)c=0;	\
-			if (x+8>=16)c=0;	\
-				\
-			cs_data[(y+8)*16+(x+8)] = c;	\
-		}
-			memset(cs_data, 0, sizeof(cs_data));
-			switch((int)crosshair.value)
-			{
-			default:
-#include "crosshairs.dat"
-			}
-			GL_Upload32(NULL, cs_data, 16, 16, 0, true);
-
-#undef Pix
-		}
 		if (crosshairsize.value <= 16)
 		{
 			qglTexParameterf(GL_TEXTURE_2D, GL_TEXTURE_MIN_FILTER, GL_NEAREST);
diff --git a/engine/gl/gl_rmisc.c b/engine/gl/gl_rmisc.c
index 08fb93ab5..883548b40 100644
--- a/engine/gl/gl_rmisc.c
+++ b/engine/gl/gl_rmisc.c
@@ -657,6 +657,12 @@ void GLR_TimeRefresh_f (void);
 extern cvar_t gl_bump;
 extern cvar_t r_stains, r_stainfadetime, r_stainfadeammount;
 
+// callback defines
+extern cvar_t crosshair, crosshairimage, crosshaircolor;
+void GLCrosshairimage_Callback(struct cvar_s *var, char *oldvalue);
+void GLCrosshair_Callback(struct cvar_s *var, char *oldvalue);
+void GLCrosshaircolor_Callback(struct cvar_s *var, char *oldvalue);
+
 void GLR_DeInit (void)
 {
 	Cmd_RemoveCommand ("timerefresh");
@@ -665,6 +671,10 @@ void GLR_DeInit (void)
 
 	Cmd_RemoveCommand ("makewad");
 
+	Cvar_Unhook(&crosshair);
+	Cvar_Unhook(&crosshairimage);
+	Cvar_Unhook(&crosshaircolor);
+
 	GLDraw_DeInit();
 
 	GLSurf_DeInit();
@@ -677,6 +687,10 @@ void GLR_Init (void)
 
 //	Cmd_AddRemCommand ("makewad", R_MakeTexWad_f);
 
+	Cvar_Hook(&crosshair, GLCrosshair_Callback);
+	Cvar_Hook(&crosshairimage, GLCrosshairimage_Callback);
+	Cvar_Hook(&crosshaircolor, GLCrosshaircolor_Callback);
+
 	R_InitBubble();
 
 	GLR_ReInit();
diff --git a/engine/sw/r_main.c b/engine/sw/r_main.c
index 43de441b7..0d8918bc8 100644
--- a/engine/sw/r_main.c
+++ b/engine/sw/r_main.c
@@ -203,11 +203,17 @@ void	SWR_InitTextures (void)
 	}	
 }*/
 
+// callback declares
+extern cvar_t crosshaircolor;
+void SWCrosshaircolor_Callback(struct cvar_s *var, char *oldvalue);
+
 void SWR_DeInit (void)
 {
 	Cmd_RemoveCommand ("timerefresh");	
 	Cmd_RemoveCommand ("pointfile");
 
+	Cvar_Unhook(&crosshaircolor);
+
 	SWDraw_Shutdown();
 	D_Shutdown();
 }
@@ -228,6 +234,8 @@ void SWR_Init (void)
 	
 	Cmd_AddRemCommand ("timerefresh", SWR_TimeRefresh_f);	
 
+	Cvar_Hook(&crosshaircolor, SWCrosshaircolor_Callback);
+
 	if (!r_maxedges.value)
 		Cvar_SetValue (&r_maxedges, (float)NUMSTACKEDGES);
 	if (!r_maxsurfs.value)
diff --git a/engine/sw/sw_draw.c b/engine/sw/sw_draw.c
index 4f6843e8f..7269a1958 100644
--- a/engine/sw/sw_draw.c
+++ b/engine/sw/sw_draw.c
@@ -909,6 +909,11 @@ void SWDraw_Pixel(int x, int y, qbyte color)
 	}
 }
 
+void SWCrosshaircolor_Callback(struct cvar_s *var, char *oldvalue)
+{
+	sw_crosshaircolor = SCR_StringToPalIndex(var->string, 255);
+}
+
 #include "crosshairs.dat"
 qbyte *COM_LoadFile (char *path, int usehunk);
 void SWDraw_Crosshair(void)
@@ -919,12 +924,6 @@ void SWDraw_Crosshair(void)
 	qbyte c, c2;
 	int sc;
 
-	if (crosshaircolor.modified)
-	{ // redo color every modification to crosshaircolor
-		sw_crosshaircolor = SCR_StringToPalIndex(crosshaircolor.string, 255);
-		crosshaircolor.modified = false;
-	}
-
 	c2 = c = sw_crosshaircolor;
 
 	for (sc = 0; sc < cl.splitclients; sc++)