diff --git a/tools/qfcc/include/options.h b/tools/qfcc/include/options.h
index 6be963699..4377dab97 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/include/options.h
+++ b/tools/qfcc/include/options.h
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ typedef struct {
 	qboolean    local_merging;		// merge function locals into one block
 	unsigned    progsversion;		// Progs version to generate code for
 	qboolean    vector_components;	// add *_[xyz] symbols for vectors
+	qboolean    ifstring;			// expand if (str) to if (str != "")
 } code_options_t;
 
 typedef struct {
diff --git a/tools/qfcc/source/expr.c b/tools/qfcc/source/expr.c
index 109d0a51f..ff1ebab3e 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/source/expr.c
+++ b/tools/qfcc/source/expr.c
@@ -1082,6 +1082,8 @@ test_expr (expr_t *e)
 			}
 			return error (e, "void has no value");
 		case ev_string:
+			if (!options.code.ifstring)
+				return new_alias_expr (type_default, e);
 			new = new_string_expr (0);
 			break;
 		case ev_uinteger:
@@ -1211,7 +1213,8 @@ convert_bool (expr_t *e, int block)
 		return b;
 	}
 
-	if (e->type == ex_uexpr && e->e.expr.op == '!') {
+	if (e->type == ex_uexpr && e->e.expr.op == '!'
+		&& get_type (e->e.expr.e1) != &type_string) {
 		e = convert_bool (e->e.expr.e1, 0);
 		if (e->type == ex_error)
 			return e;
diff --git a/tools/qfcc/source/options.c b/tools/qfcc/source/options.c
index 4209cbbec..4edb03623 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/source/options.c
+++ b/tools/qfcc/source/options.c
@@ -470,6 +470,8 @@ DecodeArgs (int argc, char **argv)
 							options.code.optimize = flag;
 						} else if (!(strcasecmp (temp, "short-circuit"))) {
 							options.code.short_circuit = flag;
+						} else if (!(strcasecmp (temp, "ifstring"))) {
+							options.code.ifstring = flag;
 						} else if (!(strcasecmp (temp, "single-cpp"))) {
 							options.single_cpp = flag;
 						} else if (!(strcasecmp (temp, "vector-calls"))) {
@@ -645,6 +647,8 @@ DecodeArgs (int argc, char **argv)
 		options.advanced = false;
 		if (!options.code.progsversion)
 			options.code.progsversion = PROG_ID_VERSION;
+		if (options.code.ifstring == (qboolean) -1)
+			options.code.ifstring = false;
 		if (options.code.short_circuit == (qboolean) -1)
 			options.code.short_circuit = false;
 		if (options.code.local_merging == (qboolean) -1)
@@ -658,6 +662,8 @@ DecodeArgs (int argc, char **argv)
 		options.advanced = true;
 		add_cpp_def ("-D__RUAMOKO__=1");
 		add_cpp_def ("-D__RAUMOKO__=1");
+		if (options.code.ifstring == (qboolean) -1)
+			options.code.ifstring = false;
 		if (options.code.short_circuit == (qboolean) -1)
 			options.code.short_circuit = true;
 		if (options.code.local_merging == (qboolean) -1)