diff --git a/include/QF/progs.h b/include/QF/progs.h
index 72eea81cc..38fed81f5 100644
--- a/include/QF/progs.h
+++ b/include/QF/progs.h
@@ -145,27 +145,22 @@ typedef int pr_load_func_t (progs_t *pr);
 	\param pr		pointer to ::progs_t VM struct
 	\param file		handle of file to read progs data from
 	\param size		bytes of \p file to read
-	\param max_edicts \e number of entities to allocate space for
-	\param zone		minimum size of dynamic memory to allocate space for
-					dynamic memory (bytes).
 
 	\note \e All runtime strings (permanent or temporary) are allocated from
-	the VM's dynamic memory space, so be sure \p zone is of sufficient size.
-	So far, 1MB has proven more than sufficient for Quakeword, even when using
-	Ruamoko objects.
+	the VM's dynamic memory space, so be sure \p zone is of sufficient size
+	(by setting pr->zone_size prior to calling).  So far, 1MB has proven more
+	than sufficient for Quakeword, even when using Ruamoko objects.
+	\note If entities are used, ensure pr->max_edicts is set appropriately
+	prior to calling.
 */
-void PR_LoadProgsFile (progs_t *pr, struct QFile_s *file, int size,
-					   int max_edicts, int zone);
+void PR_LoadProgsFile (progs_t *pr, struct QFile_s *file, int size);
 
 /** Convenience wrapper for PR_LoadProgsFile() and PR_RunLoadFuncs().
 	Searches for the specified file in the Quake filesystem.
 	\param pr		pointer to ::progs_t VM struct
 	\param progsname name of the file to load as progs data
-	\param max_edicts \e number of entities to allocate space for
-	\param zone		minimum size of dynamic memory to allocate space for
 */
-void PR_LoadProgs (progs_t *pr, const char *progsname, int max_edicts,
-				   int zone);
+void PR_LoadProgs (progs_t *pr, const char *progsname);
 
 /** Register a primary function to be called after the progs code has been
 	loaded. These functions are remembered across progs loads. They will be
@@ -1521,7 +1516,7 @@ struct progs_s {
 	int         denorm_found;
 
 	struct memzone_s *zone;
-	int         zone_size;
+	int         zone_size;			///< set by user
 
 	/// \name builtin functions
 	//@{
@@ -1593,7 +1588,7 @@ struct progs_s {
 	/// \name edicts
 	//@{
 	edict_t   **edicts;
-	int         max_edicts;
+	int         max_edicts;			///< set by user
 	int        *num_edicts;
 	int        *reserved_edicts;	///< alloc will start at reserved_edicts+1
 	void      (*unlink) (edict_t *ent);
diff --git a/libs/console/menu.c b/libs/console/menu.c
index 48df52b7d..e65fff1cb 100644
--- a/libs/console/menu.c
+++ b/libs/console/menu.c
@@ -578,6 +578,9 @@ Menu_Init (void)
 	menu_pr_state.load_file = menu_load_file;
 	menu_pr_state.resolve = menu_resolve_globals;
 
+	menu_pr_state.max_edicts = 0;
+	menu_pr_state.zone_size = 1024 * 1024;
+
 	menu_hash = Hash_NewTable (61, menu_get_key, menu_free, 0);
 
 	PR_RegisterBuiltins (&menu_pr_state, builtins);
@@ -617,7 +620,7 @@ Menu_Load (void)
 	menu_pr_state.progs = 0;
 	if ((file = QFS_FOpenFile (menu_pr_state.progs_name))) {
 		size = Qfilesize (file);
-		PR_LoadProgsFile (&menu_pr_state, file, size, 0, 1024 * 1024);
+		PR_LoadProgsFile (&menu_pr_state, file, size);
 		Qclose (file);
 
 		if (!PR_RunLoadFuncs (&menu_pr_state)) {
diff --git a/libs/gamecode/pr_load.c b/libs/gamecode/pr_load.c
index 82864b096..3fe00eb00 100644
--- a/libs/gamecode/pr_load.c
+++ b/libs/gamecode/pr_load.c
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ free_progs_mem (progs_t *pr, void *mem)
 }
 
 VISIBLE void
-PR_LoadProgsFile (progs_t *pr, QFile *file, int size, int max_edicts, int zone)
+PR_LoadProgsFile (progs_t *pr, QFile *file, int size)
 {
 	size_t      i;
 	int         mem_size;
@@ -166,8 +166,6 @@ PR_LoadProgsFile (progs_t *pr, QFile *file, int size, int max_edicts, int zone)
 	pr->progs_size += sizeof (void*) - 1;
 	pr->progs_size &= ~(sizeof (void*) - 1);
 
-	// size of heap asked for by vm-subsystem
-	pr->zone_size = zone;
 	// round off to next highest whole word address (esp for Alpha)
 	// this ensures that pointers in the engine data area are always
 	// properly aligned
@@ -183,8 +181,7 @@ PR_LoadProgsFile (progs_t *pr, QFile *file, int size, int max_edicts, int zone)
 	// properly aligned
 	pr->pr_edict_size += sizeof (void*) - 1;
 	pr->pr_edict_size &= ~(sizeof (void*) - 1);
-	pr->pr_edictareasize = max_edicts * pr->pr_edict_size;
-	pr->max_edicts = max_edicts;
+	pr->pr_edictareasize = pr->max_edicts * pr->pr_edict_size;
 
 	mem_size = pr->progs_size + pr->zone_size + pr->pr_edictareasize;
 	pr->progs = pr->allocate_progs_mem (pr, mem_size + 1);
@@ -379,14 +376,14 @@ PR_RunLoadFuncs (progs_t *pr)
 	PR_LoadProgs
 */
 VISIBLE void
-PR_LoadProgs (progs_t *pr, const char *progsname, int max_edicts, int zone)
+PR_LoadProgs (progs_t *pr, const char *progsname)
 {
 	QFile      *file;
 	file = QFS_FOpenFile (progsname);
 
 	pr->progs_name = progsname;
 	if (file) {
-		PR_LoadProgsFile (pr, file, qfs_filesize, max_edicts, zone);
+		PR_LoadProgsFile (pr, file, qfs_filesize);
 		Qclose (file);
 	}
 	if (!pr->progs)
diff --git a/nq/source/sv_progs.c b/nq/source/sv_progs.c
index 37b915e9c..c289b6e44 100644
--- a/nq/source/sv_progs.c
+++ b/nq/source/sv_progs.c
@@ -498,8 +498,9 @@ SV_LoadProgs (void)
 	if (*sv_progs->string)
 		progs_name = sv_progs->string;
 
-	PR_LoadProgs (&sv_pr_state, progs_name, sv.max_edicts,
-				  sv_progs_zone->int_val * 1024);
+	sv_pr_state.max_edicts = sv.max_edicts;
+	sv_pr_state.zone_size = sv_progs_zone->int_val * 1024;
+	PR_LoadProgs (&sv_pr_state, progs_name);
 	if (!sv_pr_state.progs)
 		Host_Error ("SV_LoadProgs: couldn't load %s", progs_name);
 
diff --git a/qw/source/sv_progs.c b/qw/source/sv_progs.c
index e11805c17..cad265b11 100644
--- a/qw/source/sv_progs.c
+++ b/qw/source/sv_progs.c
@@ -521,8 +521,9 @@ SV_LoadProgs (void)
 	if (*sv_progs->string)
 		progs_name = sv_progs->string;
 
-	PR_LoadProgs (&sv_pr_state, progs_name, MAX_EDICTS,
-				  sv_progs_zone->int_val * 1024);
+	sv_pr_state.max_edicts = MAX_EDICTS;
+	sv_pr_state.zone_size = sv_progs_zone->int_val * 1024;
+	PR_LoadProgs (&sv_pr_state, progs_name);
 	if (!sv_pr_state.progs)
 		Sys_Error ("SV_LoadProgs: couldn't load %s", progs_name);
 
diff --git a/tools/qfcc/source/qfprogs.c b/tools/qfcc/source/qfprogs.c
index d6bf84927..10ddf8abd 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/source/qfprogs.c
+++ b/tools/qfcc/source/qfprogs.c
@@ -322,7 +322,9 @@ load_progs (const char *name)
 		convert_qfo ();
 	} else {
 		pr.progs_name = name;
-		PR_LoadProgsFile (&pr, file, size, 1, 0);
+		pr.max_edicts = 1;
+		pr.zone_size = 0;
+		PR_LoadProgsFile (&pr, file, size);
 		Qclose (file);
 
 		if (!pr.progs)
diff --git a/tools/qwaq/main.c b/tools/qwaq/main.c
index edb7c0229..570b6a3b7 100644
--- a/tools/qwaq/main.c
+++ b/tools/qwaq/main.c
@@ -133,7 +133,9 @@ load_progs (const char *name)
 		return 0;
 	}
 	pr.progs_name = name;
-	PR_LoadProgsFile (&pr, file, size, 1, 1024 * 1024);
+	pr.max_edicts = 1;
+	pr.zone_size = 1024*1024;
+	PR_LoadProgsFile (&pr, file, size);
 	Qclose (file);
 	if (!PR_RunLoadFuncs (&pr))
 		PR_Error (&pr, "unable to load %s", pr.progs_name);
diff --git a/tools/qwaq/qwaq.c b/tools/qwaq/qwaq.c
index f1197ccfb..a6294887e 100644
--- a/tools/qwaq/qwaq.c
+++ b/tools/qwaq/qwaq.c
@@ -144,7 +144,9 @@ load_progs (const char *name)
 		return 0;
 	}
 	pr.progs_name = name;
-	PR_LoadProgsFile (&pr, file, size, 1, 1024 * 1024);
+	pr.max_edicts = 1;
+	pr.zone_size = 1024*1024;
+	PR_LoadProgsFile (&pr, file, size);
 	Qclose (file);
 	if (!PR_RunLoadFuncs (&pr))
 		PR_Error (&pr, "unable to load %s", pr.progs_name);