diff --git a/include/QF/zone.h b/include/QF/zone.h
index 8cbcd74fe..24989ca5a 100644
--- a/include/QF/zone.h
+++ b/include/QF/zone.h
@@ -118,9 +118,15 @@ void *Hunk_TempAlloc (int size);
 
 void Hunk_Check (void);
 
+struct cache_user_s;
+typedef void * (*cache_allocator_t) (struct cache_user_s *c, int size, const char *name);
+typedef void (*cache_loader_t) (struct cache_user_s *cache, cache_allocator_t allocator);
+
 typedef struct cache_user_s
 {
 	void	*data;
+	char	*filename;
+	cache_loader_t loader;
 } cache_user_t;
 
 void Cache_Flush (void);
@@ -137,6 +143,11 @@ void *Cache_Alloc (cache_user_t *c, int size, const char *name);
 
 void Cache_Report (void);
 
+void Cache_Add (cache_user_t *c, const char *filename, cache_loader_t loader);
+void Cache_Remove (cache_user_t *c);
+void *Cache_Get (cache_user_t *c);
+void Cache_Release (cache_user_t *c);
+
 /* Modes, pick one */
 #define QA_NOFAIL       1
 #define QA_LATEFAIL     2
@@ -147,12 +158,13 @@ void Cache_Report (void);
 /* Flags, OR them with the mode */
 #define QA_ZEROED       4
 
-extern size_t (*Qalloc_callback) (size_t size);
+extern size_t (*QA_alloc_callback) (size_t size);
 
-void *Qalloc (void *ptr, size_t size, unsigned modes);
-void *Qmalloc (size_t size);
-void *Qcalloc (size_t nmemb, size_t size);
-void *Qrealloc (void *ptr, size_t size);
-void Qfree (void *ptr);
+void *QA_alloc (void *ptr, size_t size, unsigned modes);
+void *QA_malloc (size_t size);
+void *QA_calloc (size_t nmemb, size_t size);
+void *QA_realloc (void *ptr, size_t size);
+void QA_free (void *ptr);
+char *QA_strdup (const char *s);
 
 #endif // __zone_h
diff --git a/libs/audio/renderer/snd_dma.c b/libs/audio/renderer/snd_dma.c
index 6cf31dc33..89a330ac5 100644
--- a/libs/audio/renderer/snd_dma.c
+++ b/libs/audio/renderer/snd_dma.c
@@ -59,9 +59,9 @@ void		SND_StopAllSoundsC (void);
 void		SND_Update_ (void);
 
 sfx_t		*SND_PrecacheSound (const char *name);
-sfxcache_t	*SND_LoadSound (sfx_t *s);
 void		SND_ClearBuffer (void);
 void		SND_PaintChannels (int endtime);
+void		SND_CallbackLoad (struct cache_user_s *cache, cache_allocator_t allocator);
 
 void		SND_Init_Cvars ();
 
@@ -331,6 +331,7 @@ SND_FindName (const char *name)
 
 	sfx = &known_sfx[i];
 	strcpy (sfx->name, name);
+	Cache_Add (&sfx->cache, name, SND_CallbackLoad);
 
 	num_sfx++;
 
@@ -360,8 +361,10 @@ SND_PrecacheSound (const char *name)
 	sfx = SND_FindName (name);
 
 	// cache it in
-	if (precache->int_val)
-		SND_LoadSound (sfx);
+	if (precache->int_val) {
+		Cache_Get (&sfx->cache);
+		Cache_Release (&sfx->cache);
+	}
 
 	return sfx;
 }
@@ -417,7 +420,6 @@ SND_Spatialize (channel_t *ch)
 	int			phase;					// in samples
 	vec_t		lscale, rscale, scale;
 	vec3_t		source_vec;
-	sfx_t	   *snd;
 
 	// anything coming from the view entity will always be full volume
 	if (ch->entnum == *plugin_info_snd_render_data.viewentity) {
@@ -428,7 +430,6 @@ SND_Spatialize (channel_t *ch)
 	}
 	// calculate stereo seperation and distance attenuation
 
-	snd = ch->sfx;
 	VectorSubtract (ch->origin, listener_origin, source_vec);
 
 	dist = VectorNormalize (source_vec) * ch->dist_mult;
@@ -499,7 +500,7 @@ SND_StartSound (int entnum, int entchannel, sfx_t *sfx, vec3_t origin,
 		return;							// not audible at all
 
 	// new channel
-	sc = SND_LoadSound (sfx);
+	sc = Cache_Get (&sfx->cache);
 	if (!sc) {
 		target_chan->sfx = NULL;
 		return;							// couldn't load the sound's data
@@ -508,6 +509,7 @@ SND_StartSound (int entnum, int entchannel, sfx_t *sfx, vec3_t origin,
 	target_chan->sfx = sfx;
 	target_chan->pos = 0.0;
 	target_chan->end = paintedtime + sc->length;
+	Cache_Release (&sfx->cache);
 
 	// if an identical sound has also been started this frame, offset the pos
 	// a bit to keep it from just making the first one louder
@@ -613,12 +615,13 @@ SND_StaticSound (sfx_t *sfx, vec3_t origin, float vol, float attenuation)
 	ss = &channels[total_channels];
 	total_channels++;
 
-	sc = SND_LoadSound (sfx);
+	sc = Cache_Get (&sfx->cache);
 	if (!sc)
 		return;
 
 	if (sc->loopstart == -1) {
 		Con_Printf ("Sound %s not looped\n", sfx->name);
+		Cache_Release (&sfx->cache);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -627,6 +630,7 @@ SND_StaticSound (sfx_t *sfx, vec3_t origin, float vol, float attenuation)
 	ss->master_vol = vol;
 	ss->dist_mult = (attenuation / 64) / sound_nominal_clip_dist;
 	ss->end = paintedtime + sc->length;
+	Cache_Release (&sfx->cache);
 
 	SND_Spatialize (ss);
 	ss->oldphase = ss->phase;
@@ -891,10 +895,20 @@ SND_SoundList (void)
 	sfx_t	   *sfx;
 	sfxcache_t *sc;
 	int			size, total;
+	int			load;
+
+	if (Cmd_Argc() >= 2 && !strcmp (Cmd_Argv (1), "known"))
+		load = 1;
+	else
+		load = 0;
 
 	total = 0;
 	for (sfx = known_sfx, i = 0; i < num_sfx; i++, sfx++) {
-		sc = Cache_Check (&sfx->cache);
+		if (load)
+			sc = Cache_Get (&sfx->cache);
+		else
+			sc = Cache_Check (&sfx->cache);
+
 		if (!sc)
 			continue;
 		size = sc->length * sc->width * (sc->stereo + 1);
@@ -904,6 +918,9 @@ SND_SoundList (void)
 		else
 			Con_Printf (" ");
 		Con_Printf ("(%2db) %6i : %s\n", sc->width * 8, size, sfx->name);
+
+		if (load)
+			Cache_Release (&sfx->cache);
 	}
 	Con_Printf ("Total resident: %i\n", total);
 }
diff --git a/libs/audio/renderer/snd_mem.c b/libs/audio/renderer/snd_mem.c
index 8095d4d42..6e9f40894 100644
--- a/libs/audio/renderer/snd_mem.c
+++ b/libs/audio/renderer/snd_mem.c
@@ -46,25 +46,21 @@
 int         cache_full_cycle;
 
 byte       *SND_Alloc (int size);
-wavinfo_t   SND_GetWavinfo (char *name, byte * wav, int wavlength);
+wavinfo_t   SND_GetWavinfo (const char *name, byte * wav, int wavlength);
+sfxcache_t *SND_LoadSound (cache_user_t *cache, const char *name, cache_allocator_t allocator);
 
 
 void
-SND_ResampleSfx (sfx_t *sfx, int inrate, int inwidth, byte * data)
+SND_ResampleSfx (sfxcache_t *sc, int inrate, int inwidth, byte * data)
 {
 	int         outcount;
 	int         srcsample;
 	float       stepscale;
 	int         i;
 	int         sample, samplefrac, fracstep;
-	sfxcache_t *sc;
 	short      *is, *os;
 	unsigned char *ib, *ob;
 
-	sc = Cache_Check (&sfx->cache);
-	if (!sc)
-		return;
-
 	is = (short *) data;
 	os = (short *) sc->data;
 	ib = data;
@@ -161,24 +157,19 @@ SND_ResampleSfx (sfx_t *sfx, int inrate, int inwidth, byte * data)
 //=============================================================================
 
 sfxcache_t *
-SND_LoadSound (sfx_t *s)
+SND_LoadSound (cache_user_t *cache, const char *name, cache_allocator_t allocator)
 {
-	char        namebuffer[256];
-	byte       *data;
-	wavinfo_t   info;
-	int         len;
-	float       stepscale;
+	char		namebuffer[256];
+	byte	   *data;
+	wavinfo_t	info;
+	int			len;
+	float		stepscale;
 	sfxcache_t *sc;
-	byte        stackbuf[1 * 1024];		// avoid dirtying the cache heap
-
-	// see if still in memory
-	sc = Cache_Check (&s->cache);
-	if (sc)
-		return sc;
+	byte		stackbuf[1 * 1024];		// avoid dirtying the cache heap
 
 	// load it in
 	strcpy (namebuffer, "sound/");
-	strncat (namebuffer, s->name, sizeof (namebuffer) - strlen (namebuffer));
+	strncat (namebuffer, name, sizeof (namebuffer) - strlen (namebuffer));
 
 	data = COM_LoadStackFile (namebuffer, stackbuf, sizeof (stackbuf));
 
@@ -187,9 +178,9 @@ SND_LoadSound (sfx_t *s)
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
-	info = SND_GetWavinfo (s->name, data, com_filesize);
+	info = SND_GetWavinfo (name, data, com_filesize);
 	if (info.channels != 1) {
-		Con_Printf ("%s is a stereo sample\n", s->name);
+		Con_Printf ("%s is a stereo sample\n", name);
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
@@ -202,7 +193,7 @@ SND_LoadSound (sfx_t *s)
 		len = len * 2 * info.channels;
 	}
 
-	sc = Cache_Alloc (&s->cache, len + sizeof (sfxcache_t), s->name);
+	sc = allocator (cache, len + sizeof (sfxcache_t), name);
 
 	if (!sc)
 		return NULL;
@@ -213,11 +204,18 @@ SND_LoadSound (sfx_t *s)
 	sc->width = info.width;
 	sc->stereo = info.channels;
 
-	SND_ResampleSfx (s, sc->speed, sc->width, data + info.dataofs);
+	SND_ResampleSfx (sc, sc->speed, sc->width, data + info.dataofs);
 
 	return sc;
 }
 
+void
+SND_CallbackLoad (struct cache_user_s *cache, cache_allocator_t allocator)
+{
+	if (!SND_LoadSound (cache, cache->filename, allocator))
+		Sys_Error ("SND_CallbackLoad: load failed!\n");
+}
+
 /* WAV loading */
 
 byte       *data_p;
@@ -300,7 +298,7 @@ SND_DumpChunks (void)
 }
 
 wavinfo_t
-SND_GetWavinfo (char *name, byte * wav, int wavlength)
+SND_GetWavinfo (const char *name, byte * wav, int wavlength)
 {
 	wavinfo_t   info;
 	int         i;
diff --git a/libs/audio/renderer/snd_mix.c b/libs/audio/renderer/snd_mix.c
index e592f6aa5..2b9751ee7 100644
--- a/libs/audio/renderer/snd_mix.c
+++ b/libs/audio/renderer/snd_mix.c
@@ -57,8 +57,6 @@ int        *snd_p, snd_linear_count, snd_vol;
 short      *snd_out;
 
 void        SND_WriteLinearBlastStereo16 (void);
-sfxcache_t *SND_LoadSound (sfx_t *s);
-
 
 #ifndef USE_INTEL_ASM
 void
@@ -239,7 +237,7 @@ SND_PaintChannels (int endtime)
 				continue;
 			if (!ch->leftvol && !ch->rightvol)
 				continue;
-			sc = SND_LoadSound (ch->sfx);
+			sc = Cache_Get (&ch->sfx->cache);
 			if (!sc)
 				continue;
 
@@ -265,12 +263,15 @@ SND_PaintChannels (int endtime)
 						ch->pos = sc->loopstart;
 						ch->end = ltime + sc->length - ch->pos;
 					} else {			// channel just stopped
+						Cache_Release (&ch->sfx->cache);
 						ch->sfx = NULL;
 						break;
 					}
 				}
 			}
 
+			if (ch->sfx)
+				Cache_Release (&ch->sfx->cache);
 		}
 
 		// transfer out according to DMA format
diff --git a/libs/util/zone.c b/libs/util/zone.c
index 6808e0ec0..a16f2f4f5 100644
--- a/libs/util/zone.c
+++ b/libs/util/zone.c
@@ -541,6 +541,7 @@ typedef struct cache_system_s {
 cache_system_t *Cache_TryAlloc (int size, qboolean nobottom);
 void Cache_RealFree (cache_user_t *c);
 void *Cache_RealCheck (cache_user_t *c);
+void *Cache_RealAlloc (cache_user_t *c, int size, const char *name);
 cache_system_t cache_head;
 int cache_writelock;
 
@@ -884,13 +885,20 @@ Cache_RealCheck (cache_user_t *c)
 	return c->data;
 }
 
-void       *
+void *
 Cache_Alloc (cache_user_t *c, int size, const char *name)
 {
-	cache_system_t *cs;
 	void *mem;
-
 	CACHE_WRITE_LOCK;
+	mem = Cache_RealAlloc (c, size, name);
+	CACHE_WRITE_UNLOCK;
+	return mem;
+}
+
+void       *
+Cache_RealAlloc (cache_user_t *c, int size, const char *name)
+{
+	cache_system_t *cs;
 
 	if (c->data)
 		Sys_Error ("Cache_Alloc: already allocated");
@@ -914,9 +922,7 @@ Cache_Alloc (cache_user_t *c, int size, const char *name)
 			Sys_Error ("Cache_Alloc: out of memory");
 	}
 
-	mem = Cache_RealCheck (c);
-	CACHE_WRITE_UNLOCK;
-	return mem;
+	return Cache_RealCheck (c);
 }
 
 void
@@ -956,25 +962,100 @@ Cache_Profile (void)
 	CACHE_WRITE_UNLOCK;
 }
 
-/*
-	Qalloc and friends
-*/
+void
+Cache_Add (cache_user_t *c, const char *filename, cache_loader_t loader)
+{
+	CACHE_WRITE_LOCK;
 
-size_t (*Qalloc_callback) (size_t size);
+	if (c->data || c->filename || c->loader)
+		Sys_Error ("Cache_Add: cache item already exists!\n");
+
+	c->filename = strdup (filename);
+	if (!c->filename)
+		Sys_Error ("Cache_Add: strdup failed!\n");
+	c->loader = loader;
+
+//	c->loader (c, Cache_RealAlloc); // for debugging
+
+	CACHE_WRITE_UNLOCK;
+}
+
+void
+Cache_Remove (cache_user_t *c)
+{
+	CACHE_WRITE_LOCK;
+
+	if (!c->filename || !c->loader)
+		Sys_Error ("Cache_Remove: already removed!\n");
+
+	if (Cache_RealCheck (c))
+		Cache_RealFree (c);
+
+	free (c->filename);
+	c->filename = 0;
+	c->loader = 0;
+
+	CACHE_WRITE_UNLOCK;
+}
 
 void *
-Qalloc (void *ptr, size_t size, unsigned modes)
+Cache_Get (cache_user_t *c)
+{
+	void *mem;
+	CACHE_WRITE_LOCK;
+
+	mem = Cache_RealCheck (c);
+	if (!mem) {
+		c->loader (c, Cache_RealAlloc);
+		mem = Cache_RealCheck (c);
+	}
+
+	if (!mem)
+		Sys_Error ("Cache_Get: couldn't get cache!\n");
+
+	(((cache_system_t *)c->data) - 1)->readlock++;
+
+	CACHE_WRITE_UNLOCK;
+	return mem;
+}
+
+void
+Cache_Release (cache_user_t *c)
+{
+	int *readlock;
+	CACHE_WRITE_LOCK;
+	readlock = &(((cache_system_t *)c->data) - 1)->readlock;
+
+	if (!*readlock)
+		Sys_Error ("Cache_Release: already released!\n");
+
+	(*readlock)--;
+
+//	if (!*readlock)
+//		Cache_RealFree (c); // for debugging
+	CACHE_WRITE_UNLOCK;
+}
+
+
+/*
+	QA_alloc and friends
+*/
+
+size_t (*QA_alloc_callback) (size_t size);
+
+void *
+QA_alloc (void *ptr, size_t size, unsigned modes)
 {
 	void *mem;
 
 	if (modes & ~(_QA_MODEMASK | QA_ZEROED))
-		Sys_Error ("Qalloc: bad modes field: %u\n", modes);
+		Sys_Error ("QA_alloc: bad modes field: %u\n", modes);
 
 	if (size) {
 		do {
 			if (ptr) {
 				if (modes & QA_ZEROED)
-					Sys_Error ("Qalloc: Zeroing reallocated memory not yet supported\n");
+					Sys_Error ("QA_alloc: Zeroing reallocated memory not yet supported\n");
 				else
 					mem = realloc (ptr, size);
 			} else {
@@ -984,49 +1065,49 @@ Qalloc (void *ptr, size_t size, unsigned modes)
 					mem = malloc (size);
 			}
 		} while ((modes & _QA_MODEMASK) != QA_EARLYFAIL && !mem
-				 && Qalloc_callback && Qalloc_callback (size));
+				 && QA_alloc_callback && QA_alloc_callback (size));
 
 		if (!mem && (modes & _QA_MODEMASK) == QA_NOFAIL)
-			Sys_Error ("Qalloc: could not allocate %d bytes!\n", size);
+			Sys_Error ("QA_alloc: could not allocate %d bytes!\n", size);
 
 		return mem;
 	} else {
 		if (!ptr)
-			Sys_Error ("Qalloc: can't free a NULL pointers!\n");
+			Sys_Error ("QA_alloc: can't free a NULL pointers!\n");
 		free (ptr);
 		return 0;
 	}
 }
 
 void *
-Qmalloc (size_t size)
+QA_malloc (size_t size)
 {
-	return Qalloc (0, size, QA_NOFAIL);
+	return QA_alloc (0, size, QA_NOFAIL);
 }
 
 void *
-Qcalloc (size_t nmemb, size_t size)
+QA_calloc (size_t nmemb, size_t size)
 {
-	return Qalloc (0, nmemb * size, QA_NOFAIL | QA_ZEROED);
+	return QA_alloc (0, nmemb * size, QA_NOFAIL | QA_ZEROED);
 }
 
 void *
-Qrealloc (void *ptr, size_t size)
+QA_realloc (void *ptr, size_t size)
 {
-	return Qalloc (ptr, size, QA_NOFAIL);
+	return QA_alloc (ptr, size, QA_NOFAIL);
 }
 
 void 
-Qfree (void *ptr)
+QA_free (void *ptr)
 {
-	Qalloc (ptr, 0, QA_NOFAIL);
+	QA_alloc (ptr, 0, QA_NOFAIL);
 }
 
 char *
-Qstrdup (const char *s)
+QA_strdup (const char *s)
 {
 	char *mem;
-	mem = Qmalloc (strlen (s) + 1);
+	mem = QA_malloc (strlen (s) + 1);
 	strcpy (mem, s);
 	return mem;
 }