diff --git a/source/common/gamecontrol.cpp b/source/common/gamecontrol.cpp
index b5dff8451..653b07f25 100644
--- a/source/common/gamecontrol.cpp
+++ b/source/common/gamecontrol.cpp
@@ -273,6 +273,13 @@ void I_StartupJoysticks();
 void I_ShutdownInput();
 int RunGame();
 
+void ShutdownSystem()
+{
+	Mus_Stop();
+	if (soundEngine) delete soundEngine;
+	I_ShutdownInput();
+}
+
 int GameMain()
 {
 	// Set up the console before anything else so that it can receive text.
@@ -295,6 +302,8 @@ int GameMain()
 	}
 	catch (const std::runtime_error & err)
 	{
+		// shut down critical systems before showing a message box.
+		ShutdownSystem();
 		wm_msgbox("Error", "%s", err.what());
 		return 3;
 	}
@@ -303,7 +312,7 @@ int GameMain()
 		// Just let the rest of the function execute.
 		r = exit.Reason();
 	}
-	I_ShutdownInput();
+	ShutdownSystem();
 	G_SaveConfig();
 #ifndef NETCODE_DISABLE
 	if (gHaveNetworking) enet_deinitialize();
@@ -550,7 +559,7 @@ void CONFIG_InitMouseAndController()
 CCMD(snd_reset)
 {
 	Mus_Stop();
-	soundEngine->Reset();
+	if (soundEngine) soundEngine->Reset();
 	MUS_ResumeSaved();
 }
 
diff --git a/source/common/sound/s_sound.cpp b/source/common/sound/s_sound.cpp
index 618652a12..bab2bb214 100644
--- a/source/common/sound/s_sound.cpp
+++ b/source/common/sound/s_sound.cpp
@@ -1705,4 +1705,4 @@ void SoundEngine::AddRandomSound(int Owner, TArray<uint32_t> list)
 	S_sfx[Owner].link = index;
 	S_sfx[Owner].bRandomHeader = true;
 	S_sfx[Owner].NearLimit = -1;
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/source/duke3d/src/game.cpp b/source/duke3d/src/game.cpp
index e60fe0b52..77f4d0e66 100644
--- a/source/duke3d/src/game.cpp
+++ b/source/duke3d/src/game.cpp
@@ -5807,6 +5807,7 @@ int GameInterface::app_main()
     {
         I_Error("app_main: There was a problem initializing the Build engine: %s\n", engineerrstr);
     }
+    S_InitSound();
 
     
     g_logFlushWindow = 0;
diff --git a/source/duke3d/src/gamedef.cpp b/source/duke3d/src/gamedef.cpp
index 65b892fb5..71362aaac 100644
--- a/source/duke3d/src/gamedef.cpp
+++ b/source/duke3d/src/gamedef.cpp
@@ -2255,6 +2255,7 @@ static void scriptUpdateOpcodeForVariableType(intptr_t *ins)
 static bool C_ParseCommand(bool loop /*= false*/)
 {
     int32_t i, j=0, k=0, tw;
+    TArray<char> buffer;
 
     do
     {
@@ -4960,10 +4961,10 @@ repeatcase:
 
             i = 0;
 			{
-				TArray<char> build;
+                buffer.Clear();
 				while (*textptr != 0x0a && *textptr != 0x0d && *textptr != 0)
 				{
-					build.Push(*textptr);
+					buffer.Push(*textptr);
 					textptr++, i++;
 					if (EDUKE32_PREDICT_FALSE(*textptr != 0x0a && *textptr != 0x0d && ispecial(*textptr)))
 					{
@@ -4974,8 +4975,8 @@ repeatcase:
 						break;
 					}
 				}
-				build.Push(0);
-				C_CON_SetButtonAlias(j, build.Data());
+				buffer.Push(0);
+				C_CON_SetButtonAlias(j, buffer.Data());
 			}
             continue;
 
@@ -5246,7 +5247,7 @@ repeatcase:
 
             scriptSkipSpaces();
 
-			TArray<char> buffer;
+            buffer.Clear();
             while (*textptr != 0x0a && *textptr != 0x0d && *textptr != 0)
             {
 				buffer.Push(*textptr);
@@ -5362,7 +5363,6 @@ repeatcase:
 
         case CON_DEFINESOUND:
         {
-            FString filename;
             int ps, pe, vo, pr, m;
             float volume;
 
@@ -5390,7 +5390,7 @@ repeatcase:
             i = 0;
             C_SkipComments();
 
-            TArray<char> buffer;
+            buffer.Clear();
 
             if (*textptr == '\"')
             {
@@ -5421,7 +5421,7 @@ repeatcase:
             vo = g_scriptPtr[-1];
             g_scriptPtr -= 5;
 
-            int res = S_DefineSound(k, filename, ps, pe, pr, m, vo, 1.f);
+            int res = S_DefineSound(k, buffer.Data(), ps, pe, pr, m, vo, 1.f);
 
             volume = 1.f;
 
diff --git a/source/duke3d/src/sounds.cpp b/source/duke3d/src/sounds.cpp
index ce85391c6..7e64c8f45 100644
--- a/source/duke3d/src/sounds.cpp
+++ b/source/duke3d/src/sounds.cpp
@@ -47,6 +47,11 @@ public:
     }
 };
 
+void S_InitSound()
+{
+    soundEngine = new DukeSoundEngine;
+}
+
 //==========================================================================
 //
 // This is to avoid hardscoding the dependency on Wads into the sound engine
@@ -78,10 +83,12 @@ void S_PauseSounds(bool paused)
 
 void cacheAllSounds(void)
 {
-    for (int i=0, j=0; i < MAXSOUNDS; ++i)
+    auto& sfx = soundEngine->GetSounds();
+    int i = 0;
+    for(auto &snd : sfx)
     {
-        soundEngine->CacheSound(i);
-        if ((i&31) == 0)
+        soundEngine->CacheSound(&snd);
+        if (((++i)&31) == 0)
             gameHandleEvents();
     }
 }
diff --git a/source/duke3d/src/sounds.h b/source/duke3d/src/sounds.h
index 9111a4c48..d30c9576c 100644
--- a/source/duke3d/src/sounds.h
+++ b/source/duke3d/src/sounds.h
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ void S_Update(void);
 void S_ChangeSoundPitch(int soundNum, int spriteNum, int pitchoffset);
 int S_GetUserFlags(int sndnum);
 int S_DefineSound(unsigned index, const char* filename, int ps, int pe, int pr, int m, int vo, float vol);
+void S_InitSound();
 
 static inline bool S_IsAmbientSFX(int spriteNum)
 {