diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/source/common.c b/polymer/eduke32/source/common.c
index a7d33764c..c0b08d4b1 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/source/common.c
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/source/common.c
@@ -1059,7 +1059,7 @@ static int32_t S_TryFormats(char const * const testfn, char * const fn_suffix, c
     return -1;
 }
 
-static int32_t S_TryExtensionReplacements(char const * const testfn, char const searchfirst)
+static int32_t S_TryExtensionReplacements(char const * const testfn, char const searchfirst, uint8_t const ismusic)
 {
     char * extension = Bstrrchr(testfn, '.');
     char * const fn_end = Bstrchr(testfn, '\0');
@@ -1079,6 +1079,7 @@ static int32_t S_TryExtensionReplacements(char const * const testfn, char const
     }
 
     // ex: grabbag.mid --> grabbag.*
+    if (ismusic) // this conditional is a hack so that subway.voc does not upgrade to Megaton's music/subway.ogg
     {
         int32_t const fp = S_TryFormats(testfn, extension, searchfirst);
         if (fp >= 0)
@@ -1088,7 +1089,7 @@ static int32_t S_TryExtensionReplacements(char const * const testfn, char const
     return -1;
 }
 
-int32_t S_OpenAudio(const char *fn, char searchfirst)
+int32_t S_OpenAudio(const char *fn, char searchfirst, uint8_t const ismusic)
 {
     int32_t const origfp = kopen4loadfrommod(fn, searchfirst);
     char const * const origparent = origfp != -1 ? kfileparent(origfp) : NULL;
@@ -1100,7 +1101,7 @@ int32_t S_OpenAudio(const char *fn, char searchfirst)
     // ex: ./grabbag.mid
     {
         Bstrcpy(testfn, fn);
-        int32_t const fp = S_TryExtensionReplacements(testfn, searchfirst);
+        int32_t const fp = S_TryExtensionReplacements(testfn, searchfirst, 1);
         if (fp >= 0)
         {
             Bfree(testfn);
@@ -1118,7 +1119,7 @@ int32_t S_OpenAudio(const char *fn, char searchfirst)
         uint32_t namelength = origparentextension != NULL ? origparentextension - origparent : origparentlength;
 
         Bsprintf(testfn, "music/%.*s/%s", namelength, origparent, fn);
-        int32_t const fp = S_TryExtensionReplacements(testfn, searchfirst);
+        int32_t const fp = S_TryExtensionReplacements(testfn, searchfirst, ismusic);
         if (fp >= 0)
         {
             Bfree(testfn);
@@ -1131,7 +1132,7 @@ int32_t S_OpenAudio(const char *fn, char searchfirst)
     // ex: ./music/grabbag.mid
     {
         Bsprintf(testfn, "music/%s", fn);
-        int32_t const fp = S_TryExtensionReplacements(testfn, searchfirst);
+        int32_t const fp = S_TryExtensionReplacements(testfn, searchfirst, ismusic);
         if (fp >= 0)
         {
             Bfree(testfn);
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/source/common_game.h b/polymer/eduke32/source/common_game.h
index c25fa3a55..8da598f66 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/source/common_game.h
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/source/common_game.h
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ extern void G_LoadLookups(void);
 
 //////////
 
-extern int32_t S_OpenAudio(const char *fn, char searchfirst);
+extern int32_t S_OpenAudio(const char *fn, char searchfirst, uint8_t ismusic);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/source/premap.c b/polymer/eduke32/source/premap.c
index 256bdd7d6..482224b51 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/source/premap.c
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/source/premap.c
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ static int32_t G_CacheSound(uint32_t num)
 
     if (EDUKE32_PREDICT_FALSE(!g_sounds[num].filename)) return 0;
 
-    int32_t fp = S_OpenAudio(g_sounds[num].filename, g_loadFromGroupOnly);
+    int32_t fp = S_OpenAudio(g_sounds[num].filename, g_loadFromGroupOnly, 0);
     if (EDUKE32_PREDICT_FALSE(fp == -1))
     {
 //        OSD_Printf(OSDTEXT_RED "Sound %s(#%d) not found!\n",g_sounds[num].filename,num);
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/source/sounds.c b/polymer/eduke32/source/sounds.c
index 24f5a31b0..e7f438851 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/source/sounds.c
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/source/sounds.c
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ int32_t S_PlayMusic(const char *fn)
     if (!ud.config.MusicToggle || fn == NULL)
         return 0;
 
-    int32_t fp = S_OpenAudio(fn, 0);
+    int32_t fp = S_OpenAudio(fn, 0, 1);
     if (EDUKE32_PREDICT_FALSE(fp < 0))
     {
         OSD_Printf(OSD_ERROR "S_PlayMusic(): error: can't open \"%s\" for playback!\n",fn);
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ int32_t S_LoadSound(uint32_t num)
         return 0;
     }
 
-    int32_t fp = S_OpenAudio(g_sounds[num].filename, g_loadFromGroupOnly);
+    int32_t fp = S_OpenAudio(g_sounds[num].filename, g_loadFromGroupOnly, 0);
     if (EDUKE32_PREDICT_FALSE(fp == -1))
     {
         OSD_Printf(OSDTEXT_RED "Sound %s(#%d) not found!\n",g_sounds[num].filename,num);
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/source/sounds_mapster32.c b/polymer/eduke32/source/sounds_mapster32.c
index cb7770bbb..166a396e6 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/source/sounds_mapster32.c
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/source/sounds_mapster32.c
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ int32_t S_LoadSound(uint32_t num)
         return 0;
     }
 
-    int32_t fp = S_OpenAudio(g_sounds[num].filename, 0);
+    int32_t fp = S_OpenAudio(g_sounds[num].filename, 0, 0);
     if (fp == -1)
     {
         OSD_Printf(OSDTEXT_RED "Sound %s(#%d) not found!\n",g_sounds[num].filename,num);