diff --git a/code/client/cl_input.c b/code/client/cl_input.c
index a9725363..ff0e5b16 100644
--- a/code/client/cl_input.c
+++ b/code/client/cl_input.c
@@ -760,6 +760,8 @@ void CL_WritePacket( void ) {
 
 	#if USE_VOIP
 	if (clc.voipOutgoingDataSize > 0) {  // only send if data.
+		MSG_WriteByte (&buf, clc_EOF);  // placate legacy servers.
+		MSG_WriteByte (&buf, clc_extension);
 		MSG_WriteByte (&buf, clc_voip);
 		MSG_WriteByte (&buf, clc.voipOutgoingGeneration);
 		MSG_WriteLong (&buf, clc.voipOutgoingSequence);
diff --git a/code/client/cl_parse.c b/code/client/cl_parse.c
index d80d7d29..294e46e3 100644
--- a/code/client/cl_parse.c
+++ b/code/client/cl_parse.c
@@ -34,10 +34,8 @@ char *svc_strings[256] = {
 	"svc_download",
 	"svc_snapshot",
 	"svc_EOF",
-
-#if USE_VOIP
-	"svc_voip"
-#endif
+	"svc_extension",
+	"svc_voip",
 };
 
 void SHOWNET( msg_t *msg, char *s) {
@@ -854,13 +852,26 @@ void CL_ParseServerMessage( msg_t *msg ) {
 
 		cmd = MSG_ReadByte( msg );
 
-		if ( cmd == svc_EOF) {
+		// See if this is an extension command after the EOF, which means we
+		//  got data that a legacy client should ignore.
+		if ((cmd == svc_EOF) && (MSG_LookaheadByte( msg ) == svc_extension)) {
+			SHOWNET( msg, "EXTENSION" );
+			MSG_ReadByte( msg );  // throw the svc_extension byte away.
+			cmd = MSG_ReadByte( msg );  // something legacy clients can't do!
+			// sometimes you get a svc_extension at end of stream...dangling
+			//  bits in the huffman decoder giving a bogus value?
+			if (cmd == -1) {
+				cmd = svc_EOF;
+			}
+		}
+
+		if (cmd == svc_EOF) {
 			SHOWNET( msg, "END OF MESSAGE" );
 			break;
 		}
 
 		if ( cl_shownet->integer >= 2 ) {
-			if ( !svc_strings[cmd] ) {
+			if ( (cmd < 0) || (!svc_strings[cmd]) ) {
 				Com_Printf( "%3i:BAD CMD %i\n", msg->readcount-1, cmd );
 			} else {
 				SHOWNET( msg, svc_strings[cmd] );
@@ -886,11 +897,11 @@ void CL_ParseServerMessage( msg_t *msg ) {
 		case svc_download:
 			CL_ParseDownload( msg );
 			break;
-#if USE_VOIP
 		case svc_voip:
+#if USE_VOIP
 			CL_ParseVoip( msg );
-			break;
 #endif
+			break;
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/code/qcommon/huffman.c b/code/qcommon/huffman.c
index b230b5be..2ff4ae50 100644
--- a/code/qcommon/huffman.c
+++ b/code/qcommon/huffman.c
@@ -39,6 +39,16 @@ void	Huff_putBit( int bit, byte *fout, int *offset) {
 	*offset = bloc;
 }
 
+int		Huff_getBloc(void)
+{
+	return bloc;
+}
+
+void	Huff_setBloc(int _bloc)
+{
+	bloc = _bloc;
+}
+
 int		Huff_getBit( byte *fin, int *offset) {
 	int t;
 	bloc = *offset;
diff --git a/code/qcommon/msg.c b/code/qcommon/msg.c
index b26cf8fe..3840a8c2 100644
--- a/code/qcommon/msg.c
+++ b/code/qcommon/msg.c
@@ -389,6 +389,17 @@ int MSG_ReadByte( msg_t *msg ) {
 	return c;
 }
 
+int MSG_LookaheadByte( msg_t *msg ) {
+	const int bloc = Huff_getBloc();
+	const int readcount = msg->readcount;
+	const int bit = msg->bit;
+	int c = MSG_ReadByte(msg);
+	Huff_setBloc(bloc);
+	msg->readcount = readcount;
+	msg->bit = bit;
+	return c;
+}
+
 int MSG_ReadShort( msg_t *msg ) {
 	int	c;
 	
diff --git a/code/qcommon/qcommon.h b/code/qcommon/qcommon.h
index f535d682..58b0a294 100644
--- a/code/qcommon/qcommon.h
+++ b/code/qcommon/qcommon.h
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ char	*MSG_ReadBigString (msg_t *sb);
 char	*MSG_ReadStringLine (msg_t *sb);
 float	MSG_ReadAngle16 (msg_t *sb);
 void	MSG_ReadData (msg_t *sb, void *buffer, int size);
-
+int		MSG_LookaheadByte (msg_t *msg);
 
 void MSG_WriteDeltaUsercmd( msg_t *msg, struct usercmd_s *from, struct usercmd_s *to );
 void MSG_ReadDeltaUsercmd( msg_t *msg, struct usercmd_s *from, struct usercmd_s *to );
@@ -276,9 +276,10 @@ enum svc_ops_e {
 	svc_snapshot,
 	svc_EOF,
 
-#if USE_VOIP
-	svc_voip
-#endif
+	// svc_extension follows a svc_EOF, followed by another svc_* ...
+	//  this keeps legacy clients compatible.
+	svc_extension,
+	svc_voip,     // not wrapped in USE_VOIP, so this value is reserved.
 };
 
 
@@ -293,9 +294,10 @@ enum clc_ops_e {
 	clc_clientCommand,		// [string] message
 	clc_EOF,
 
-#if USE_VOIP
-	clc_voip,   // packet of voice data.
-#endif
+	// clc_extension follows a clc_EOF, followed by another clc_* ...
+	//  this keeps legacy servers compatible.
+	clc_extension,
+	clc_voip,   // not wrapped in USE_VOIP, so this value is reserved.
 };
 
 /*
@@ -1112,6 +1114,11 @@ void	Huff_offsetTransmit (huff_t *huff, int ch, byte *fout, int *offset);
 void	Huff_putBit( int bit, byte *fout, int *offset);
 int		Huff_getBit( byte *fout, int *offset);
 
+// don't use if you don't know what you're doing.
+int		Huff_getBloc(void);
+void	Huff_setBloc(int _bloc);
+
+
 extern huffman_t clientHuffTables;
 
 #define	SV_ENCODE_START		4
diff --git a/code/server/sv_client.c b/code/server/sv_client.c
index 2528e64a..180bbf38 100644
--- a/code/server/sv_client.c
+++ b/code/server/sv_client.c
@@ -1108,6 +1108,14 @@ void SV_WriteVoipToClient( client_t *cl, msg_t *msg )
 		if (totalbytes > MAX_DOWNLOAD_BLKSIZE)
 			break;
 
+		// You have to start with a svc_EOF, so legacy clients drop the
+		//  rest of this packet. Otherwise, those without VoIP support will
+		//  see the svc_voip command, then panic and disconnect.
+		// Generally we don't send VoIP packets to legacy clients, but this
+		//  serves as both a safety measure and a means to keep demo files
+		//  compatible.
+		MSG_WriteByte( msg, svc_EOF );
+		MSG_WriteByte( msg, svc_extension );
 		MSG_WriteByte( msg, svc_voip );
 		MSG_WriteShort( msg, packet->sender );
 		MSG_WriteByte( msg, (byte) packet->generation );
@@ -1880,9 +1888,23 @@ void SV_ExecuteClientMessage( client_t *cl, msg_t *msg ) {
 	// read optional clientCommand strings
 	do {
 		c = MSG_ReadByte( msg );
+
+		// See if this is an extension command after the EOF, which means we
+		//  got data that a legacy server should ignore.
+		if ((c == clc_EOF) && (MSG_LookaheadByte( msg ) == clc_extension)) {
+			MSG_ReadByte( msg );  // throw the clc_extension byte away.
+			c = MSG_ReadByte( msg );  // something legacy servers can't do!
+			// sometimes you get a clc_extension at end of stream...dangling
+			//  bits in the huffman decoder giving a bogus value?
+			if (c == -1) {
+				c = clc_EOF;
+			}
+		}
+
 		if ( c == clc_EOF ) {
 			break;
 		}
+
 		if ( c != clc_clientCommand ) {
 			break;
 		}
@@ -1899,8 +1921,8 @@ void SV_ExecuteClientMessage( client_t *cl, msg_t *msg ) {
 		SV_UserMove( cl, msg, qtrue );
 	} else if ( c == clc_moveNoDelta ) {
 		SV_UserMove( cl, msg, qfalse );
-#if USE_VOIP
 	} else if ( c == clc_voip ) {
+#if USE_VOIP
 		SV_UserVoip( cl, msg );
 #endif
 	} else if ( c != clc_EOF ) {