diff --git a/src/game/client/vscript_client.cpp b/src/game/client/vscript_client.cpp
index 57e00dc54..c9326377d 100644
--- a/src/game/client/vscript_client.cpp
+++ b/src/game/client/vscript_client.cpp
@@ -186,6 +186,9 @@ bool VScriptClientInit()
 					g_pScriptVM->Run( g_Script_vscript_client );
 				}
 
+				// ignore map-packed serverspawn files, allows server owners to run scripts before the map
+				VScriptRunScript( "serverspawn", false );
+
 				VScriptRunScript( "mapspawn", false );
 
 				VMPROF_SHOW( pszScriptLanguage, "virtual machine startup" );
diff --git a/src/game/server/vscript_server.cpp b/src/game/server/vscript_server.cpp
index 43ff4f530..1426f098f 100644
--- a/src/game/server/vscript_server.cpp
+++ b/src/game/server/vscript_server.cpp
@@ -3503,6 +3503,9 @@ REGISTER_SCRIPT_CONST_TABLE( Server )
 				}
 				g_VScriptGameEventListener.Init();
 
+				// ignore map-packed serverspawn files, allows server owners to run scripts before the map
+				VScriptRunScript( "serverspawn", false );
+
 				VScriptRunScript( "mapspawn", false );
 
 				if ( script_connect_debugger_on_mapspawn.GetBool() )
diff --git a/src/game/shared/vscript_shared.cpp b/src/game/shared/vscript_shared.cpp
index 64088e109..0a7814d08 100644
--- a/src/game/shared/vscript_shared.cpp
+++ b/src/game/shared/vscript_shared.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-//========== Copyright © 2008, Valve Corporation, All rights reserved. ========
+//========== Copyright � 2008, Valve Corporation, All rights reserved. ========
 //
 // Purpose:
 //
@@ -102,7 +102,17 @@ HSCRIPT VScriptCompileScript( const char *pszScriptName, bool bWarnMissing )
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		bool bResult = filesystem->ReadFile( scriptPath, "GAME", bufferScript );
+		bool bResult = false;
+
+		// ignore map-packed serverspawn files, allows server owners to run scripts before the map
+		if ( V_strcmp( pszScriptName, "serverspawn" ) == 0 || V_strcmp( pszScriptName, CFmtStr( "serverspawn%s", pszVMExtension ) ) == 0 )
+		{
+			bResult = filesystem->ReadFile( scriptPath, "MOD", bufferScript );
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			bResult = filesystem->ReadFile( scriptPath, "GAME", bufferScript );
+		}
 
 		if( !bResult )
 		{