diff --git a/src/sound/s_advsound.cpp b/src/sound/s_advsound.cpp
index 361313787..6810e93f7 100644
--- a/src/sound/s_advsound.cpp
+++ b/src/sound/s_advsound.cpp
@@ -806,7 +806,6 @@ void S_ParseSndInfo (bool redefine)
 
 	S_ShrinkPlayerSoundLists ();
 
-	sfx_empty = Wads.CheckNumForName ("dsempty", ns_sounds);
 	S_CheckIntegrity();
 }
 
@@ -1763,19 +1762,6 @@ int S_FindSkinnedSoundEx (AActor *actor, const char *name, const char *extendedn
 	return S_FindSkinnedSound (actor, id);
 }
 
-//==========================================================================
-//
-// sfxinfo_t :: MarkUsed
-//
-// Marks this sound for precaching.
-//
-//==========================================================================
-
-void sfxinfo_t::MarkUsed()
-{
-	bUsed = true;
-}
-
 //==========================================================================
 //
 // S_MarkPlayerSounds
diff --git a/src/sound/s_sound.cpp b/src/sound/s_sound.cpp
index bfbb914dd..b64eb292a 100644
--- a/src/sound/s_sound.cpp
+++ b/src/sound/s_sound.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ enum
 };
 static FRandom pr_soundpitch ("SoundPitch");
 SoundEngine* soundEngine;
-int sfx_empty = -1;
 
 //==========================================================================
 //
@@ -717,10 +716,9 @@ sfxinfo_t *SoundEngine::LoadSound(sfxinfo_t *sfx)
 	{
 		unsigned int i;
 
-		// If the sound doesn't exist, replace it with the empty sound.
-		if (sfx->lumpnum == -1)
+		if (sfx->lumpnum == sfx_empty)
 		{
-			sfx->lumpnum = sfx_empty;
+			return sfx;
 		}
 		
 		// See if there is another sound already initialized with this lump. If so,
@@ -1536,31 +1534,12 @@ int SoundEngine::AddSoundLump(const char* logicalname, int lump, int CurrentPitc
 	S_sfx.Reserve(1);
 	sfxinfo_t &newsfx = S_sfx.Last();
 
-	newsfx.data.Clear();
 	newsfx.name = logicalname;
 	newsfx.lumpnum = lump;
 	newsfx.next = 0;
-	newsfx.index = 0;
-	newsfx.Volume = 1;
-	newsfx.Attenuation = 1;
 	newsfx.PitchMask = CurrentPitchMask;
-	newsfx.DefPitch = 0.0;
-	newsfx.DefPitchMax = 0.0;
 	newsfx.NearLimit = nearlimit;
-	newsfx.LimitRange = 256 * 256;
-	newsfx.bRandomHeader = false;
-	newsfx.bLoadRAW = false;
-	newsfx.b16bit = false;
-	newsfx.bUsed = false;
-	newsfx.bSingular = false;
-	newsfx.bTentative = false;
 	newsfx.ResourceId = resid;
-	newsfx.RawRate = 0;
-	newsfx.link = sfxinfo_t::NO_LINK;
-	newsfx.Rolloff.RolloffType = ROLLOFF_Doom;
-	newsfx.Rolloff.MinDistance = 0;
-	newsfx.Rolloff.MaxDistance = 0;
-	newsfx.LoopStart = -1;
 
 	if (resid >= 0) ResIdMap[resid] = S_sfx.Size() - 1;
 	return (int)S_sfx.Size()-1;
diff --git a/src/sound/s_soundinternal.h b/src/sound/s_soundinternal.h
index 97539eff9..f95d2aee9 100644
--- a/src/sound/s_soundinternal.h
+++ b/src/sound/s_soundinternal.h
@@ -8,7 +8,12 @@ struct FRandomSoundList
 	uint32_t Owner = 0;
 };
 
-extern int sfx_empty;
+enum
+{
+	sfx_empty = -1
+};
+
+
 
 //
 // SoundFX struct.
@@ -17,71 +22,38 @@ struct sfxinfo_t
 {
 	// Next field is for use by the system sound interface.
 	// A non-null data means the sound has been loaded.
-	SoundHandle	data;
+	SoundHandle	data{};
 
-	FString		name;					// [RH] Sound name defined in SNDINFO
-	int 		lumpnum;				// lump number of sfx
+	FString		name;								// [RH] Sound name defined in SNDINFO
+	int 		lumpnum = sfx_empty;				// lump number of sfx
 
-	unsigned int next, index;			// [RH] For hashing
-	float		Volume;
+	unsigned int next = -1, index = 0;				// [RH] For hashing
+	float		Volume = 1.f;
 
-	int			ResourceId;				// Resource ID as implemented by Blood. Not used by Doom but added for completeness.
-	uint8_t		PitchMask;
-	int16_t		NearLimit;				// 0 means unlimited
-	float		LimitRange;				// Range for sound limiting (squared for faster computations)
-	float		DefPitch;				// A defined pitch instead of a random one the sound plays at, similar to A_StartSound.
-	float		DefPitchMax;			// Randomized range with stronger control over pitch itself.
+	int			ResourceId = -1;					// Resource ID as implemented by Blood. Not used by Doom but added for completeness.
+	float		LimitRange = 256*256;				// Range for sound limiting (squared for faster computations)
+	float		DefPitch = 0.f;						// A defined pitch instead of a random one the sound plays at, similar to A_StartSound.
+	float		DefPitchMax = 0.f;					// Randomized range with stronger control over pitch itself.
 
-	unsigned		bRandomHeader:1;
-	unsigned		bLoadRAW:1;
-	unsigned		b16bit:1;
-	unsigned		bUsed:1;
-	unsigned		bSingular:1;
+	int16_t		NearLimit = 4;						// 0 means unlimited.
+	uint8_t		PitchMask = 0;
+	bool		bRandomHeader = false;
+	bool		bLoadRAW = false;
+	bool		b16bit = false;
+	bool		bUsed = false;
+	bool		bSingular = false;
+	bool		bTentative = true;
 
-	unsigned		bTentative:1;
 	TArray<int> UserData;
 
-	int		RawRate;				// Sample rate to use when bLoadRAW is true
+	int			RawRate = 0;				// Sample rate to use when bLoadRAW is true
+	int			LoopStart = -1;				// -1 means no specific loop defined
 
-	int			LoopStart;				// -1 means no specific loop defined
-
-	unsigned int link;
+	unsigned int link = NO_LINK;;
 	enum { NO_LINK = 0xffffffff };
 
-	FRolloffInfo	Rolloff;
-	float		Attenuation;			// Multiplies the attenuation passed to S_Sound.
-
-	void		MarkUsed();				// Marks this sound as used.
-
-	void Clear()
-	{
-		data.Clear();
-		lumpnum = -1;				// lump number of sfx
-		next = -1;
-		index = 0;			// [RH] For hashing
-		Volume = 1.f;
-		ResourceId = -1;
-		PitchMask = 0;
-		NearLimit = 4;				// 0 means unlimited
-		LimitRange = 256*256;
-
-		bRandomHeader = false;
-		bLoadRAW = false;
-		b16bit= false;
-		bUsed = false;
-		bSingular = false;
-
-		bTentative = true;
-
-		RawRate = 0;				// Sample rate to use when bLoadRAW is true
-
-		LoopStart = 0;				// -1 means no specific loop defined
-
-		link = NO_LINK;
-
-		Rolloff = {};
-		Attenuation = 1.f;
-	}
+	FRolloffInfo	Rolloff{};
+	float		Attenuation = 1.f;			// Multiplies the attenuation passed to S_Sound.
 };
 
 // Rolloff types