diff --git a/src/g_shared/shared_hud.cpp b/src/g_shared/shared_hud.cpp
index 6f5f0d1bf..15d272094 100644
--- a/src/g_shared/shared_hud.cpp
+++ b/src/g_shared/shared_hud.cpp
@@ -95,6 +95,65 @@ CVAR (Int, hudcolor_stats, CR_GREEN, CVAR_ARCHIVE)			// For the stats values the
 CVAR(Bool, map_point_coordinates, true, CVAR_ARCHIVE|CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG)	// show player or map coordinates?
 
 
+//---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+//
+// Create Alternative HUD
+//
+//---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+CUSTOM_CVAR(Bool, hud_althud_forceinternal, false, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_NOINITCALL)
+{
+	if (StatusBar)
+		StatusBar->CreateAltHUD();
+}
+
+static DObject* DoCreateAltHUD(const FName classname)
+{
+	if (classname == NAME_None)
+		return nullptr;
+
+	const auto cls = PClass::FindClass(classname);
+	if (!cls)
+	{
+		Printf(TEXTCOLOR_RED "Unknown alternative HUD class \"%s\"\n", classname.GetChars());
+		return nullptr;
+	}
+
+	if (!cls->IsDescendantOf(NAME_AltHud))
+	{
+		Printf(TEXTCOLOR_RED "Alternative HUD class \"%s\" is not derived from AltHud\n", classname.GetChars());
+		return nullptr;
+	}
+
+	const auto althud = cls->CreateNew();
+
+	IFVIRTUALPTRNAME(althud, NAME_AltHud, Init)
+	{
+		VMValue params[] = { althud };
+		VMCall(func, params, countof(params), nullptr, 0);
+	}
+
+	return althud;
+}
+
+void DBaseStatusBar::CreateAltHUD()
+{
+	if (AltHud)
+	{
+		AltHud->Destroy();
+		AltHud = nullptr;
+	}
+
+	if (!hud_althud_forceinternal)
+		AltHud = DoCreateAltHUD(gameinfo.althudclass);
+
+	if (!AltHud)
+		AltHud = DoCreateAltHUD(NAME_AltHud);
+
+	assert(AltHud);
+}
+
+
 //---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 //
 // draw the HUD
diff --git a/src/g_statusbar/sbar.h b/src/g_statusbar/sbar.h
index 2ea329fc6..fee3a8b94 100644
--- a/src/g_statusbar/sbar.h
+++ b/src/g_statusbar/sbar.h
@@ -436,6 +436,8 @@ public:
 	virtual void SetMugShotState (const char *state_name, bool wait_till_done=false, bool reset=false);
 	void DrawLog();
 	uint32_t GetTranslation() const;
+
+	void CreateAltHUD();
 	void DrawAltHUD();
 
 	void DrawGraphic(FTextureID texture, double x, double y, int flags, double Alpha, double boxwidth, double boxheight, double scaleX, double scaleY);
diff --git a/src/g_statusbar/shared_sbar.cpp b/src/g_statusbar/shared_sbar.cpp
index 5e9bc2c0a..0e3f68714 100644
--- a/src/g_statusbar/shared_sbar.cpp
+++ b/src/g_statusbar/shared_sbar.cpp
@@ -366,36 +366,6 @@ void ST_CreateStatusBar(bool bTitleLevel)
 // Constructor
 //
 //---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-static DObject* CreateAltHud(const FName classname)
-{
-	if (classname == NAME_None)
-		return nullptr;
-
-	auto cls = PClass::FindClass(classname);
-	if (!cls)
-	{
-		Printf(TEXTCOLOR_RED "Unknown alternative HUD class \"%s\"\n", classname.GetChars());
-		return nullptr;
-	}
-
-	if (!cls->IsDescendantOf(NAME_AltHud))
-	{
-		Printf(TEXTCOLOR_RED "Alternative HUD class \"%s\" is not derived from AltHud\n", classname.GetChars());
-		return nullptr;
-	}
-
-	auto althud = cls->CreateNew();
-
-	IFVIRTUALPTRNAME(althud, NAME_AltHud, Init)
-	{
-		VMValue params[] = { althud };
-		VMCall(func, params, countof(params), nullptr, 0);
-	}
-
-	return althud;
-}
-
 DBaseStatusBar::DBaseStatusBar ()
 {
 	CompleteBorder = false;
@@ -408,13 +378,7 @@ DBaseStatusBar::DBaseStatusBar ()
 	ShowLog = false;
 	defaultScale = { (double)CleanXfac, (double)CleanYfac };
 
-	// Create the AltHud object.
-	AltHud = CreateAltHud(gameinfo.althudclass);
-
-	if (!AltHud)
-		AltHud = CreateAltHud(NAME_AltHud);
-
-	assert(AltHud);
+	CreateAltHUD();
 }
 
 static void ValidateResolution(int &hres, int &vres)