diff --git a/bin/windows/zmusic/include/zmusic.h b/bin/windows/zmusic/include/zmusic.h
index 7422b58da2..90cb80e25c 100644
--- a/bin/windows/zmusic/include/zmusic.h
+++ b/bin/windows/zmusic/include/zmusic.h
@@ -151,6 +151,7 @@ typedef enum EIntConfigKey_
 	
 	zmusic_snd_mididevice,
 	zmusic_snd_outputrate,
+	zmusic_mod_preferredplayer,
 
 	NUM_ZMUSIC_INT_CONFIGS
 } EIntConfigKey;
diff --git a/src/common/audio/music/music.cpp b/src/common/audio/music/music.cpp
index 01b3a5da34..9664c54585 100644
--- a/src/common/audio/music/music.cpp
+++ b/src/common/audio/music/music.cpp
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ float	relative_volume = 1.f;
 float	saved_relative_volume = 1.0f;	// this could be used to implement an ACS FadeMusic function
 MusicVolumeMap MusicVolumes;
 MidiDeviceMap MidiDevices;
+TMap<int, int> ModPlayers;
 
 static int DefaultFindMusic(const char* fn)
 {
@@ -93,6 +94,7 @@ EXTERN_CVAR(Float, fluid_gain)
 
 CVAR(Bool, mus_calcgain, true, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG) // changing this will only take effect for the next song.
 CVAR(Bool, mus_usereplaygain, false, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG) // changing this will only take effect for the next song.
+CVAR(Int, mod_preferred_player, 0, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG)// toggle between libXMP and Dumb. Unlike other sound CVARs this is not directly mapped to ZMusic's config.
 
 // CODE --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -769,6 +771,7 @@ bool S_ChangeMusic(const char* musicname, int order, bool looping, bool force)
 	{
 		int lumpnum = mus_cb.FindMusic(musicname);
 		MidiDeviceSetting* devp = MidiDevices.CheckKey(lumpnum);
+		int* mplay = ModPlayers.CheckKey(lumpnum);
 
 		auto volp = MusicVolumes.CheckKey(lumpnum);
 		if (volp)
@@ -781,6 +784,12 @@ bool S_ChangeMusic(const char* musicname, int order, bool looping, bool force)
 			CheckReplayGain(musicname, devp ? (EMidiDevice)devp->device : MDEV_DEFAULT, devp ? devp->args.GetChars() : "");
 		}
 		auto mreader = GetMusicReader(reader);	// this passes the file reader to the newly created wrapper.
+		int mod_player = mplay? *mplay : *mod_preferred_player;
+		int scratch;
+
+		// This config var is only effective when opening a music stream so there's no need for active synchronization. Setting it here is sufficient.
+		// Ideally this should have been a parameter to ZMusic_OpenSong, but that would have necessitated an API break.
+		ChangeMusicSettingInt(zmusic_mod_preferredplayer, mus_playing.handle, mod_player, &scratch);
 		mus_playing.handle = ZMusic_OpenSong(mreader, devp ? (EMidiDevice)devp->device : MDEV_DEFAULT, devp ? devp->args.GetChars() : "");
 		if (mus_playing.handle == nullptr)
 		{
diff --git a/src/common/audio/music/s_music.h b/src/common/audio/music/s_music.h
index 629f6f95d4..3c5a092ccb 100644
--- a/src/common/audio/music/s_music.h
+++ b/src/common/audio/music/s_music.h
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ struct MidiDeviceSetting
 typedef TMap<int, MidiDeviceSetting> MidiDeviceMap;
 typedef TMap<int, float> MusicVolumeMap;
 
+extern TMap<int, int> ModPlayers;
 extern MidiDeviceMap MidiDevices;
 extern MusicVolumeMap MusicVolumes;
 extern MusicCallbacks mus_cb;
diff --git a/src/sound/s_advsound.cpp b/src/sound/s_advsound.cpp
index f48e6855e4..8717c4b9eb 100644
--- a/src/sound/s_advsound.cpp
+++ b/src/sound/s_advsound.cpp
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ enum SICommands
 	SI_EDFOverride,
 	SI_Attenuation,
 	SI_PitchSet,
+	SI_ModPlayer,
 };
 
 // Blood was a cool game. If Monolith ever releases the source for it,
@@ -236,7 +237,8 @@ static const char *SICommandStrings[] =
 	"$edfoverride",
 	"$attenuation",
 	"$pitchset",
-	NULL
+	"$modplayer",
+	nullptr
 };
 
 static TArray<FSavedPlayerSoundInfo> SavedPlayerSounds;
@@ -571,6 +573,7 @@ void S_ClearSoundData()
 	MusicAliases.Clear();
 	MidiDevices.Clear();
 	HexenMusic.Clear();
+	ModPlayers.Clear();
 }
 
 //==========================================================================
@@ -1109,10 +1112,24 @@ static void S_AddSNDINFO (int lump)
 					sc.RestorePos(save);
 					sc.MustGetString();
 				}
-				if (lumpnum >= 0) MidiDevices[lumpnum] = devset;
+				if (lumpnum >= 0) MidiDevices.Insert(lumpnum, devset);
 				}
 				break;
 
+			case SI_ModPlayer: {
+				sc.MustGetString();
+				int lumpnum = mus_cb.FindMusic(sc.String);
+				int player;
+				FScanner::SavedPos save = sc.SavePos();
+
+				sc.MustGetString();
+				if (sc.Compare("XMP") || sc.Compare("libXMP")) player = 0;
+				else if (sc.Compare("dumb") || sc.Compare("libdumb")) player = 1;
+				else sc.ScriptError("Unknown Module player %s\n", sc.String);
+				if (lumpnum >= 0) ModPlayers.Insert(lumpnum, player);
+			}
+			break;
+
 			case SI_IfDoom: //also Chex
 			case SI_IfStrife:
 			case SI_IfHeretic: