diff --git a/src/g_level.cpp b/src/g_level.cpp
index 10ed1f83e9..1c125324ae 100644
--- a/src/g_level.cpp
+++ b/src/g_level.cpp
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ void G_DeferedInitNew (const char *mapname, int newskill)
 
 void G_DeferedInitNew (FGameStartup *gs)
 {
-	playerclass = gs->PlayerClass;
+	if (gs->PlayerClass != NULL) playerclass = gs->PlayerClass;
 	d_mapname = AllEpisodes[gs->Episode].mEpisodeMap;
 	d_skill = gs->Skill;
 	CheckWarpTransMap (d_mapname, true);
diff --git a/src/menu/menu.cpp b/src/menu/menu.cpp
index 6d60344b12..d54b27c1c5 100644
--- a/src/menu/menu.cpp
+++ b/src/menu/menu.cpp
@@ -350,6 +350,7 @@ void M_SetMenu(FName menu, int param)
 		GameStartupInfo.Skill = -1;
 		GameStartupInfo.Episode = -1;
 		GameStartupInfo.PlayerClass = 
+			param == -1000? NULL :
 			param == -1? "Random" : PlayerClasses[param].Type->Meta.GetMetaString (APMETA_DisplayName);
 		break;
 
diff --git a/src/menu/menudef.cpp b/src/menu/menudef.cpp
index 8b865cbc62..8d37f570cb 100644
--- a/src/menu/menudef.cpp
+++ b/src/menu/menudef.cpp
@@ -1006,7 +1006,14 @@ static void BuildPlayerclassMenu()
 			// center the menu on the screen if the top space is larger than the bottom space
 			int totalheight = posy + (numclassitems+1) * ld->mLinespacing - topy;
 
-			if (totalheight <= 190 || numclassitems == 1)
+			if (numclassitems <= 1)
+			{
+				// create a dummy item that auto-chooses the default class.
+				FListMenuItemText *it = new FListMenuItemText(0, 0, 0, 'p', "player", 
+					ld->mFont,ld->mFontColor, NAME_Episodemenu, -1000);
+				ld->mAutoselect = 0;
+			}
+			else if (totalheight <= 190)
 			{
 				int newtop = (200 - totalheight + topy) / 2;
 				int topdelta = newtop - topy;
@@ -1051,10 +1058,6 @@ static void BuildPlayerclassMenu()
 						ld->mItems.Push(it);
 					}
 				}
-				if (n < 2)
-				{
-					ld->mAutoselect = ld->mSelectedItem;
-				}
 				success = true;
 			}
 		}