diff --git a/src/scripting/backend/codegen.cpp b/src/scripting/backend/codegen.cpp
index 252788023a..cc93c22156 100644
--- a/src/scripting/backend/codegen.cpp
+++ b/src/scripting/backend/codegen.cpp
@@ -6522,7 +6522,7 @@ ExpEmit FxCVar::Emit(VMFunctionBuilder *build)
 
 	case CVAR_String:
 		build->Emit(OP_LKP, addr.RegNum, build->GetConstantAddress(&static_cast<FStringCVar *>(CVar)->Value, ATAG_GENERIC));
-		build->Emit(OP_LS, dest.RegNum, addr.RegNum, nul);
+		build->Emit(OP_LCS, dest.RegNum, addr.RegNum, nul);
 		break;
 
 	case CVAR_DummyBool:
diff --git a/src/scripting/vm/vmexec.h b/src/scripting/vm/vmexec.h
index 8da2c4d8d0..3082abf802 100644
--- a/src/scripting/vm/vmexec.h
+++ b/src/scripting/vm/vmexec.h
@@ -197,6 +197,16 @@ begin:
 		GETADDR(PB,RC,X_READ_NIL);
 		reg.s[a] = *(FString *)ptr;
 		NEXTOP;
+	OP(LCS):
+		ASSERTS(a); ASSERTA(B); ASSERTKD(C);
+		GETADDR(PB,KC,X_READ_NIL);
+		reg.s[a] = *(const char **)ptr;
+		NEXTOP;
+	OP(LCS_R):
+		ASSERTS(a); ASSERTA(B); ASSERTD(C);
+		GETADDR(PB,RC,X_READ_NIL);
+		reg.s[a] = *(const char **)ptr;
+		NEXTOP;
 	OP(LO):
 		ASSERTA(a); ASSERTA(B); ASSERTKD(C);
 		GETADDR(PB,KC,X_READ_NIL);
diff --git a/src/scripting/vm/vmops.h b/src/scripting/vm/vmops.h
index 6f3931531b..b058dc94b6 100644
--- a/src/scripting/vm/vmops.h
+++ b/src/scripting/vm/vmops.h
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ xx(LV2,		lv2,	RVRPKI,		LV2_R,	4, REGT_INT),	// load vector2
 xx(LV2_R,	lv2,	RVRPRI,		NOP,	0, 0),
 xx(LV3,		lv3,	RVRPKI,		LV3_R,	4, REGT_INT),	// load vector3
 xx(LV3_R,	lv3,	RVRPRI,		NOP,	0, 0),
+xx(LCS,		lcs,	RSRPKI,		LCS_R,	4, REGT_INT),	// load string from char ptr.
+xx(LCS_R,	lcs,	RSRPRI,		NOP,	0, 0),
 
 xx(LBIT,	lbit,	RIRPI8,		NOP,	0, 0),	// rA = !!(*rB & C)  -- *rB is a byte