diff --git a/src/d_main.cpp b/src/d_main.cpp
index 2dbf1273c3..dad2b86d95 100644
--- a/src/d_main.cpp
+++ b/src/d_main.cpp
@@ -2439,6 +2439,7 @@ void D_DoomMain (void)
 		if (!batchrun) Printf ("ParseTeamInfo: Load team definitions.\n");
 		TeamLibrary.ParseTeamInfo ();
 
+		R_ParseTrnslate();
 		PClassActor::StaticInit ();
 
 		// [GRB] Initialize player class list
diff --git a/src/r_data/r_translate.cpp b/src/r_data/r_translate.cpp
index c55f69016f..bf93650020 100644
--- a/src/r_data/r_translate.cpp
+++ b/src/r_data/r_translate.cpp
@@ -609,26 +609,26 @@ void FRemapTable::AddToTranslation(const char *range)
 //
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-int FRemapTable::StoreTranslation()
+int FRemapTable::StoreTranslation(int slot)
 {
 	unsigned int i;
 
-	for (i = 0; i < translationtables[TRANSLATION_Decorate].Size(); i++)
+	for (i = 0; i < translationtables[slot].Size(); i++)
 	{
-		if (*this == *translationtables[TRANSLATION_Decorate][i])
+		if (*this == *translationtables[slot][i])
 		{
 			// A duplicate of this translation already exists
-			return TRANSLATION(TRANSLATION_Decorate, i);
+			return TRANSLATION(slot, i);
 		}
 	}
-	if (translationtables[TRANSLATION_Decorate].Size() >= MAX_DECORATE_TRANSLATIONS)
+	if (translationtables[slot].Size() >= MAX_DECORATE_TRANSLATIONS)
 	{
 		I_Error("Too many DECORATE translations");
 	}
 	FRemapTable *newtrans = new FRemapTable;
 	*newtrans = *this;
-	i = translationtables[TRANSLATION_Decorate].Push(newtrans);
-	return TRANSLATION(TRANSLATION_Decorate, i);
+	i = translationtables[slot].Push(newtrans);
+	return TRANSLATION(slot, i);
 }
 
 
@@ -1188,3 +1188,90 @@ void R_GetPlayerTranslation (int color, const FPlayerColorSet *colorset, FPlayer
 
 	R_CreatePlayerTranslation (h, s, v, colorset, skin, table, NULL, NULL);
 }
+
+//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+//
+//
+//
+//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+static TMap<FName, int> customTranslationMap;
+
+int R_FindCustomTranslation(const char *name)
+{
+	if (name == nullptr)
+	{
+		return -1;
+	}
+	// Ice is a special case which will remain in its original slot.
+	if (!stricmp(name, "Ice"))
+	{
+		return TRANSLATION(TRANSLATION_Standard, 7);
+	}
+	int *t = customTranslationMap.CheckKey(FName(name, true));
+	return (t != nullptr)? *t : -1;
+}
+
+//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+//
+//
+//
+//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+void R_ParseTrnslate()
+{
+	customTranslationMap.Clear();
+	translationtables[TRANSLATION_Custom].Clear();
+
+	int lump;
+	int lastlump = 0;
+	while (-1 != (lump = Wads.FindLump("TRNSLATE", &lastlump)))
+	{
+		FScanner sc(lump);
+		while (sc.GetToken())
+		{
+			sc.TokenMustBe(TK_Identifier);
+
+			FName newtrans = sc.String;
+			FRemapTable *base = nullptr;
+			if (sc.CheckToken(':'))
+			{
+				sc.MustGetAnyToken();
+				if (sc.TokenType == TK_IntConst)
+				{
+					int max = 6;
+					if (sc.Number < 0 || sc.Number > max)
+					{
+						sc.ScriptError("Translation must be in the range [0,%d]", max);
+					}
+					base = translationtables[TRANSLATION_Standard][sc.Number];
+				}
+				else if (sc.TokenType == TK_Identifier)
+				{
+					int tnum = R_FindCustomTranslation(sc.String);
+					if (tnum == -1)
+					{
+						sc.ScriptError("Base translation '%s' not found in '%s'", sc.String, newtrans.GetChars());
+					}
+					base = translationtables[GetTranslationType(tnum)][GetTranslationIndex(tnum)];
+				}
+				else
+				{
+					// error out.
+					sc.TokenMustBe(TK_Identifier);
+				}
+			}
+			sc.MustGetToken('=');
+			FRemapTable NewTranslation;
+			if (base != nullptr)  NewTranslation = *base;
+			else NewTranslation.MakeIdentity();
+			do
+			{
+				sc.MustGetToken(TK_StringConst);
+				NewTranslation.AddToTranslation(sc.String);
+			} while (sc.CheckToken(','));
+
+			int trans = NewTranslation.StoreTranslation(TRANSLATION_Custom);
+			customTranslationMap[newtrans] = trans;
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/r_data/r_translate.h b/src/r_data/r_translate.h
index a549f07599..4ca2f203fc 100644
--- a/src/r_data/r_translate.h
+++ b/src/r_data/r_translate.h
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ enum
 	TRANSLATION_Decorate,
 	TRANSLATION_Blood,
 	TRANSLATION_RainPillar,
+	TRANSLATION_Custom,
 
 	NUM_TRANSLATION_TABLES
 };
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ struct FRemapTable
 	void AddColorRange(int start, int end, int r1,int g1, int b1, int r2, int g2, int b2);
 	void AddDesaturation(int start, int end, double r1, double g1, double b1, double r2, double g2, double b2);
 	void AddToTranslation(const char * range);
-	int StoreTranslation();
+	int StoreTranslation(int slot);
 
 	BYTE *Remap;				// For the software renderer
 	PalEntry *Palette;			// The ideal palette this maps to
@@ -109,6 +110,9 @@ extern TArray<PalEntry> BloodTranslationColors;
 
 int CreateBloodTranslation(PalEntry color);
 
+int R_FindCustomTranslation(const char *name);
+void R_ParseTrnslate();
+
 
 
 #endif // __R_TRANSLATE_H
diff --git a/src/thingdef/thingdef_properties.cpp b/src/thingdef/thingdef_properties.cpp
index 927e3e5372..d60cda823b 100644
--- a/src/thingdef/thingdef_properties.cpp
+++ b/src/thingdef/thingdef_properties.cpp
@@ -1100,9 +1100,10 @@ DEFINE_PROPERTY(translation, L, Actor)
 		for(int i = 1; i < PROP_PARM_COUNT; i++)
 		{
 			PROP_STRING_PARM(str, i);
-			if (i== 1 && PROP_PARM_COUNT == 2 && !stricmp(str, "Ice"))
+			int tnum;
+			if (i== 1 && PROP_PARM_COUNT == 2 && (tnum = R_FindCustomTranslation(str)) != -1)
 			{
-				defaults->Translation = TRANSLATION(TRANSLATION_Standard, 7);
+				defaults->Translation = tnum;
 				return;
 			}
 			else
@@ -1110,7 +1111,7 @@ DEFINE_PROPERTY(translation, L, Actor)
 				CurrentTranslation.AddToTranslation(str);
 			}
 		}
-		defaults->Translation = CurrentTranslation.StoreTranslation ();
+		defaults->Translation = CurrentTranslation.StoreTranslation (TRANSLATION_Decorate);
 	}
 }