diff --git a/docs/rh-log.txt b/docs/rh-log.txt
index e2a2143929..f14ae98541 100644
--- a/docs/rh-log.txt
+++ b/docs/rh-log.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
 October 26, 2008  (Changes by Graf Zahl)
+- Added read and write barriers to the actor pointer in the sound channel
+  structure.
+- Fixed: Items which should stay but had an IF_ALWAYSPICKUP flag were removed.
+- Fixed: The pickup flash must only play when an item is picked up so the 
+  correct place to spawn it is in AInventory::Touch, not in AInventory::GoAway.
 - Fixed: A_Jump didn't properly determine a state's owner anymore when called
   from weapons.
 
diff --git a/src/dobjgc.cpp b/src/dobjgc.cpp
index b17fcc2aad..8ab5fc81b3 100644
--- a/src/dobjgc.cpp
+++ b/src/dobjgc.cpp
@@ -300,6 +300,7 @@ static void MarkRoot()
 	DThinker::MarkRoots();
 	FCanvasTextureInfo::Mark();
 	Mark(DACSThinker::ActiveThinker);
+	S_MarkSoundChannels();
 	// Mark dead bodies.
 	for (i = 0; i < BODYQUESIZE; ++i)
 	{
diff --git a/src/g_shared/a_pickups.cpp b/src/g_shared/a_pickups.cpp
index e652a0a7ba..e3309fc874 100644
--- a/src/g_shared/a_pickups.cpp
+++ b/src/g_shared/a_pickups.cpp
@@ -553,19 +553,11 @@ bool AInventory::GoAway ()
 	// Dropped items never stick around
 	if (flags & MF_DROPPED)
 	{
-		if (PickupFlash != NULL)
-		{
-			Spawn(PickupFlash, x, y, z, ALLOW_REPLACE);
-		}
 		return false;
 	}
 
 	if (!ShouldStay ())
 	{
-		if (PickupFlash != NULL)
-		{
-			Spawn(PickupFlash, x, y, z, ALLOW_REPLACE);
-		}
 		Hide ();
 		if (ShouldRespawn ())
 		{
@@ -893,8 +885,13 @@ void AInventory::Touch (AActor *toucher)
 		toucher = toucher->player->mo;
 	}
 
-	if (!CallTryPickup (toucher))
-		return;
+	// This is the only situation when a pickup flash should ever play.
+	if (!CallTryPickup (toucher)) return;
+
+	if (PickupFlash != NULL && !ShouldStay())
+	{
+		Spawn(PickupFlash, x, y, z, ALLOW_REPLACE);
+	}
 
 	if (!(ItemFlags & IF_QUIET))
 	{
@@ -1264,7 +1261,7 @@ bool AInventory::CallTryPickup (AActor *toucher)
 {
 	bool res = TryPickup(toucher);
 
-	if (!res && (ItemFlags & IF_ALWAYSPICKUP))
+	if (!res && (ItemFlags & IF_ALWAYSPICKUP) && !ShouldStay())
 	{
 		res = true;
 		GoAwayAndDie();
diff --git a/src/m_menu.cpp b/src/m_menu.cpp
index a6f2411aff..1da41e4d8b 100644
--- a/src/m_menu.cpp
+++ b/src/m_menu.cpp
@@ -1637,9 +1637,13 @@ void M_NewGame(int choice)
 	}
 	else if (EpiDef.numitems <= 1)
 	{
-		if (EpisodeNoSkill[0])
+		if (AllSkills.Size() == 1)
 		{
-			M_ChooseSkill(2);
+			M_ChooseSkill(0);
+		}
+		else if (EpisodeNoSkill[0])
+		{
+			M_ChooseSkill(AllSkills.Size() == 2? 1:2);
 		}
 		else
 		{
@@ -1823,12 +1827,16 @@ void M_Episode (int choice)
 
 	epi = choice;
 
-	if (EpisodeNoSkill[choice])
+	if (AllSkills.Size() == 1)
 	{
-		M_ChooseSkill(2);
+		M_ChooseSkill(0);
+		return;
+	}
+	else if (EpisodeNoSkill[choice])
+	{
+		M_ChooseSkill(AllSkills.Size() == 2? 1:2);
 		return;
 	}
-
 	M_StartupSkillMenu(NULL);
 }
 
@@ -1858,13 +1866,17 @@ static void SCClass (int option)
 	{
 		M_SetupNextMenu (&EpiDef);
 	}
+	else if (AllSkills.Size() == 1)
+	{
+		M_ChooseSkill(0);
+	}
 	else if (!EpisodeNoSkill[0])
 	{
 		M_StartupSkillMenu(playerclass);
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		M_ChooseSkill(2);
+		M_ChooseSkill(AllSkills.Size() == 2? 1:2);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1886,9 +1898,13 @@ static void M_ChooseClass (int choice)
 	{
 		M_SetupNextMenu (&EpiDef);
 	}
+	else if (AllSkills.Size() == 1)
+	{
+		M_ChooseSkill(0);
+	}
 	else if (EpisodeNoSkill[0])
 	{
-		M_ChooseSkill(2);
+		M_ChooseSkill(AllSkills.Size() == 2? 1:2);
 	}
 	else 
 	{
diff --git a/src/s_sound.cpp b/src/s_sound.cpp
index 6799119b51..106b549811 100644
--- a/src/s_sound.cpp
+++ b/src/s_sound.cpp
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ extern float S_GetMusicVolume (const char *music);
 
 static bool S_CheckSoundLimit(sfxinfo_t *sfx, const FVector3 &pos, int near_limit);
 static void S_ActivatePlayList(bool goBack);
-static void CalcPosVel(const FSoundChan *chan, FVector3 *pos, FVector3 *vel);
+static void CalcPosVel(FSoundChan *chan, FVector3 *pos, FVector3 *vel);
 static void CalcPosVel(int type, const AActor *actor, const sector_t *sector, const FPolyObj *poly,
 	const float pt[3], int channel, int chanflags, FVector3 *pos, FVector3 *vel);
 static void CalcSectorSoundOrg(const sector_t *sec, int channum, fixed_t *x, fixed_t *y, fixed_t *z);
@@ -625,7 +625,7 @@ void S_LinkChannel(FSoundChan *chan, FSoundChan **head)
 //
 //=========================================================================
 
-static void CalcPosVel(const FSoundChan *chan, FVector3 *pos, FVector3 *vel)
+static void CalcPosVel(FSoundChan *chan, FVector3 *pos, FVector3 *vel)
 {
 	CalcPosVel(chan->SourceType, chan->Actor, chan->Sector, chan->Poly, chan->Point,
 		chan->EntChannel, chan->ChanFlags, pos, vel);
@@ -1057,7 +1057,7 @@ static FSoundChan *S_StartSound(AActor *actor, const sector_t *sec, const FPolyO
 		chan->SourceType = type;
 		switch (type)
 		{
-		case SOURCE_Actor:		chan->Actor = actor;	actor->SoundChans |= 1 << channel;	break;
+		case SOURCE_Actor:		chan->Actor = actor;	actor->SoundChans |= 1 << channel; GC::WriteBarrier(actor);	break;
 		case SOURCE_Sector:		chan->Sector = sec;		break;
 		case SOURCE_Polyobj:	chan->Poly = poly;		break;
 		case SOURCE_Unattached:	chan->Point[0] = pt->X; chan->Point[1] = pt->Y; chan->Point[2] = pt->Z;	break;
@@ -1436,6 +1436,27 @@ void S_StopSound (const FPolyObj *poly, int channel)
 	}
 }
 
+//==========================================================================
+//
+// S_MarkSoundChannels
+//
+//==========================================================================
+
+void S_MarkSoundChannels()
+{
+	for (FSoundChan *chan = Channels; chan != NULL; chan = chan->NextChan)
+	{
+		if (chan->SourceType == SOURCE_Actor)
+		{
+			GC::Mark(chan->Actor);
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			chan->Actor = NULL;
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 //==========================================================================
 //
 // S_StopAllChannels
@@ -1476,9 +1497,11 @@ void S_RelinkSound (AActor *from, AActor *to)
 			if (to != NULL)
 			{
 				chan->Actor = to;
+				GC::WriteBarrier(to);
 			}
 			else if (!(chan->ChanFlags & CHAN_LOOP))
 			{
+				chan->Actor = NULL;
 				chan->SourceType = SOURCE_Unattached;
 				chan->Point[0] = FIXED2FLOAT(from->x);
 				chan->Point[1] = FIXED2FLOAT(from->z);
diff --git a/src/s_sound.h b/src/s_sound.h
index bf7b67baf3..2aa9e58397 100644
--- a/src/s_sound.h
+++ b/src/s_sound.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 
 #include "doomtype.h"
 #include "i_soundinternal.h"
+#include "dobject.h"
 
 class AActor;
 class FScanner;
@@ -177,9 +178,10 @@ struct FSoundChan : public FISoundChannel
 	SBYTE		Priority;
 	SWORD		NearLimit;
 	BYTE		SourceType;
+	TObjPtr<AActor> Actor;
 	union
 	{
-		AActor	*Actor;				// Used for position and velocity.
+		//AActor	*Actor;				// Used for position and velocity.
 		const sector_t	*Sector;	// Sector for area sounds.
 		const FPolyObj	*Poly;		// Polyobject sound source.
 		float			 Point[3];	// Sound is not attached to any source.
@@ -276,6 +278,7 @@ bool S_CheckSingular (int sound_id);
 void S_StopSound (AActor *ent, int channel);
 void S_StopSound (const sector_t *sec, int channel);
 void S_StopSound (const FPolyObj *poly, int channel);
+void S_MarkSoundChannels();
 
 // Stops an origin-less sound from playing from this channel.
 void S_StopSound (int channel);
diff --git a/src/thingdef/thingdef_data.cpp b/src/thingdef/thingdef_data.cpp
index 4a67990f1c..3f610276e2 100644
--- a/src/thingdef/thingdef_data.cpp
+++ b/src/thingdef/thingdef_data.cpp
@@ -224,6 +224,7 @@ static FFlagDef ActorFlags[]=
 	DEFINE_DEPRECATED_FLAG(FIRERESIST),
 	DEFINE_DUMMY_FLAG(NONETID),
 	DEFINE_DUMMY_FLAG(ALLOWCLIENTSPAWN),
+	DEFINE_DUMMY_FLAG(CLIENTSIDEONLY),
 };
 
 static FFlagDef InventoryFlags[] =