diff --git a/docs/rh-log.txt b/docs/rh-log.txt
index d78d0ad0a8..91cf8d9516 100644
--- a/docs/rh-log.txt
+++ b/docs/rh-log.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 April 5, 2008 (Changes by Graf Zahl)
+- Added the option to use $ as a prefix to a string table name everywhere in
+  MAPINFO where 'lookup' could be specified so that there is one consistent
+  way to do it.
 - Externalized all default episode definitions. Added an 'optional' keyword
   to handle M4 and 5 in Doom and Heretic.
 - Added P_CheckMapData function and replaced all calls to P_OpenMapData that
diff --git a/src/g_hub.cpp b/src/g_hub.cpp
index 65551fdc3f..983fa177e6 100644
--- a/src/g_hub.cpp
+++ b/src/g_hub.cpp
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
 #include "gi.h"
 #include "files.h"
 #include "m_png.h"
+#include "gstrings.h"
 
 
 //==========================================================================
@@ -102,7 +103,14 @@ void G_LeavingHub(int mode, cluster_info_t * cluster, wbstartstruct_t * wbs)
 			}
 			if (cluster->clustername) 
 			{
-				strncpy(level.level_name, cluster->clustername, 64);
+				if (cluster->flags & CLUSTER_LOOKUPNAME)
+				{
+					strncpy(level.level_name, GStrings(cluster->clustername), 64);
+				}
+				else
+				{
+					strncpy(level.level_name, cluster->clustername, 64);
+				}
 				level.level_name[63]=0;
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/src/g_level.cpp b/src/g_level.cpp
index 20814db73f..25c6e26c3a 100644
--- a/src/g_level.cpp
+++ b/src/g_level.cpp
@@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ MapInfoHandler ClusterHandlers[] =
 	{ MITYPE_HEX,		cioffset(cdid), 0 },
 	{ MITYPE_SETFLAG,	CLUSTER_ENTERTEXTINLUMP, 0 },
 	{ MITYPE_SETFLAG,	CLUSTER_EXITTEXTINLUMP, 0 },
-	{ MITYPE_STRING,	cioffset(clustername), 0 },
+	{ MITYPE_STRING,	cioffset(clustername), CLUSTER_LOOKUPNAME },
 };
 
 static void ParseMapInfoLower (FScanner &sc,
@@ -736,12 +736,21 @@ static void G_DoParseMapInfo (int lump)
 			}
 			uppercopy (levelinfo->mapname, sc.String);
 			sc.MustGetString ();
-			if (sc.Compare ("lookup"))
+			if (sc.String[0] == '$')
 			{
-				sc.MustGetString ();
+				// For consistency with other definitions allow $Stringtablename here, too.
 				levelflags |= LEVEL_LOOKUPLEVELNAME;
+				ReplaceString (&levelinfo->level_name, sc.String+1);
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				if (sc.Compare ("lookup"))
+				{
+					sc.MustGetString ();
+					levelflags |= LEVEL_LOOKUPLEVELNAME;
+				}
+				ReplaceString (&levelinfo->level_name, sc.String);
 			}
-			ReplaceString (&levelinfo->level_name, sc.String);
 			// Set up levelnum now so that you can use Teleport_NewMap specials
 			// to teleport to maps with standard names without needing a levelnum.
 			if (!strnicmp (levelinfo->mapname, "MAP", 3) && levelinfo->mapname[5] == 0)
@@ -1025,12 +1034,21 @@ static void ParseMapInfoLower (FScanner &sc,
 
 		case MITYPE_STRING:
 			sc.MustGetString ();
-			if (sc.Compare ("lookup"))
+			if (sc.String[0] == '$')
 			{
+				// For consistency with other definitions allow $Stringtablename here, too.
 				flags |= handler->data2;
-				sc.MustGetString ();
+				ReplaceString ((char **)(info + handler->data1), sc.String+1);
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				if (sc.Compare ("lookup"))
+				{
+					flags |= handler->data2;
+					sc.MustGetString ();
+				}
+				ReplaceString ((char **)(info + handler->data1), sc.String);
 			}
-			ReplaceString ((char **)(info + handler->data1), sc.String);
 			break;
 
 		case MITYPE_MUSIC:
diff --git a/src/g_level.h b/src/g_level.h
index efd1b8a721..3340659aa8 100644
--- a/src/g_level.h
+++ b/src/g_level.h
@@ -306,6 +306,7 @@ typedef struct cluster_info_s cluster_info_t;
 #define CLUSTER_FINALEPIC		0x00000008	// Finale "flat" is actually a full-sized image
 #define CLUSTER_LOOKUPEXITTEXT	0x00000010	// Exit text is the name of a language string
 #define CLUSTER_LOOKUPENTERTEXT	0x00000020	// Enter text is the name of a language string
+#define CLUSTER_LOOKUPNAME		0x00000040	// Name is the name of a language string
 
 extern FLevelLocals level;
 
diff --git a/src/s_sound.cpp b/src/s_sound.cpp
index f6fa0beee1..055f23716c 100644
--- a/src/s_sound.cpp
+++ b/src/s_sound.cpp
@@ -358,10 +358,21 @@ void S_Start ()
 		
 		// Check for local sound definitions. Only reload if they differ
 		// from the previous ones.
+		char *LocalSndInfo;
+		char *LocalSndSeq;
 		
 		// To be certain better check whether level is valid!
-		char *LocalSndInfo = level.info ? level.info->soundinfo : (char*)"";
-		char *LocalSndSeq  = level.info ? level.info->sndseq : (char*)"";
+		if (level.info && level.info->soundinfo)
+		{
+			LocalSndInfo = level.info->soundinfo;
+			LocalSndSeq  = level.info->sndseq;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			LocalSndInfo = "";
+			LocalSndSeq  = "";
+		}
+
 		bool parse_ss = false;
 
 		// This level uses a different local SNDINFO