diff --git a/src/d_main.cpp b/src/d_main.cpp
index 4a3d631ca..61e76da0d 100644
--- a/src/d_main.cpp
+++ b/src/d_main.cpp
@@ -2027,6 +2027,9 @@ void D_DoomMain (void)
 		StartScreen->AppendStatusLine(temp);
 	}
 
+	// [RH] Load sound environments
+	S_ParseReverbDef ();
+
 	// [RH] Parse through all loaded mapinfo lumps
 	Printf ("G_ParseMapInfo: Load map definitions.\n");
 	G_ParseMapInfo (iwad_info->MapInfo);
@@ -2035,7 +2038,6 @@ void D_DoomMain (void)
 	Printf ("S_InitData: Load sound definitions.\n");
 	S_InitData ();
 
-
 	Printf ("Texman.Init: Init texture manager.\n");
 	TexMan.Init();
 
diff --git a/src/g_mapinfo.cpp b/src/g_mapinfo.cpp
index 6131c7017..f8c087459 100644
--- a/src/g_mapinfo.cpp
+++ b/src/g_mapinfo.cpp
@@ -1256,11 +1256,27 @@ DEFINE_MAP_OPTION(defaultenvironment, false)
 	int id;
 
 	parse.ParseAssign();
-	parse.sc.MustGetNumber();
-	id = parse.sc.Number << 8;
-	if (parse.CheckNumber())
-	{
-		id |= parse.sc.Number;
+	if (parse.sc.CheckNumber())
+	{ // Numeric ID XXX [, YYY]
+		id = parse.sc.Number << 8;
+		if (parse.CheckNumber())
+		{
+			id |= parse.sc.Number;
+		}
+	}
+	else
+	{ // Named environment
+		parse.sc.MustGetString();
+		ReverbContainer *reverb = S_FindEnvironment(parse.sc.String);
+		if (reverb == NULL)
+		{
+			parse.sc.ScriptMessage("Unknown sound environment '%s'\n", parse.sc.String);
+			id = 0;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			id = reverb->ID;
+		}
 	}
 	info->DefaultEnvironment = id;
 }
diff --git a/src/s_sound.cpp b/src/s_sound.cpp
index d65cbaf0b..f31f1c2da 100644
--- a/src/s_sound.cpp
+++ b/src/s_sound.cpp
@@ -323,7 +323,6 @@ void S_InitData ()
 	LastLocalSndInfo = LastLocalSndSeq = "";
 	S_ParseSndInfo ();
 	S_ParseSndSeq (-1);
-	S_ParseReverbDef ();
 }
 
 //==========================================================================