diff --git a/src/doomdata.h b/src/doomdata.h
index e6cb728ec..5f681fa76 100644
--- a/src/doomdata.h
+++ b/src/doomdata.h
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ struct maplinedef_t
 	uint16_t	v1;
 	uint16_t	v2;
 	uint16_t	flags;
-	int16_t		special;
+	uint16_t	special;
 	int16_t		tag;
 	uint16_t	sidenum[2];	// sidenum[1] will be -1 if one sided
 
diff --git a/src/p_setup.cpp b/src/p_setup.cpp
index d19e65295..f89ad6704 100644
--- a/src/p_setup.cpp
+++ b/src/p_setup.cpp
@@ -2173,6 +2173,9 @@ void P_LoadLineDefs (MapData * map)
 		// [RH] Translate old linedef special and flags to be
 		//		compatible with the new format.
 
+		mld->special = LittleShort(mld->special);
+		mld->tag = LittleShort(mld->tag);
+		mld->flags = LittleShort(mld->flags);
 		P_TranslateLineDef (ld, mld, -1);
 		// do not assign the tag for Extradata lines.
 		if (ld->special != Static_Init || (ld->args[1] != Init_EDLine && ld->args[1] != Init_EDSector))
diff --git a/src/p_xlat.cpp b/src/p_xlat.cpp
index 9ec582a92..4f3b45611 100644
--- a/src/p_xlat.cpp
+++ b/src/p_xlat.cpp
@@ -64,9 +64,9 @@ typedef enum
 
 void P_TranslateLineDef (line_t *ld, maplinedef_t *mld, int lineindexforid)
 {
-	unsigned short special = (unsigned short) LittleShort(mld->special);
-	short tag = LittleShort(mld->tag);
-	uint32_t flags = LittleShort(mld->flags);
+	uint32_t special = mld->special;
+	short tag = mld->tag;
+	uint32_t flags =mld->flags;
 	INTBOOL passthrough = 0;
 
 	uint32_t flags1 = flags;