diff --git a/src/g_level.cpp b/src/g_level.cpp
index 32acf14cb..ebd19074a 100644
--- a/src/g_level.cpp
+++ b/src/g_level.cpp
@@ -1128,7 +1128,7 @@ void G_FinishTravel ()
 
 			// The player being spawned here is a short lived dummy and
 			// must not start any ENTER script or big problems will happen.
-			pawndup = P_SpawnPlayer (&playerstarts[pawn->player - players], int(pawn->player - players), true);
+			pawndup = P_SpawnPlayer (&playerstarts[pawn->player - players], int(pawn->player - players), SPF_TEMPPLAYER);
 			if (!(changeflags & CHANGELEVEL_KEEPFACING))
 			{
 				pawn->angle = pawndup->angle;
diff --git a/src/g_level.h b/src/g_level.h
index 105b07100..53b7cbf59 100644
--- a/src/g_level.h
+++ b/src/g_level.h
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ enum ELevelFlags
 
 	LEVEL2_KEEPFULLINVENTORY	= 0x00000040,	// doesn't reduce the amount of inventory items to 1
 
-	/*							= 0x00000080,	*/
+	LEVEL2_PRERAISEWEAPON		= 0x00000080,	// players should spawn with their weapons fully raised (but not when respawning it multiplayer)
 	LEVEL2_MONSTERFALLINGDAMAGE	= 0x00000100,
 	LEVEL2_CLIPMIDTEX			= 0x00000200,
 	LEVEL2_WRAPMIDTEX			= 0x00000400,
diff --git a/src/g_mapinfo.cpp b/src/g_mapinfo.cpp
index 9df7b39eb..adfd626c3 100644
--- a/src/g_mapinfo.cpp
+++ b/src/g_mapinfo.cpp
@@ -1271,6 +1271,7 @@ MapFlagHandlers[] =
 	{ "forgetstate",					MITYPE_SETFLAG2,	LEVEL2_FORGETSTATE, 0 },
 	{ "rememberstate",					MITYPE_CLRFLAG2,	LEVEL2_FORGETSTATE, 0 },
 	{ "unfreezesingleplayerconversations",MITYPE_SETFLAG2,	LEVEL2_CONV_SINGLE_UNFREEZE, 0 },
+	{ "spawnwithweaponraised",			MITYPE_SETFLAG2,	LEVEL2_PRERAISEWEAPON, 0 },
 	{ "nobotnodes",						MITYPE_IGNORE,	0, 0 },		// Skulltag option: nobotnodes
 	{ "compat_shorttex",				MITYPE_COMPATFLAG, COMPATF_SHORTTEX, 0 },
 	{ "compat_stairs",					MITYPE_COMPATFLAG, COMPATF_STAIRINDEX, 0 },
diff --git a/src/p_local.h b/src/p_local.h
index eb6690726..f1dd56f19 100644
--- a/src/p_local.h
+++ b/src/p_local.h
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ inline int GetSafeBlockY(long long blocky)
 //
 // P_PSPR
 //
-void P_SetupPsprites (player_t* curplayer);
+void P_SetupPsprites (player_t* curplayer, bool startweaponup);
 void P_MovePsprites (player_t* curplayer);
 void P_DropWeapon (player_t* player);
 
@@ -114,7 +114,10 @@ void	P_UnPredictPlayer ();
 #define ONCEILINGZ		FIXED_MAX
 #define FLOATRANDZ		(FIXED_MAX-1)
 
-APlayerPawn *P_SpawnPlayer (struct FPlayerStart *mthing, int playernum, bool tempplayer=false);
+#define SPF_TEMPPLAYER		1	// spawning a short-lived dummy player
+#define SPF_WEAPONFULLYUP	2	// spawn with weapon already raised
+
+APlayerPawn *P_SpawnPlayer (struct FPlayerStart *mthing, int playernum, int flags=0);
 
 void P_ThrustMobj (AActor *mo, angle_t angle, fixed_t move);
 int P_FaceMobj (AActor *source, AActor *target, angle_t *delta);
diff --git a/src/p_mobj.cpp b/src/p_mobj.cpp
index cfb909a01..5d05b8c80 100644
--- a/src/p_mobj.cpp
+++ b/src/p_mobj.cpp
@@ -4138,7 +4138,7 @@ EXTERN_CVAR (Bool, chasedemo)
 
 extern bool demonew;
 
-APlayerPawn *P_SpawnPlayer (FPlayerStart *mthing, int playernum, bool tempplayer)
+APlayerPawn *P_SpawnPlayer (FPlayerStart *mthing, int playernum, int flags)
 {
 	player_t *p;
 	APlayerPawn *mobj, *oldactor;
@@ -4239,7 +4239,7 @@ APlayerPawn *P_SpawnPlayer (FPlayerStart *mthing, int playernum, bool tempplayer
 	{
 		G_PlayerReborn (playernum);
 	}
-	else if (oldactor != NULL && oldactor->player == p && !tempplayer)
+	else if (oldactor != NULL && oldactor->player == p && !(flags & SPF_TEMPPLAYER))
 	{
 		// Move the voodoo doll's inventory to the new player.
 		mobj->ObtainInventory (oldactor);
@@ -4312,11 +4312,9 @@ APlayerPawn *P_SpawnPlayer (FPlayerStart *mthing, int playernum, bool tempplayer
 		p->cheats = CF_CHASECAM;
 
 	// setup gun psprite
-	if (!tempplayer)
-	{
-		// This can also start a script so don't do it for
-		// the dummy player.
-		P_SetupPsprites (p);
+	if (!(flags & SPF_TEMPPLAYER))
+	{ // This can also start a script so don't do it for the dummy player.
+		P_SetupPsprites (p, !!(flags & SPF_WEAPONFULLYUP));
 	}
 
 	if (deathmatch)
@@ -4362,7 +4360,7 @@ APlayerPawn *P_SpawnPlayer (FPlayerStart *mthing, int playernum, bool tempplayer
 	}
 
 	// [BC] Do script stuff
-	if (!tempplayer)
+	if (!(flags & SPF_TEMPPLAYER))
 	{
 		if (state == PST_ENTER || (state == PST_LIVE && !savegamerestore))
 		{
@@ -4548,7 +4546,7 @@ AActor *P_SpawnMapThing (FMapThing *mthing, int position)
 		AllPlayerStarts.Push(start);
 		if (!deathmatch && !(level.flags2 & LEVEL2_RANDOMPLAYERSTARTS))
 		{
-			return P_SpawnPlayer(&start, pnum);
+			return P_SpawnPlayer(&start, pnum, (level.flags2 & LEVEL2_PRERAISEWEAPON) ? SPF_WEAPONFULLYUP : 0);
 		}
 		return NULL;
 	}
diff --git a/src/p_pspr.cpp b/src/p_pspr.cpp
index fb3cf68d4..f5a1c45db 100644
--- a/src/p_pspr.cpp
+++ b/src/p_pspr.cpp
@@ -989,7 +989,7 @@ DEFINE_ACTION_FUNCTION_PARAMS(AInventory, A_Light)
 //
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-void P_SetupPsprites(player_t *player)
+void P_SetupPsprites(player_t *player, bool startweaponup)
 {
 	int i;
 
@@ -999,7 +999,7 @@ void P_SetupPsprites(player_t *player)
 		player->psprites[i].state = NULL;
 	}
 	// Spawn the ready weapon
-	player->PendingWeapon = player->ReadyWeapon;
+	player->PendingWeapon = !startweaponup ? player->ReadyWeapon : WP_NOCHANGE;
 	P_BringUpWeapon (player);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/p_saveg.cpp b/src/p_saveg.cpp
index 205e91443..5fa41da99 100644
--- a/src/p_saveg.cpp
+++ b/src/p_saveg.cpp
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ static void SpawnExtraPlayers ()
 		if (playeringame[i] && players[i].mo == NULL)
 		{
 			players[i].playerstate = PST_ENTER;
-			P_SpawnPlayer(&playerstarts[i], i);
+			P_SpawnPlayer(&playerstarts[i], i, (level.flags2 & LEVEL2_PRERAISEWEAPON) ? SPF_WEAPONFULLYUP : 0);
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/p_setup.cpp b/src/p_setup.cpp
index 1edbb181f..ee596a74c 100644
--- a/src/p_setup.cpp
+++ b/src/p_setup.cpp
@@ -3986,7 +3986,7 @@ void P_SetupLevel (char *lumpname, int position)
 			{
 				players[i].mo = NULL;
 				FPlayerStart *mthing = G_PickPlayerStart(i);
-				P_SpawnPlayer(mthing, i);
+				P_SpawnPlayer(mthing, i, (level.flags2 & LEVEL2_PRERAISEWEAPON) ? SPF_WEAPONFULLYUP : 0);
 			}
 		}
 	}