diff --git a/src/menu/menu.cpp b/src/menu/menu.cpp
index 008f13b55..fa36a9b55 100644
--- a/src/menu/menu.cpp
+++ b/src/menu/menu.cpp
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@
 #include "scripting/types.h"
 
 int DMenu::InMenu;
+static ScaleOverrider *CurrentScaleOverrider;
 //
 // Todo: Move these elsewhere
 //
@@ -348,7 +349,7 @@ bool DMenu::TranslateKeyboardEvents()
 //
 //=============================================================================
 
-void M_StartControlPanel (bool makeSound)
+void M_StartControlPanel (bool makeSound, bool scaleoverride)
 {
 	// intro might call this repeatedly
 	if (CurrentMenu != nullptr)
@@ -372,6 +373,7 @@ void M_StartControlPanel (bool makeSound)
 	}
 	BackbuttonTime = 0;
 	BackbuttonAlpha = 0;
+	if (scaleoverride && !CurrentScaleOverrider) CurrentScaleOverrider = new ScaleOverrider;
 }
 
 //=============================================================================
@@ -912,6 +914,8 @@ void M_ClearMenus()
 		CurrentMenu = parent;
 	}
 	menuactive = MENU_Off;
+	if (CurrentScaleOverrider)  delete CurrentScaleOverrider;
+	CurrentScaleOverrider = nullptr;
 }
 
 //=============================================================================
diff --git a/src/menu/menu.h b/src/menu/menu.h
index 21b10d785..cabf526ac 100644
--- a/src/menu/menu.h
+++ b/src/menu/menu.h
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ void M_PreviousMenu ();
 void M_ParseMenuDefs();
 void M_StartupEpisodeMenu(FGameStartup *gs);
 void M_StartupSkillMenu(FGameStartup *gs);
-void M_StartControlPanel (bool makeSound);
+void M_StartControlPanel (bool makeSound, bool scaleoverride = true);
 void M_SetMenu(FName menu, int param = -1);
 void M_StartMessage(const char *message, int messagemode, FName action = NAME_None);
 DMenu *StartPickerMenu(DMenu *parent, const char *name, FColorCVar *cvar);
diff --git a/src/p_conversation.cpp b/src/p_conversation.cpp
index 6f3bec89b..9dad979eb 100644
--- a/src/p_conversation.cpp
+++ b/src/p_conversation.cpp
@@ -381,6 +381,7 @@ void P_StartConversation (AActor *npc, AActor *pc, bool facetalker, bool saveang
 			I_SetMusicVolume (dlg_musicvolume);
 			S_Sound (npc, CHAN_VOICE|CHAN_NOPAUSE, CurNode->SpeakerVoice, 1, ATTN_NORM);
 		}
+		M_StartControlPanel(false, true);
 
 		// Create the menu. This may be a user-defined class so check if it is good to use.
 		FName cls = CurNode->MenuClassName;
@@ -405,7 +406,6 @@ void P_StartConversation (AActor *npc, AActor *pc, bool facetalker, bool saveang
 		}
 
 		// And open the menu
-		M_StartControlPanel (false);
 		M_ActivateMenu((DMenu*)cmenu);
 		menuactive = MENU_OnNoPause;
 	}
diff --git a/wadsrc/static/zscript/ui/menu/conversationmenu.zs b/wadsrc/static/zscript/ui/menu/conversationmenu.zs
index 1c5043512..76b280578 100644
--- a/wadsrc/static/zscript/ui/menu/conversationmenu.zs
+++ b/wadsrc/static/zscript/ui/menu/conversationmenu.zs
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ class ConversationMenu : Menu
 	PlayerInfo mPlayer;
 	int mSelection;
 	int ConversationPauseTic;
+	int LineHeight;
 	
 	int SpeechWidth;
 	int ReplyWidth;
@@ -107,6 +108,7 @@ class ConversationMenu : Menu
 		
 		ReplyWidth = 320-50-10;
 		SpeechWidth = screen.GetWidth()/CleanXfac - 24*2;
+		LineHeight = SmallFont.GetHeight();
 
 		FormatSpeakerMessage();
 		return FormatReplies(activereply);
@@ -174,8 +176,8 @@ class ConversationMenu : Menu
 		mResponseLines.Push(goodbyestr);
 
 		// Determine where the top of the reply list should be positioned.
-		mYpos = MIN (140, 192 - mResponseLines.Size() * OptionMenuSettings.mLinespacing);
-		i = 44 + mResponseLines.Size() * OptionMenuSettings.mLinespacing;
+		mYpos = MIN (140, 192 - mResponseLines.Size() * LineHeight);
+		i = 44 + mResponseLines.Size() * LineHeight;
 		if (mYpos - 100 < i - screen.GetHeight() / CleanYfac / 2)
 		{
 			mYpos = i - screen.GetHeight() / CleanYfac / 2 + 100;
@@ -305,7 +307,7 @@ class ConversationMenu : Menu
 	override bool MouseEvent(int type, int x, int y)
 	{
 		int sel = -1;
-		int fh = OptionMenuSettings.mLinespacing;
+		int fh = LineHeight;
 
 		// convert x/y from screen to virtual coordinates, according to CleanX/Yfac use in DrawTexture
 		x = ((x - (screen.GetWidth() / 2)) / CleanXfac) + 160;
@@ -382,7 +384,7 @@ class ConversationMenu : Menu
 	virtual void DrawSpeakerText(bool dimbg)
 	{
 		String speakerName;
-		int linesize = OptionMenuSettings.mLinespacing * CleanYfac;
+		int linesize = LineHeight * CleanYfac;
 		int cnt = mDialogueLines.Count();
 
 		// Who is talking to you?
@@ -434,10 +436,10 @@ class ConversationMenu : Menu
 	{
 		// Dim the screen behind the PC's choices.
 		screen.Dim(0, 0.45, (24 - 160) * CleanXfac + screen.GetWidth() / 2, (mYpos - 2 - 100) * CleanYfac + screen.GetHeight() / 2,
-			272 * CleanXfac, MIN(mResponseLines.Size() * OptionMenuSettings.mLinespacing + 4, 200 - mYpos) * CleanYfac);
+			272 * CleanXfac, MIN(mResponseLines.Size() * LineHeight + 4, 200 - mYpos) * CleanYfac);
 
 		int y = mYpos;
-		int fontheight = OptionMenuSettings.mLinespacing;
+		int fontheight = LineHeight;
 
 		int response = 0;
 		for (int i = 0; i < mResponseLines.Size(); i++)