diff --git a/src/sc_man.cpp b/src/sc_man.cpp
index 298676dc6..a725c2703 100644
--- a/src/sc_man.cpp
+++ b/src/sc_man.cpp
@@ -331,6 +331,24 @@ void FScanner::RestorePos (const FScanner::SavedPos &pos)
 	Crossed = false;
 }
 
+//==========================================================================
+//
+// FScanner :: isText
+//
+// Checks if this is a text file.
+//
+//==========================================================================
+
+bool FScanner::isText()
+{
+	for(unsigned int i=0;i<ScriptBuffer.Len();i++)
+	{
+		int c = ScriptBuffer[i];
+		if (c < ' ' && c != '\n' && c != '\r' && c != '\t') return false;
+	}
+	return true;
+}
+
 //==========================================================================
 //
 // FScanner :: SetCMode
diff --git a/src/sc_man.h b/src/sc_man.h
index 777e8cdcd..3d9c2bec9 100644
--- a/src/sc_man.h
+++ b/src/sc_man.h
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ public:
 	void ScriptError(const char *message, ...);
 	void ScriptMessage(const char *message, ...);
 
+	bool isText();
+
 	// Members ------------------------------------------------------
 	char *String;
 	int StringLen;
diff --git a/src/stringtable.cpp b/src/stringtable.cpp
index 6b0dd91f5..f0e5b326f 100644
--- a/src/stringtable.cpp
+++ b/src/stringtable.cpp
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ void FStringTable::LoadStrings (bool enuOnly)
 
 void FStringTable::LoadLanguage (int lumpnum, DWORD code, bool exactMatch, int passnum)
 {
+	static bool errordone = false;
 	const DWORD orMask = exactMatch ? 0 : MAKE_ID(0,0,0xff,0);
 	DWORD inCode = 0;
 	StringEntry *entry, **pentry;
@@ -211,6 +212,15 @@ void FStringTable::LoadLanguage (int lumpnum, DWORD code, bool exactMatch, int p
 		{ // Process string definitions.
 			if (inCode == 0)
 			{
+				// LANGUAGE lump is bad. We need to check if this is an old binary
+				// lump and if so just skip it to allow old WADs to run which contain
+				// such a lump.
+				if (!sc.isText())
+				{
+					if (!errordone) Printf("Skipping binary 'LANGUAGE' lump.\n"); 
+					errordone = true;
+					return;
+				}
 				sc.ScriptError ("Found a string without a language specified.");
 			}