diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/source/config.c b/polymer/eduke32/source/config.c
index e1f4515d8..6a799154f 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/source/config.c
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/source/config.c
@@ -30,12 +30,12 @@ Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
 #include <time.h>
 */
 
+#include "baselayer.h"
 #include "duke3d.h"
 #include "scriplib.h"
 #include "osd.h"
 #include "osdcmds.h"
-
-#include "baselayer.h"
+#include "osdfuncs.h"
 
 // we load this in to get default button and key assignments
 // as well as setting up function mappings
@@ -713,6 +713,7 @@ int32 CONFIG_ReadSetup(void)
 #endif
         SCRIPT_GetNumber(ud.config.scripthandle, "Screen Setup", "OSDTextMode",&dummy);
         OSD_SetTextMode(dummy);
+        SCRIPT_GetNumber(ud.config.scripthandle, "Screen Setup", "OSDHightile",&r_osdhightile);
         SCRIPT_GetNumber(ud.config.scripthandle, "Misc", "Executions",&ud.executions);
         SCRIPT_GetNumber(ud.config.scripthandle, "Setup", "ForceSetup",&ud.config.ForceSetup);
         SCRIPT_GetNumber(ud.config.scripthandle, "Misc", "RunMode",&ud.config.RunMode);
@@ -943,6 +944,7 @@ void CONFIG_WriteSetup(void)
     SCRIPT_PutNumber(ud.config.scripthandle, "Screen Setup", "UseModels",usemodels,false,false);
 #endif
     SCRIPT_PutNumber(ud.config.scripthandle, "Screen Setup", "OSDTextMode",OSD_GetTextMode(),false,false);
+    SCRIPT_PutNumber(ud.config.scripthandle, "Screen Setup", "OSDHightile",r_osdhightile,false,false);
     SCRIPT_PutNumber(ud.config.scripthandle, "Sound Setup", "AmbienceToggle",ud.config.AmbienceToggle,false,false);
     SCRIPT_PutNumber(ud.config.scripthandle, "Sound Setup", "FXVolume",ud.config.FXVolume,false,false);
     SCRIPT_PutNumber(ud.config.scripthandle, "Sound Setup", "MusicToggle",ud.config.MusicToggle,false,false);
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/source/osdcmds.c b/polymer/eduke32/source/osdcmds.c
index ffc197362..b9da0dec0 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/source/osdcmds.c
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/source/osdcmds.c
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
 #include "baselayer.h"
 #include "duke3d.h"
 #include "crc32.h"
+#include "osdfuncs.h"
 #include <ctype.h>
 #include <limits.h>
 
@@ -693,6 +694,7 @@ cvarmappings cvar[] =
 #endif
 #endif
     { "r_drawweapon", "r_drawweapon: enable/disable weapon drawing", (void*)&ud.drawweapon, CVAR_INT, 0, 0, 2 },
+    { "r_osdhightile", "r_osdhightile: enable/disable hires art replacements for console text", (void*)&r_osdhightile, CVAR_BOOL, 0, 0, 1 },
     { "r_showfps", "r_showfps: show the frame rate counter", (void*)&ud.tickrate, CVAR_BOOL, 0, 0, 1 },
     { "r_shadows", "r_shadows: enable/disable sprite and model shadows", (void*)&ud.shadows, CVAR_BOOL, 0, 0, 1 },
     { "r_precache", "r_precache: enable/disable the pre-level caching routine", (void*)&ud.config.useprecache, CVAR_BOOL, 0, 0, 1 },
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/source/osdfuncs.c b/polymer/eduke32/source/osdfuncs.c
index ecdfd00c7..b7222bd47 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/source/osdfuncs.c
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/source/osdfuncs.c
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 #include "namesdyn.h"
 #include "osdfuncs.h"
 
+int r_osdhightile = 0;
+
 void GAME_drawosdchar(int x, int y, char ch, int shade, int pal)
 {
     short ac;
@@ -11,7 +13,7 @@ void GAME_drawosdchar(int x, int y, char ch, int shade, int pal)
     if (ch == 32) return;
     ac = ch-'!'+STARTALPHANUM;
     if (ac < STARTALPHANUM || ac > ENDALPHANUM) return;
-    usehightile = 0;
+    usehightile = (r_osdhightile && ht);
     rotatesprite(((x<<3)+x)<<16, (y<<3)<<16, 65536l, 0, ac, shade, pal, 8|16, 0, 0, xdim-1, ydim-1);
     usehightile = ht;
 }
@@ -23,7 +25,7 @@ void GAME_drawosdstr(int x, int y, char *ch, int len, int shade, int pal)
     char *fmt = OSD_GetFmtPtr();
     int ht = usehightile;
 
-    usehightile = 0;
+    usehightile = (r_osdhightile && ht);
 
     for (x = (x<<3)+x; len>0; len--, ch++, x++)
     {
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/source/osdfuncs.h b/polymer/eduke32/source/osdfuncs.h
index d29b28c90..d5c552a12 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/source/osdfuncs.h
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/source/osdfuncs.h
@@ -6,5 +6,7 @@ int GAME_getrowheight(int w);
 void GAME_clearbackground(int c, int r);
 void GAME_onshowosd(int shown);
 
+extern int r_osdhightile;
+
 #define OSDCHAR_WIDTH 8