diff --git a/source/core/mainloop.cpp b/source/core/mainloop.cpp
index 3b691bd6a..8b855b711 100644
--- a/source/core/mainloop.cpp
+++ b/source/core/mainloop.cpp
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@
 CVAR(Bool, vid_activeinbackground, false, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG)
 CVAR(Bool, r_ticstability, true, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG)
 CVAR(Bool, cl_capfps, false, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG)
+CVAR(Bool, cl_resumesavegame, true, CVAR_ARCHIVE)
 
 ticcmd_t playercmds[MAXPLAYERS];
 
@@ -102,6 +103,10 @@ int entertic;
 int oldentertics;
 int gametic;
 
+extern FString BackupSaveGame;
+
+void DoLoadGame(const char* name);
+
 
 //==========================================================================
 //
@@ -137,14 +142,21 @@ static void GameTicker()
 		switch (ga)
 		{
 		case ga_autoloadgame:
-			// todo: for now just handle the restart case
-			g_nextmap = currentLevel;
-			FX_StopAllSounds();
-			FX_SetReverb(0);
-			gi->FreeLevelData();
-			C_ClearMessages();
-			gameaction = ga_level;
-			gi->NewGame(g_nextmap, -1);
+			if (BackupSaveGame.IsNotEmpty() && cl_resumesavegame)
+			{
+				DoLoadGame(BackupSaveGame);
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				g_nextmap = currentLevel;
+				FX_StopAllSounds();
+				FX_SetReverb(0);
+				gi->FreeLevelData();
+				C_ClearMessages();
+				gameaction = ga_level;
+				gi->NewGame(g_nextmap, -1);
+				BackupSaveGame = "";
+			}
 			break;
 
 		case ga_completed:
@@ -178,6 +190,7 @@ static void GameTicker()
 			gi->FreeLevelData();
 			C_ClearMessages();
 			gameaction = ga_level;
+			BackupSaveGame = "";
 			gi->NewGame(g_nextmap, g_nextskill);
 			break;
 
diff --git a/source/core/menu/savegamemanager.cpp b/source/core/menu/savegamemanager.cpp
index 396102c15..a62be3068 100644
--- a/source/core/menu/savegamemanager.cpp
+++ b/source/core/menu/savegamemanager.cpp
@@ -57,28 +57,35 @@
 
 
 FSavegameManager savegameManager;
+FString BackupSaveGame;
 
-void FSavegameManager::LoadGame(FSaveGameNode* node)
+void DoLoadGame(const char* name)
 {
-	inputState.ClearAllInput();
-	gi->FreeLevelData();
-	if (OpenSaveGameForRead(node->Filename))
+	if (OpenSaveGameForRead(name))
 	{
-		if (gi->LoadGame(node))
+		if (gi->LoadGame(nullptr))
 		{
 			gameaction = ga_level;
 		}
 		else
 		{
-			I_Error("%s: Failed to load savegame", node->Filename.GetChars());
+			I_Error("%s: Failed to load savegame", name);
 		}
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		I_Error("%s: Failed to open savegame", node->Filename.GetChars());
+		I_Error("%s: Failed to open savegame", name);
 	}
 }
 
+void FSavegameManager::LoadGame(FSaveGameNode* node)
+{
+	inputState.ClearAllInput();
+	gi->FreeLevelData();
+	DoLoadGame(node->Filename);
+	BackupSaveGame = node->Filename;
+}
+
 void FSavegameManager::SaveGame(FSaveGameNode* node, bool ok4q, bool forceq)
 {
 	if (OpenSaveGameForWrite(node->Filename, node->SaveTitle))
@@ -89,6 +96,7 @@ void FSavegameManager::SaveGame(FSaveGameNode* node, bool ok4q, bool forceq)
 			FString desc = node->SaveTitle;
 			NotifyNewSave(fn, desc, ok4q, forceq);
 			Printf(PRINT_NOTIFY, "%s\n", GStrings("GAME SAVED"));
+			BackupSaveGame = node->Filename;
 		}
 	}
 }