diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/cheats.cpp b/source/games/duke/src/cheats.cpp
index a98cdefa1..2a093a129 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/cheats.cpp
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/cheats.cpp
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ static bool cheatLevel(cheatseq_t *s)
 	auto map = FindMapByIndex(volnume, levnume);
 	if (map)
 	{
-		ChangeLevel(map, g_nextskill);
+		DeferredStartGame(map, g_nextskill);
 	}
 	return true;
 }