diff --git a/source/duke3d/src/common.cpp b/source/duke3d/src/common.cpp
index 93b932669..78efa4e5e 100644
--- a/source/duke3d/src/common.cpp
+++ b/source/duke3d/src/common.cpp
@@ -1060,26 +1060,26 @@ void G_LoadLookups(void)
 //////////
 
 #ifdef FORMAT_UPGRADE_ELIGIBLE
+int g_maybeUpgradeSoundFormats = 1;
 
 static buildvfs_kfd S_TryFormats(char * const testfn, char * const fn_suffix, char const searchfirst)
 {
-#ifdef HAVE_FLAC
+    if (g_maybeUpgradeSoundFormats)
     {
+#ifdef HAVE_FLAC
         Bstrcpy(fn_suffix, ".flac");
-        buildvfs_kfd const fp = kopen4loadfrommod(testfn, searchfirst);
-        if (fp != buildvfs_kfd_invalid)
-            return fp;
-    }
+        buildvfs_kfd const ffp = kopen4loadfrommod(testfn, searchfirst);
+        if (ffp != buildvfs_kfd_invalid)
+            return ffp;
 #endif
 
 #ifdef HAVE_VORBIS
-    {
         Bstrcpy(fn_suffix, ".ogg");
         buildvfs_kfd const fp = kopen4loadfrommod(testfn, searchfirst);
         if (fp != buildvfs_kfd_invalid)
             return fp;
-    }
 #endif
+    }
 
     return buildvfs_kfd_invalid;
 }
diff --git a/source/duke3d/src/common_game.h b/source/duke3d/src/common_game.h
index e9163cfcf..b1df09bec 100644
--- a/source/duke3d/src/common_game.h
+++ b/source/duke3d/src/common_game.h
@@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ extern void G_LoadLookups(void);
 
 #if defined HAVE_FLAC || defined HAVE_VORBIS
 # define FORMAT_UPGRADE_ELIGIBLE
+extern int g_maybeUpgradeSoundFormats;
 extern buildvfs_kfd S_OpenAudio(const char *fn, char searchfirst, uint8_t ismusic);
 #else
 # define S_OpenAudio(fn, searchfirst, ismusic) kopen4loadfrommod(fn, searchfirst)
diff --git a/source/duke3d/src/osdcmds.cpp b/source/duke3d/src/osdcmds.cpp
index 405b4417d..de5bd1275 100644
--- a/source/duke3d/src/osdcmds.cpp
+++ b/source/duke3d/src/osdcmds.cpp
@@ -1696,7 +1696,7 @@ int32_t registerosdcommands(void)
         { "snd_numvoices", "the number of concurrent sounds", (void *)&ud.config.NumVoices, CVAR_INT, 1, 128 },
         { "snd_reversestereo", "reverses the stereo channels", (void *)&ud.config.ReverseStereo, CVAR_BOOL, 0, 1 },
         { "snd_speech", "enables/disables player speech", (void *)&ud.config.VoiceToggle, CVAR_INT, 0, 5 },
-
+        { "snd_tryformats", "enables/disables automatic discovery of replacement sounds and music in .flac and .ogg formats", (void *)&g_maybeUpgradeSoundFormats, CVAR_BOOL, 0, 1 },
         { "team","change team in multiplayer", (void *)&ud.team, CVAR_INT|CVAR_MULTI, 0, 3 },
 
 #ifdef EDUKE32_TOUCH_DEVICES