diff --git a/inc/common/cmodel.h b/inc/common/cmodel.h
index c237c4737..739ada533 100644
--- a/inc/common/cmodel.h
+++ b/inc/common/cmodel.h
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ void        CM_Init(void);
 
 void        CM_FreeMap(cm_t *cm);
 int         CM_LoadMap(cm_t *cm, const char *name);
-void        CM_LoadOverrides(cm_t *cm, char *server, size_t server_size);
+void        CM_LoadOverride(cm_t *cm, char *server, size_t server_size);
 
 const mnode_t   *CM_NodeNum(const cm_t *cm, int number);
 const mleaf_t   *CM_LeafNum(const cm_t *cm, int number);
diff --git a/src/common/cmodel.c b/src/common/cmodel.c
index 5f4303b69..36d89cdbf 100644
--- a/src/common/cmodel.c
+++ b/src/common/cmodel.c
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
 #include "common/cmd.h"
 #include "common/cmodel.h"
 #include "common/common.h"
+#include "common/crc.h"
 #include "common/cvar.h"
 #include "common/files.h"
 #include "common/math.h"
@@ -50,20 +51,43 @@ enum {
     OVERRIDE_ALL    = MASK(3)
 };
 
-static void load_entstring_override(cm_t *cm, const char *server)
+static void load_entstring_override(cm_t *cm)
 {
-    char buffer[MAX_QPATH], *data = NULL;
-    int ret;
+    char buffer[MAX_QPATH], name[MAX_QPATH], *data = NULL;
+    const bsp_t *bsp = cm->cache;
+    const char *path = map_override_path->string;
+    int ret, crc = 0;
+
+    if (!*path)
+        return;
+
+    if (!Com_ParseMapName(name, bsp->name, sizeof(name)))
+        return;
 
-    if (Q_snprintf(buffer, sizeof(buffer), "%s/%s.ent", map_override_path->string, server) >= sizeof(buffer)) {
+    // last byte is excluded from CRC (why?)
+    if (bsp->numentitychars > 0)
+        crc = CRC_Block((const byte *)bsp->entitystring, bsp->numentitychars - 1);
+
+    // load entity string from `<mapname>@<hash>.ent'
+    if (Q_snprintf(buffer, sizeof(buffer), "%s/%s@%04x.ent", path, name, crc) >= sizeof(buffer)) {
         ret = Q_ERR(ENAMETOOLONG);
         goto fail;
     }
-
     ret = FS_LoadFileEx(buffer, (void **)&data, 0, TAG_CMODEL);
-    if (!data) {
-        if (ret == Q_ERR(ENOENT))
-            return;
+
+    // fall back to no hash
+    if (ret == Q_ERR(ENOENT)) {
+        Q_snprintf(buffer, sizeof(buffer), "%s/%s.ent", path, name);
+        ret = FS_LoadFileEx(buffer, (void **)&data, 0, TAG_CMODEL);
+    }
+    if (ret == Q_ERR(ENOENT))
+        return;
+
+    if (ret < 0)
+        goto fail;
+
+    if (ret < 2) {
+        ret = Q_ERR_FILE_TOO_SMALL;
         goto fail;
     }
 
@@ -77,7 +101,18 @@ static void load_entstring_override(cm_t *cm, const char *server)
     Com_EPrintf("Couldn't load entity string from %s: %s\n", buffer, Q_ErrorString(ret));
 }
 
-static void load_binary_override(cm_t *cm, char *server, size_t server_size)
+/*
+==================
+CM_LoadOverride
+
+Load R1Q2-style binary override file.
+
+Must be called before CM_LoadMap().
+May modify server buffer if name override is in effect.
+May allocate enstring, must be freed with CM_FreeMap().
+==================
+*/
+void CM_LoadOverride(cm_t *cm, char *server, size_t server_size)
 {
     sizebuf_t sz;
     char buffer[MAX_QPATH];
@@ -85,6 +120,9 @@ static void load_binary_override(cm_t *cm, char *server, size_t server_size)
     int ret, bits, len;
     char *buf, name_buf[MAX_QPATH];
 
+    if (!*map_override_path->string)
+        return;
+
     if (Q_snprintf(buffer, sizeof(buffer), "%s/%s.bsp.override", map_override_path->string, server) >= sizeof(buffer)) {
         ret = Q_ERR(ENAMETOOLONG);
         goto fail;
@@ -141,28 +179,6 @@ static void load_binary_override(cm_t *cm, char *server, size_t server_size)
     FS_FreeFile(data);
 }
 
-/*
-==================
-CM_LoadOverrides
-
-Ugly hack to override entstring and other parameters.
-
-Must be called before CM_LoadMap.
-May modify server buffer if name override is in effect.
-May allocate enstring, must be freed with CM_FreeMap().
-==================
-*/
-void CM_LoadOverrides(cm_t *cm, char *server, size_t server_size)
-{
-    if (!*map_override_path->string)
-        return;
-
-    load_binary_override(cm, server, server_size);
-
-    if (!(cm->override_bits & OVERRIDE_ENTS))
-        load_entstring_override(cm, server);
-}
-
 /*
 ==================
 CM_FreeMap
@@ -196,6 +212,9 @@ int CM_LoadMap(cm_t *cm, const char *name)
     if (!cm->cache)
         return ret;
 
+    if (!(cm->override_bits & OVERRIDE_ENTS))
+        load_entstring_override(cm);
+
     if (!(cm->override_bits & OVERRIDE_CSUM))
         cm->checksum = cm->cache->checksum;
 
diff --git a/src/server/init.c b/src/server/init.c
index 9dfc8421f..4150460b7 100644
--- a/src/server/init.c
+++ b/src/server/init.c
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ static bool parse_and_check_server(mapcmd_t *cmd, const char *server, bool nexts
         break;
 
     default:
-        CM_LoadOverrides(&cmd->cm, cmd->server, sizeof(cmd->server));   // may override server!
+        CM_LoadOverride(&cmd->cm, cmd->server, sizeof(cmd->server));    // may override server!
         if (Q_concat(expanded, sizeof(expanded), "maps/", cmd->server, ".bsp") < sizeof(expanded))
             ret = CM_LoadMap(&cmd->cm, expanded);
         if (ret < 0)