diff --git a/GameSettings.cpp b/GameSettings.cpp
index 0554ba091..454269b14 100644
--- a/GameSettings.cpp
+++ b/GameSettings.cpp
@@ -1925,8 +1925,9 @@ void LoadSkillTraitsExternalSettings()
 	gSkillTraitValues.ubMaxNumberOfTraits = iniReader.ReadInteger("Generic Traits Settings","MAX_NUMBER_OF_TRAITS", 3, 2, 30);
 	gSkillTraitValues.ubNumberOfMajorTraitsAllowed = iniReader.ReadInteger("Generic Traits Settings","NUMBER_OF_MAJOR_TRAITS_ALLOWED", 2, 2, 20);
 
-	// Allow an exception in number of traits for Dr.Q?
-	gSkillTraitValues.fAllowDrQTraitsException = iniReader.ReadBoolean("Generic Traits Settings","ALLOW_EXCEPTION_FOR_DR_Q", TRUE); 
+	// Allow an exception in number of traits for Special Merc?
+	gSkillTraitValues.fAllowSpecialMercTraitsException = iniReader.ReadBoolean("Generic Traits Settings","ALLOW_EXCEPTION_FOR_SPECIAL_MERC", TRUE); 
+	gSkillTraitValues.ubSpecialMercID = iniReader.ReadInteger("Generic Traits Settings","SPECIAL_MERC_ID", 33, 0, 254);
 
 	// Allow traits prerequisities for attributes?
 	gSkillTraitValues.fAllowAttributePrereq = iniReader.ReadBoolean("Generic Traits Settings","SET_MINIMUM_ATTRIBUTES_FOR_TRAITS", TRUE); 
diff --git a/GameSettings.h b/GameSettings.h
index e1e5d4ad2..d3253a820 100644
--- a/GameSettings.h
+++ b/GameSettings.h
@@ -1211,7 +1211,8 @@ typedef struct
 	UINT8 ubMaxNumberOfTraits;
 	UINT8 ubNumberOfMajorTraitsAllowed;
 
-	BOOLEAN fAllowDrQTraitsException;
+	BOOLEAN fAllowSpecialMercTraitsException;
+	UINT8 ubSpecialMercID;
 
 	BOOLEAN fAllowAttributePrereq;
 
diff --git a/Tactical/Soldier Control.cpp b/Tactical/Soldier Control.cpp
index c74af50af..d2fd4a426 100644
--- a/Tactical/Soldier Control.cpp	
+++ b/Tactical/Soldier Control.cpp	
@@ -17838,16 +17838,17 @@ BOOLEAN HAS_SKILL_TRAIT( SOLDIERTYPE * pSoldier, UINT8 uiSkillTraitNumber )
 	INT8 bNumMajorTraitsCounted = 0;
 	INT8 bMaxTraits = gSkillTraitValues.ubMaxNumberOfTraits;
 	INT8 bMaxMajorTraits = gSkillTraitValues.ubNumberOfMajorTraitsAllowed;
-	// special case for Dr.Q - he's allowed to have 3 major traits and one minor for total by default
-	if ( pSoldier->ubProfile == 33 && gSkillTraitValues.fAllowDrQTraitsException )
-	{
-		bMaxTraits++;
-		bMaxMajorTraits++;
-	}
 
 	// check old/new traits
 	if (gGameOptions.fNewTraitSystem)
 	{
+		// exception for special merc
+		if ( gSkillTraitValues.fAllowSpecialMercTraitsException && pSoldier->ubProfile == gSkillTraitValues.ubSpecialMercID)
+		{
+			bMaxTraits++;
+			bMaxMajorTraits++;
+		}
+		
 		for ( INT8 bCnt = 0; bCnt < min(30,bMaxTraits); bCnt++ )
 		{
 			if ( TwoStagedTrait( uiSkillTraitNumber ) )
@@ -17894,16 +17895,17 @@ INT8 NUM_SKILL_TRAITS( SOLDIERTYPE * pSoldier, UINT8 uiSkillTraitNumber )
 	INT8 bNumMajorTraitsCounted = 0;
 	INT8 bMaxTraits = gSkillTraitValues.ubMaxNumberOfTraits;
 	INT8 bMaxMajorTraits = gSkillTraitValues.ubNumberOfMajorTraitsAllowed;
-	// special case for Dr.Q - he's allowed to have 3 major traits and one minor for total by default
-	if ( pSoldier->ubProfile == 33 && gSkillTraitValues.fAllowDrQTraitsException )
-	{
-		bMaxTraits++;
-		bMaxMajorTraits++;
-	}
 
 	// check old/new traits
 	if (gGameOptions.fNewTraitSystem)
 	{
+		// exception for special merc
+		if ( gSkillTraitValues.fAllowSpecialMercTraitsException && pSoldier->ubProfile == gSkillTraitValues.ubSpecialMercID)
+		{
+			bMaxTraits++;
+			bMaxMajorTraits++;
+		}
+		
 		for ( INT8 bCnt = 0; bCnt < min(30,bMaxTraits); bCnt++ )
 		{
 			if ( TwoStagedTrait( uiSkillTraitNumber ) )
diff --git a/Tactical/Soldier Profile.cpp b/Tactical/Soldier Profile.cpp
index 1ad0b2a04..0f8ca05e5 100644
--- a/Tactical/Soldier Profile.cpp	
+++ b/Tactical/Soldier Profile.cpp	
@@ -2657,11 +2657,20 @@ INT8 ProfileHasSkillTrait( INT32 ubProfileID, INT8 bSkillTrait )
 {
 	INT8 bNumTraits = 0;
 	INT8 bNumMajorTraitsCounted = 0;
+	INT8 bMaxTraits = gSkillTraitValues.ubMaxNumberOfTraits;
+	INT8 bMaxMajorTraits = gSkillTraitValues.ubNumberOfMajorTraitsAllowed;
 
 	// check old/new traits
 	if (gGameOptions.fNewTraitSystem)
 	{
-		for ( INT8 bCnt = 0; bCnt < gSkillTraitValues.ubMaxNumberOfTraits; bCnt++ )
+		// exception for special merc
+		if ( gSkillTraitValues.fAllowSpecialMercTraitsException && ubProfileID == gSkillTraitValues.ubSpecialMercID)
+		{
+			bMaxTraits++;
+			bMaxMajorTraits++;
+		}
+		
+		for ( INT8 bCnt = 0; bCnt < bMaxTraits; bCnt++ )
 		{
 			if ( TwoStagedTrait(bSkillTrait) )
 			{
@@ -2675,7 +2684,7 @@ INT8 ProfileHasSkillTrait( INT32 ubProfileID, INT8 bSkillTrait )
 					bNumMajorTraitsCounted++;
 				}
 				// if we exceeded the allowed number of major traits, ignore the rest of them
-				if ( bNumMajorTraitsCounted >= gSkillTraitValues.ubNumberOfMajorTraitsAllowed )
+				if ( bNumMajorTraitsCounted >= bMaxMajorTraits )
 				{
 					break;
 				}