diff --git a/Loading Screen.cpp b/Loading Screen.cpp
index 7d3ca448..496ee259 100644
--- a/Loading Screen.cpp	
+++ b/Loading Screen.cpp	
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ void DisplayLoadScreenWithID( UINT8 ubLoadScreenID )
 
 					if (fAlternate && (Random(2) > 0))
 					{
-						if(gSectorLoadscreens[i].szImageFormatAlt != NULL)
+						if (strlen(gSectorLoadscreens[i].szImageFormatAlt) > 0)
 							imageFormat = gSectorLoadscreens[i].szImageFormatAlt;
 						switch (ubLoadScreenID)
 						{
diff --git a/Tactical/XML_SectorLoadscreens.cpp b/Tactical/XML_SectorLoadscreens.cpp
index 36115eb9..74b376c7 100644
--- a/Tactical/XML_SectorLoadscreens.cpp
+++ b/Tactical/XML_SectorLoadscreens.cpp
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ sectorLoadscreensStartElementHandle(void *userData, const XML_Char *name, const
 				strcmp(name, "szDay") == 0 ||
 				strcmp(name, "szNight") == 0 ||
 				strcmp(name, "szDayAlt") == 0 ||
-				strcmp(name, "szNightAlt") == 0))
+				strcmp(name, "szNightAlt") == 0 ||
+				strcmp(name, "szImageFormatAlt") == 0))
 		{
 			pData->curElement = ELEMENT_PROPERTY;