diff --git a/GameSettings.cpp b/GameSettings.cpp
index 471dc3579..aa65f0d6b 100644
--- a/GameSettings.cpp
+++ b/GameSettings.cpp
@@ -885,6 +885,7 @@ void LoadGameExternalOptions()
 	gGameExternalOptions.usWorkerTrainingPoints							= iniReader.ReadInteger( "Financial Settings", "WORKER_TRAINING_POINTS", 100, 1, 250 );
 	
 	//################# Troubleshooting Settings #################
+	gGameExternalOptions.gfCheatMode = iniReader.ReadBoolean("Troubleshooting Settings", "CHEAT_MODE", FALSE, false);
 
 	gGameExternalOptions.gubDeadLockDelay = (UINT8) iniReader.ReadInteger("Troubleshooting Settings","DEAD_LOCK_DELAY",15, 5, 50);
 	gGameExternalOptions.gfEnableEmergencyButton_SkipStrategicEvents = iniReader.ReadBoolean("Troubleshooting Settings","ENABLE_EMERGENCY_BUTTON_NUMLOCK_TO_SKIP_STRATEGIC_EVENTS",0);
diff --git a/GameSettings.h b/GameSettings.h
index be398428e..d799902a5 100644
--- a/GameSettings.h
+++ b/GameSettings.h
@@ -403,6 +403,7 @@ typedef struct
 	///////////////////////////////////////
 
 	// System settings
+	BOOLEAN gfCheatMode;
 	UINT8 gubDeadLockDelay;
 	BOOLEAN gfEnableEmergencyButton_SkipStrategicEvents;
 
diff --git a/SaveLoadGame.cpp b/SaveLoadGame.cpp
index bb9db4574..d10543951 100644
--- a/SaveLoadGame.cpp
+++ b/SaveLoadGame.cpp
@@ -6733,7 +6733,10 @@ BOOLEAN LoadSavedGame( int ubSavedGameID )
 	//}
 
 #ifndef JA2TESTVERSION
-	RESET_CHEAT_LEVEL( );
+	if (gGameExternalOptions.gfCheatMode)
+		ACTIVATE_CHEAT_LEVEL();
+	else
+		RESET_CHEAT_LEVEL();
 #endif
 
 #ifdef JA2BETAVERSION
diff --git a/Strategic/Game Init.cpp b/Strategic/Game Init.cpp
index 76f69e100..96de80e7d 100644
--- a/Strategic/Game Init.cpp	
+++ b/Strategic/Game Init.cpp	
@@ -1224,7 +1224,9 @@ void ReStartingGame()
 	gpCustomizableTimerCallback = NULL;
 
 	// WANNE - MP: Set cheat level to 0 for mp
-	if (!is_networked)
+	if (gGameExternalOptions.gfCheatMode)
+		gubCheatLevel = 6;
+	else if (!is_networked)
 		gubCheatLevel = STARTING_CHEAT_LEVEL;
 	else
 		gubCheatLevel = 0;