diff --git a/apps/openmw/engine.cpp b/apps/openmw/engine.cpp
index 8c5ee33f7..bcf2de40d 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/engine.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/engine.cpp
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ OMW::Engine::Engine()
   : mDebug (false)
   , mVerboseScripts (false)
   , mNewGame (false)
+  , mUseSound (true)
   , mScriptManager (0)
   , mScriptContext (0)
 {
@@ -239,7 +240,8 @@ void OMW::Engine::go()
     mEnvironment.mSoundManager = new MWSound::SoundManager(mOgre.getRoot(),
                                                            mOgre.getCamera(),
                                                            mEnvironment.mWorld->getStore(),
-                                                           (mDataDir / "Sound").file_string());
+                                                           (mDataDir / "Sound").file_string(),
+                                                           mUseSound);
 
     // Create script system
     mScriptContext = new MWScript::CompilerContext (MWScript::CompilerContext::Type_Full,
diff --git a/apps/openmw/engine.hpp b/apps/openmw/engine.hpp
index bc612d13c..d7420889f 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/engine.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/engine.hpp
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ namespace OMW
             bool mDebug;
             bool mVerboseScripts;
             bool mNewGame;
+            bool mUseSound;
 
             MWWorld::Environment mEnvironment;
             MWScript::ScriptManager *mScriptManager;
@@ -115,6 +116,9 @@ namespace OMW
             /// Enable verbose script output
             void enableVerboseScripts();
 
+            /// Disable all sound
+            void disableSound() { mUseSound = false; }
+
             /// Start as a new game.
             void setNewGame();
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/main.cpp b/apps/openmw/main.cpp
index ff3f32e3d..b622b1f27 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/main.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/main.cpp
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ bool parseOptions (int argc, char**argv, OMW::Engine& engine)
         ("master", bpo::value<std::string>()->default_value ("Morrowind"),
             "master file")
         ( "debug", "debug mode" )
+        ( "nosound", "disable all sound" )
         ( "script-verbose", "verbose script output" )
         ( "new-game", "activate char gen/new game mechanics" )
         ;
@@ -64,6 +65,9 @@ bool parseOptions (int argc, char**argv, OMW::Engine& engine)
     
     if (variables.count ("debug"))
         engine.enableDebugMode();
+
+    if (variables.count ("nosound"))
+        engine.disableSound();
         
     if (variables.count ("script-verbose"))
         engine.enableVerboseScripts();
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanager.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanager.cpp
index f8f5eeb00..f9f3dc9cb 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanager.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanager.cpp
@@ -150,29 +150,37 @@ namespace MWSound
 
   SoundManager::SoundManager(Ogre::Root *root, Ogre::Camera *camera,
                              const ESMS::ESMStore &store,
-                             const std::string &soundDir)
+                             const std::string &soundDir,
+                             bool useSound)
+    : mData(NULL)
   {
-    mData = new SoundImpl(root, camera, store, soundDir);
+    if(useSound)
+      mData = new SoundImpl(root, camera, store, soundDir);
   }
 
   SoundManager::~SoundManager()
   {
-    delete mData;
+    if(mData)
+      delete mData;
   }
 
   void SoundManager::say (MWWorld::Ptr ptr, const std::string& filename)
   {
     // The range values are not tested
+    if(!mData) return;
     mData->add(filename, ptr, "_say_sound", 1, 1, 100, 10000, false);
   }
 
   bool SoundManager::sayDone (MWWorld::Ptr ptr) const
   {
+    if(!mData) return false;
     return !mData->isPlaying(ptr, "_say_sound");
   }
 
   void SoundManager::streamMusic (const std::string& filename)
   {
+    if(!mData) return;
+
     // Play the sound and tell it to stream, if possible. TODO:
     // Store the reference, the jukebox will need to check status,
     // control volume etc.
@@ -184,6 +192,8 @@ namespace MWSound
 
   void SoundManager::playSound (const std::string& soundId, float volume, float pitch)
   {
+    if(!mData) return;
+
     // Play and forget
     float min, max;
     const std::string &file = mData->lookup(soundId, volume, min, max);
@@ -199,6 +209,8 @@ namespace MWSound
   void SoundManager::playSound3D (MWWorld::Ptr ptr, const std::string& soundId,
                                   float volume, float pitch, bool loop)
   {
+    if(!mData) return;
+
     // Look up the sound in the ESM data
     float min, max;
     const std::string &file = mData->lookup(soundId, volume, min, max);
@@ -208,21 +220,28 @@ namespace MWSound
 
   void SoundManager::stopSound3D (MWWorld::Ptr ptr, const std::string& soundId)
   {
+    if(!mData) return;
     mData->remove(ptr, soundId);
   }
 
   void SoundManager::stopSound (MWWorld::Ptr::CellStore *cell)
   {
+    if(!mData) return;
     mData->removeCell(cell);
   }
 
   bool SoundManager::getSoundPlaying (MWWorld::Ptr ptr, const std::string& soundId) const
   {
+    // Mark all sounds as playing, otherwise the scripts will just
+    // keep trying to play them every frame.
+    if(!mData) return true;
+
     return mData->isPlaying(ptr, soundId);
   }
 
   void SoundManager::updateObject(MWWorld::Ptr ptr)
   {
+    if(!mData) return;
     mData->updatePositions(ptr);
   }
 }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanager.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanager.hpp
index 9b4745203..9f99b34b2 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanager.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwsound/soundmanager.hpp
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ namespace MWSound
 
         public:
       SoundManager(Ogre::Root*, Ogre::Camera*, const ESMS::ESMStore &store,
-                   const std::string &soundDir);
+                   const std::string &soundDir, bool useSound);
             ~SoundManager();
 
             void say (MWWorld::Ptr reference, const std::string& filename);