diff --git a/src/deh_soc.c b/src/deh_soc.c
index 751c3c07a..2bd662828 100644
--- a/src/deh_soc.c
+++ b/src/deh_soc.c
@@ -953,6 +953,7 @@ void readlevelheader(MYFILE *f, char * name)
 	if (mapheaderinfo[num]->lumpname == NULL)
 	{
 		mapheaderinfo[num]->lumpname = Z_StrDup(name);
+		mapheaderinfo[num]->lumpnamehash = quickncasehash(mapheaderinfo[num]->lumpname, MAXMAPLUMPNAME);
 	}
 
 	do
@@ -2638,9 +2639,10 @@ static void readcondition(UINT8 set, UINT32 id, char *word2)
 		ty = UCRP_PODIUMCUP;
 		{
 			cupheader_t *cup = kartcupheaders;
+			UINT32 hash = quickncasehash(params[1], MAXCUPNAME);
 			while (cup)
 			{
-				if (!strcmp(cup->name, params[1]))
+				if (hash == cup->namehash && !strcmp(cup->name, params[1]))
 					break;
 				cup = cup->next;
 			}
diff --git a/src/dehacked.c b/src/dehacked.c
index 9e50a9f42..ea35a07e5 100644
--- a/src/dehacked.c
+++ b/src/dehacked.c
@@ -465,39 +465,51 @@ static void DEH_LoadDehackedFile(MYFILE *f, boolean mainfile)
 				//
 				else if (fastcmp(word, "CUP"))
 				{
-					cupheader_t *cup = kartcupheaders;
-					cupheader_t *prev = NULL;
-
-					while (cup)
+					size_t len = strlen(word2);
+					if (len <= MAXCUPNAME-1)
 					{
-						if (fastcmp(cup->name, word2))
+						cupheader_t *cup = kartcupheaders;
+						cupheader_t *prev = NULL;
+						UINT32 hash = quickncasehash(word2, MAXCUPNAME);
+
+						while (cup)
 						{
-							// Only a major mod if editing stuff that isn't your own!
-							G_SetGameModified(multiplayer, true);
-							break;
+							if (hash == cup->namehash && fastcmp(cup->name, word2))
+							{
+								// Only a major mod if editing stuff that isn't your own!
+								G_SetGameModified(multiplayer, true);
+								break;
+							}
+
+							prev = cup;
+							cup = cup->next;
 						}
 
-						prev = cup;
-						cup = cup->next;
-					}
+						// Nothing found, add to the end.
+						if (!cup)
+						{
+							cup = Z_Calloc(sizeof (cupheader_t), PU_STATIC, NULL);
+							cup->id = numkartcupheaders;
+							cup->monitor = 1;
+							deh_strlcpy(cup->name, word2,
+								sizeof(cup->name), va("Cup header %s: name", word2));
+							cup->namehash = hash;
+							if (prev != NULL)
+								prev->next = cup;
+							if (kartcupheaders == NULL)
+								kartcupheaders = cup;
+							numkartcupheaders++;
+							CONS_Printf("Added cup %d ('%s')\n", cup->id, cup->name);
+						}
 
-					// Nothing found, add to the end.
-					if (!cup)
+						readcupheader(f, cup);
+
+					}
+					else
 					{
-						cup = Z_Calloc(sizeof (cupheader_t), PU_STATIC, NULL);
-						cup->id = numkartcupheaders;
-						cup->monitor = 1;
-						deh_strlcpy(cup->name, word2,
-							sizeof(cup->name), va("Cup header %s: name", word2));
-						if (prev != NULL)
-							prev->next = cup;
-						if (kartcupheaders == NULL)
-							kartcupheaders = cup;
-						numkartcupheaders++;
-						CONS_Printf("Added cup %d ('%s')\n", cup->id, cup->name);
+						deh_warning("Cup header's name %s is too long (%s characters VS %d max)", word2, sizeu1(len), (MAXCUPNAME-1));
+						ignorelines(f);
 					}
-
-					readcupheader(f, cup);
 				}
 				else if (fastcmp(word, "WEATHER") || fastcmp(word, "PRECIP") || fastcmp(word, "PRECIPITATION"))
 				{
diff --git a/src/doomstat.h b/src/doomstat.h
index 77317fd0a..ab73c70dc 100644
--- a/src/doomstat.h
+++ b/src/doomstat.h
@@ -363,11 +363,16 @@ struct customoption_t
 #define CUPCACHE_SPECIAL (CUPCACHE_BONUS+MAXBONUSLIST)
 #define CUPCACHE_MAX (CUPCACHE_SPECIAL+1)
 
+#define MAXCUPNAME 16 // includes \0, for cleaner savedata
+
 struct cupheader_t
 {
 	UINT16 id;								///< Cup ID
 	UINT8 monitor;							///< Monitor graphic 1-9 or A-Z
-	char name[15];							///< Cup title (14 chars)
+
+	char name[MAXCUPNAME];					///< Cup title
+	UINT32 namehash;						///< Cup title hash
+
 	char icon[9];							///< Name of the icon patch
 	char *levellist[CUPCACHE_MAX];			///< List of levels that belong to this cup
 	INT16 cachedlevels[CUPCACHE_MAX];		///< IDs in levellist, bonusgame, and specialstage
@@ -400,6 +405,7 @@ struct mapheader_t
 {
 	// Core game information, not user-modifiable directly
 	char *lumpname;						///< Lump name can be really long
+	UINT32 lumpnamehash;				///< quickncasehash(->lumpname, MAXMAPLUMPNAME)
 	lumpnum_t lumpnum;       			///< Lump number for the map, used by vres_GetMap
 
 	void *thumbnailPic;					///< Lump data for the level select thumbnail.
diff --git a/src/g_game.c b/src/g_game.c
index 9f75d137a..cf2e4b184 100644
--- a/src/g_game.c
+++ b/src/g_game.c
@@ -807,9 +807,13 @@ INT32 G_MapNumber(const char * name)
 #endif
 	{
 		INT32 map;
+		UINT32 hash = quickncasehash(name, MAXMAPLUMPNAME);
 
 		for (map = 0; map < nummapheaders; ++map)
 		{
+			if (hash != mapheaderinfo[map]->lumpnamehash)
+				continue;
+
 			if (strcasecmp(mapheaderinfo[map]->lumpname, name) != 0)
 				continue;
 
@@ -4980,15 +4984,20 @@ void G_LoadGameData(void)
 
 		for (i = 0; i < numgamedatacups; i++)
 		{
-			char cupname[16];
+			char cupname[MAXCUPNAME];
 			cupheader_t *cup;
 
 			// Find the relevant cup.
 			READSTRINGN(save.p, cupname, sizeof(cupname));
+			UINT32 hash = quickncasehash(cupname, MAXCUPNAME);
 			for (cup = kartcupheaders; cup; cup = cup->next)
 			{
+				if (cup->namehash != hash)
+					continue;
+
 				if (strcmp(cup->name, cupname))
 					continue;
+
 				break;
 			}
 
diff --git a/src/m_cond.c b/src/m_cond.c
index 5b551f646..41510210c 100644
--- a/src/m_cond.c
+++ b/src/m_cond.c
@@ -2064,9 +2064,10 @@ cupheader_t *M_UnlockableCup(unlockable_t *unlock)
 		if (unlock->stringVarCache == -1)
 		{
 			// Get the cup from the string.
+			UINT32 hash = quickncasehash(unlock->stringVar, MAXCUPNAME);
 			while (cup)
 			{
-				if (!strcmp(cup->name, unlock->stringVar))
+				if (hash == cup->namehash && !strcmp(cup->name, unlock->stringVar))
 					break;
 				cup = cup->next;
 			}