diff --git a/src/dehacked.c b/src/dehacked.c
index e9d029be0..268f9943c 100644
--- a/src/dehacked.c
+++ b/src/dehacked.c
@@ -1863,6 +1863,12 @@ static void readlevelheader(MYFILE *f, INT32 num)
 			}
 			else if (fastcmp(word, "STARTRINGS"))
 				mapheaderinfo[num-1]->startrings = (UINT16)i;
+			else if (fastcmp(word, "SPECIALSTAGETIME"))
+				mapheaderinfo[num-1]->sstimer = i;
+			else if (fastcmp(word, "SPECIALSTAGESPHERES"))
+				mapheaderinfo[num-1]->ssspheres = i;
+			else if (fastcmp(word, "GRAVITY"))
+				mapheaderinfo[num-1]->gravity = FLOAT_TO_FIXED(atof(word2));
 			else
 				deh_warning("Level header %d: unknown word '%s'", num, word);
 		}
diff --git a/src/doomstat.h b/src/doomstat.h
index aedb120ff..1ec03a86c 100644
--- a/src/doomstat.h
+++ b/src/doomstat.h
@@ -319,6 +319,9 @@ typedef struct
 
 	char selectheading[22]; ///< Level select heading. Allows for controllable grouping.
 	UINT16 startrings;      ///< Number of rings players start with.
+	INT32 sstimer;          ///< Timer for special stages.
+	UINT32 ssspheres;       ///< Sphere requirement in special stages.
+	fixed_t gravity;        ///< Map-wide gravity.
 
 	// Title card.
 	char ltzzpatch[8];      ///< Zig zag patch.
diff --git a/src/lua_maplib.c b/src/lua_maplib.c
index d851c820e..ece42b8d3 100644
--- a/src/lua_maplib.c
+++ b/src/lua_maplib.c
@@ -2082,6 +2082,12 @@ static int mapheaderinfo_get(lua_State *L)
 		lua_pushinteger(L, header->menuflags);
 	else if (fastcmp(field,"startrings"))
 		lua_pushinteger(L, header->startrings);
+	else if (fastcmp(field, "sstimer"))
+		lua_pushinteger(L, header->sstimer);
+	else if (fastcmp(field, "ssspheres"))
+		lua_pushinteger(L, header->ssspheres);
+	else if (fastcmp(field, "gravity"))
+		lua_pushfixed(L, header->gravity);
 	// TODO add support for reading numGradedMares and grades
 	else {
 		// Read custom vars now
diff --git a/src/p_setup.c b/src/p_setup.c
index b3b618e51..b4a5f2c3c 100644
--- a/src/p_setup.c
+++ b/src/p_setup.c
@@ -218,6 +218,9 @@ static void P_ClearSingleMapHeaderInfo(INT16 i)
 	mapheaderinfo[num]->typeoflevel = 0;
 	mapheaderinfo[num]->nextlevel = (INT16)(i + 1);
 	mapheaderinfo[num]->startrings = 0;
+	mapheaderinfo[num]->sstimer = 90;
+	mapheaderinfo[num]->ssspheres = 1;
+	mapheaderinfo[num]->gravity = FRACUNIT/2;
 	mapheaderinfo[num]->keywords[0] = '\0';
 	snprintf(mapheaderinfo[num]->musname, 7, "%sM", G_BuildMapName(i));
 	mapheaderinfo[num]->musname[6] = 0;
diff --git a/src/p_spec.c b/src/p_spec.c
index 2cc69c348..aab3f78a5 100644
--- a/src/p_spec.c
+++ b/src/p_spec.c
@@ -6287,11 +6287,11 @@ static void P_RunLevelLoadExecutors(void)
 void P_InitSpecials(void)
 {
 	// Set the default gravity. Custom gravity overrides this setting.
-	gravity = FRACUNIT/2;
+	gravity = mapheaderinfo[gamemap-1]->gravity;
 
 	// Defaults in case levels don't have them set.
-	sstimer = 90*TICRATE + 6;
-	ssspheres = 1;
+	sstimer = mapheaderinfo[gamemap-1]->sstimer*TICRATE + 6;
+	ssspheres = mapheaderinfo[gamemap-1]->ssspheres;
 
 	CheckForBustableBlocks = CheckForBouncySector = CheckForQuicksand = CheckForMarioBlocks = CheckForFloatBob = CheckForReverseGravity = false;