diff --git a/src/command.c b/src/command.c
index 30198c3e2..28b73bdbc 100644
--- a/src/command.c
+++ b/src/command.c
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ CV_PossibleValue_t CV_Natural[] = {{1, "MIN"}, {999999999, "MAX"}, {0, NULL}};
 #else
 	#define VALUE "Off"
 #endif
-consvar_t cv_cheats = CVAR_INIT ("cheats", VALUE, CV_NETVAR|CV_CALL, CV_OnOff, CV_CheatsChanged);
+consvar_t cv_cheats = CVAR_INIT ("cheats", VALUE, CV_NETVAR|CV_CALL|CV_NOINIT, CV_OnOff, CV_CheatsChanged);
 #undef VALUE
 
 // SRB2kart
diff --git a/src/g_game.c b/src/g_game.c
index c2ab6d216..bebaa11b0 100644
--- a/src/g_game.c
+++ b/src/g_game.c
@@ -4501,6 +4501,14 @@ void G_SaveGameData(void)
 	if (!gamedataloaded)
 		return; // If never loaded (-nodata), don't save
 
+	if (usedCheats)
+	{
+#ifdef DEVELOP
+		CONS_Alert(CONS_WARNING, M_GetText("Cheats used - Gamedata will not be saved.\n"));
+#endif
+		return;
+	}
+
 	length = (4+4+4+1+(MAXEMBLEMS)+MAXEXTRAEMBLEMS+MAXUNLOCKABLES+MAXCONDITIONSETS+4+4);
 	length += nummapheaders * (MAXMAPLUMPNAME+1+4+4);
 
@@ -4511,15 +4519,6 @@ void G_SaveGameData(void)
 		return;
 	}
 
-#ifndef DEVELOP
-	if (usedCheats)
-	{
-		free(savebuffer);
-		save_p = savebuffer = NULL;
-		return;
-	}
-#endif
-
 	// Version test
 
 	WRITEUINT32(save_p, GD_VERSIONCHECK); // 4