diff --git a/src/k_menu.h b/src/k_menu.h
index 8f741e4e8..baa9eb356 100644
--- a/src/k_menu.h
+++ b/src/k_menu.h
@@ -258,6 +258,18 @@ typedef enum
 	mopt_manual,
 } mopt_e;
 
+typedef enum
+{
+	dopt_screenshot = 0,
+	dopt_addon,
+	dopt_replay,
+#ifdef HAVE_DISCORDRPC
+	dopt_discord,
+#endif
+	dopt_spacer,
+	dopt_erase,
+} dopt_e;
+
 extern menuitem_t OPTIONS_Profiles[];
 extern menu_t OPTIONS_ProfilesDef;
 
diff --git a/src/k_menudef.c b/src/k_menudef.c
index d2e76cc9c..0da8f04be 100644
--- a/src/k_menudef.c
+++ b/src/k_menudef.c
@@ -474,7 +474,7 @@ menu_t PLAY_MP_ServerBrowserDef = {
 	M_ServerBrowserInputs
 };
 
-// options menu
+// options menu --  see mopt_e
 menuitem_t OPTIONS_Main[] =
 {
 
@@ -1249,6 +1249,7 @@ menu_t OPTIONS_ServerAdvancedDef = {
 };
 #endif
 
+// data options menu -- see dopt_e
 menuitem_t OPTIONS_Data[] =
 {
 
@@ -1269,8 +1270,7 @@ menuitem_t OPTIONS_Data[] =
 	{IT_SPACE | IT_NOTHING, NULL,  NULL,
 		NULL, {NULL}, 0, 0},
 
-	// escape sequences don't like any letter from A to E following them... So let's also put E as an escape sequence lol. E is 69 (nice) which is 45 in hex.
-	{IT_STRING | IT_SUBMENU, "\x85\x45rase Data...", "Erase specific data. Be careful, what's deleted is gone forever!",
+	{IT_STRING | IT_SUBMENU, "\x85""Erase Data...", "Erase specific data. Be careful, what's deleted is gone forever!",
 		NULL, {.submenu = &OPTIONS_DataEraseDef}, 0, 0},
 
 };
diff --git a/src/k_menufunc.c b/src/k_menufunc.c
index 8ad6c3086..077829c26 100644
--- a/src/k_menufunc.c
+++ b/src/k_menufunc.c
@@ -4391,17 +4391,21 @@ void M_InitOptions(INT32 choice)
 {
 	(void)choice;
 
-	OPTIONS_MainDef.menuitems[mopt_profiles].status = IT_STRING | IT_CALL;
-	OPTIONS_MainDef.menuitems[mopt_gameplay].status = IT_STRING | IT_SUBMENU;
-	OPTIONS_MainDef.menuitems[mopt_server].status = IT_STRING | IT_SUBMENU;
+	OPTIONS_MainDef.menuitems[mopt_gameplay].status = IT_STRING | IT_TRANSTEXT;
+	OPTIONS_MainDef.menuitems[mopt_server].status = IT_STRING | IT_TRANSTEXT;
 
-	// disable gameplay & server options if you aren't an admin in netgames. (GS_MENU check maybe unecessary but let's not take any chances)
-	if (netgame && gamestate != GS_MENU && !IsPlayerAdmin(consoleplayer))
+	// enable gameplay & server options under the right circumstances.
+	if (gamestate == GS_MENU
+		|| ((server || IsPlayerAdmin(consoleplayer)) && K_CanChangeRules()))
 	{
-		OPTIONS_MainDef.menuitems[mopt_gameplay].status = IT_STRING | IT_TRANSTEXT;
-		OPTIONS_MainDef.menuitems[mopt_server].status = IT_STRING | IT_TRANSTEXT;
+		OPTIONS_MainDef.menuitems[mopt_gameplay].status = IT_STRING | IT_SUBMENU;
+		OPTIONS_MainDef.menuitems[mopt_server].status = IT_STRING | IT_SUBMENU;
 	}
 
+	OPTIONS_DataDef.menuitems[dopt_erase].status = (gamestate == GS_MENU
+		? (IT_STRING | IT_SUBMENU)
+		: (IT_TRANSTEXT2 | IT_SPACE));
+
 	M_ResetOptions();
 
 	// So that pause doesn't go to the main menu...
@@ -5706,7 +5710,6 @@ struct pausemenu_s pausemenu;
 // Pause menu!
 void M_OpenPauseMenu(void)
 {
-	boolean singleplayermode = (modeattacking || grandprixinfo.gp);
 	currentMenu = &PAUSE_MainDef;
 
 	// Ready the variables
@@ -5736,18 +5739,19 @@ void M_OpenPauseMenu(void)
 
 	Dummymenuplayer_OnChange();	// Make sure the consvar is within bounds of the amount of splitscreen players we have.
 
-	if (!singleplayermode && (server || IsPlayerAdmin(consoleplayer)))
+	if (K_CanChangeRules())
 	{
-		PAUSE_Main[mpause_switchmap].status = IT_STRING | IT_SUBMENU;
-		PAUSE_Main[mpause_addons].status = IT_STRING | IT_CALL;
-	}
-
-	if (!singleplayermode)
 		PAUSE_Main[mpause_psetup].status = IT_STRING | IT_CALL;
 
+		if (server || IsPlayerAdmin(consoleplayer))
+		{
+			PAUSE_Main[mpause_switchmap].status = IT_STRING | IT_SUBMENU;
+			PAUSE_Main[mpause_addons].status = IT_STRING | IT_CALL;
+		}
+	}
+
 	if (G_GametypeHasSpectators())
 	{
-
 		if (splitscreen)
 			PAUSE_Main[mpause_spectatemenu].status = IT_STRING|IT_SUBMENU;
 		else