diff --git a/sp/src/game/server/hl2/hl2_player.cpp b/sp/src/game/server/hl2/hl2_player.cpp
index c148ba3e..d44849e7 100644
--- a/sp/src/game/server/hl2/hl2_player.cpp
+++ b/sp/src/game/server/hl2/hl2_player.cpp
@@ -1476,6 +1476,9 @@ CStudioHdr *CHL2_Player::OnNewModel()
 
 	return hdr;
 }
+
+extern char g_szDefaultPlayerModel[MAX_PATH];
+extern bool g_bDefaultPlayerDrawExternally;
 #endif
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1486,8 +1489,13 @@ void CHL2_Player::Spawn(void)
 
 #ifndef HL2MP
 #ifndef PORTAL
+#ifdef MAPBASE
+	if ( GetModelName() == NULL_STRING )
+		SetModel( g_szDefaultPlayerModel );
+#else
 	SetModel( "models/player.mdl" );
 #endif
+#endif
 #endif
 
 	BaseClass::Spawn();
@@ -1501,6 +1509,8 @@ void CHL2_Player::Spawn(void)
 
 		RemoveEffects( EF_NODRAW );
 	}
+
+	SetDrawPlayerModelExternally( g_bDefaultPlayerDrawExternally );
 #endif
 
 	//
diff --git a/sp/src/game/shared/mapbase/mapbase_shared.cpp b/sp/src/game/shared/mapbase/mapbase_shared.cpp
index 877cf9ff..8550b6dc 100644
--- a/sp/src/game/shared/mapbase/mapbase_shared.cpp
+++ b/sp/src/game/shared/mapbase/mapbase_shared.cpp
@@ -82,6 +82,12 @@ static bool g_bMapbaseCore;
 // The game's name found in gameinfo.txt. Mostly used for Discord RPC.
 char g_iszGameName[128];
 
+#ifdef GAME_DLL
+// Default player configuration
+char g_szDefaultPlayerModel[MAX_PATH];
+bool g_bDefaultPlayerDrawExternally;
+#endif
+
 enum
 {
 	MANIFEST_SOUNDSCRIPTS,
@@ -216,6 +222,11 @@ public:
 
 				Q_strncpy(g_iszGameName, pszGameName, sizeof(g_iszGameName));
 			}
+
+#ifdef GAME_DLL
+			Q_strncpy( g_szDefaultPlayerModel, gameinfo->GetString( "player_default_model", "models/player.mdl" ), sizeof( g_szDefaultPlayerModel ) );
+			g_bDefaultPlayerDrawExternally = gameinfo->GetBool( "player_default_draw_externally", false );
+#endif
 		}
 		gameinfo->deleteThis();