diff --git a/docs/Complete_list_of_command_line_parameters.htm b/docs/Complete_list_of_command_line_parameters.htm
index 7f49e24c..7d553df8 100644
--- a/docs/Complete_list_of_command_line_parameters.htm
+++ b/docs/Complete_list_of_command_line_parameters.htm
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ td.formatted_questions ol { margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; }
 		<li><strong><code>-fs_homepath</code> path:</strong> Sets the given path as the game home directory name (fs_home + fs_homebase)</li>
 		<li><strong><code>-fs_pakpath</code> path:</strong> Specify a package directory (can be used more than once to look in multiple paths)</li>
 		<li><strong><code>-game</code> gamename:</strong> Load settings for the given game (default: quake3), -help -game lists available games</li>
+		<li><strong><code>-maxmapdrawsurfs</code> N:</strong> Sets max amount of mapDrawSurfs, used during .map compilation (-bsp, -convert), default = 131072</li>
 		<li><strong><code>-subdivisions</code> F:</strong> multiplier for patch subdivisions quality</li>
 		<li><strong><code>-threads</code> N:</strong> number of threads to use</li>
 		<li><strong><code>-v</code>:</strong> Verbose mode</li>
diff --git a/tools/quake3/q3map2/bsp.cpp b/tools/quake3/q3map2/bsp.cpp
index e3b6166b..1299d004 100644
--- a/tools/quake3/q3map2/bsp.cpp
+++ b/tools/quake3/q3map2/bsp.cpp
@@ -634,7 +634,7 @@ int BSPMain( Args& args ){
 	Sys_Printf( "--- BSP ---\n" );
 
 	doingBSP = true;
-	mapDrawSurfs = safe_calloc( sizeof( mapDrawSurface_t ) * MAX_MAP_DRAW_SURFS );
+	mapDrawSurfs = safe_calloc( sizeof( mapDrawSurface_t ) * max_map_draw_surfs );
 	numMapDrawSurfs = 0;
 
 	strClear( tempSource );
diff --git a/tools/quake3/q3map2/convert_bsp.cpp b/tools/quake3/q3map2/convert_bsp.cpp
index 82b7911d..79585d7d 100644
--- a/tools/quake3/q3map2/convert_bsp.cpp
+++ b/tools/quake3/q3map2/convert_bsp.cpp
@@ -952,7 +952,7 @@ static void PseudoCompileBSP( bool need_tree ){
 	facelist_t faces;
 	tree_t tree{};
 
-	mapDrawSurfs = safe_calloc( sizeof( mapDrawSurface_t ) * MAX_MAP_DRAW_SURFS );
+	mapDrawSurfs = safe_calloc( sizeof( mapDrawSurface_t ) * max_map_draw_surfs );
 	numMapDrawSurfs = 0;
 
 	BeginBSPFile();
diff --git a/tools/quake3/q3map2/help.cpp b/tools/quake3/q3map2/help.cpp
index 89ebd9e3..100a5d6b 100644
--- a/tools/quake3/q3map2/help.cpp
+++ b/tools/quake3/q3map2/help.cpp
@@ -457,6 +457,7 @@ static void HelpCommon()
 		{"-fs_homepath <path>", "Sets the given path as the game home directory name (fs_home + fs_homebase)"},
 		{"-fs_pakpath <path>", "Specify a package directory (can be used more than once to look in multiple paths)"},
 		{"-game <gamename>", "Load settings for the given game (default: quake3), -help -game lists available games"},
+		{"-maxmapdrawsurfs <N>", "Sets max amount of mapDrawSurfs, used during .map compilation (-bsp, -convert), default = 131072"},
 		{"-subdivisions <F>", "multiplier for patch subdivisions quality"},
 		{"-threads <N>", "number of threads to use"},
 		{"-v", "Verbose mode"}
diff --git a/tools/quake3/q3map2/main.cpp b/tools/quake3/q3map2/main.cpp
index e1274711..b6eabcf4 100644
--- a/tools/quake3/q3map2/main.cpp
+++ b/tools/quake3/q3map2/main.cpp
@@ -113,6 +113,13 @@ int main( int argc, char **argv ){
 		while ( args.takeArg( "-threads" ) ) {
 			numthreads = atoi( args.takeNext() );
 		}
+
+		/* max_map_draw_surfs */
+		while ( args.takeArg( "-maxmapdrawsurfs" ) ) {
+			max_map_draw_surfs = abs( atoi( args.takeNext() ) );
+			Sys_Printf( "max_map_draw_surfs = %d, mapDrawSurfs size = %.2f MBytes \n",
+			            max_map_draw_surfs, sizeof( mapDrawSurface_t ) * max_map_draw_surfs / ( 1024.f * 1024.f ) );
+		}
 	}
 
 	/* init model library */
diff --git a/tools/quake3/q3map2/q3map2.h b/tools/quake3/q3map2/q3map2.h
index 092e97fc..c782f8c5 100644
--- a/tools/quake3/q3map2/q3map2.h
+++ b/tools/quake3/q3map2/q3map2.h
@@ -203,8 +203,6 @@ inline bool style_is_valid( int style ){ return LS_NORMAL <= style && style < LS
 #define MAX_MAP_VISCLUSTERS     0x4000 // <= MAX_MAP_LEAFS
 #define MAX_MAP_VISIBILITY      ( VIS_HEADER_SIZE + MAX_MAP_VISCLUSTERS * ( ( ( MAX_MAP_VISCLUSTERS + 63 ) & ~63 ) >> 3 ) )
 
-#define MAX_MAP_DRAW_SURFS      0x20000
-
 /* the editor uses these predefined yaw angles to orient entities up or down */
 #define ANGLE_UP                -1
 #define ANGLE_DOWN              -2
@@ -1827,6 +1825,7 @@ inline EBrushType g_brushType = EBrushType::Undefined;
 /* surface stuff */
 inline mapDrawSurface_t   *mapDrawSurfs;
 inline int numMapDrawSurfs;
+inline int max_map_draw_surfs = 0x20000;
 
 inline int numSurfacesByType[ static_cast<std::size_t>( ESurfaceType::Shader ) + 1 ];
 inline int numStripSurfaces;
diff --git a/tools/quake3/q3map2/surface.cpp b/tools/quake3/q3map2/surface.cpp
index 791c104a..57d7dc4e 100644
--- a/tools/quake3/q3map2/surface.cpp
+++ b/tools/quake3/q3map2/surface.cpp
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@
 
 mapDrawSurface_t *AllocDrawSurface( ESurfaceType type ){
 	/* bounds check */
-	if ( numMapDrawSurfs >= MAX_MAP_DRAW_SURFS ) {
-		Error( "MAX_MAP_DRAW_SURFS (%d) exceeded", MAX_MAP_DRAW_SURFS );
+	if ( numMapDrawSurfs >= max_map_draw_surfs ) {
+		Error( "max_map_draw_surfs (%d) exceeded, consider -maxmapdrawsurfs to increase", max_map_draw_surfs );
 	}
 	mapDrawSurface_t *ds = &mapDrawSurfs[ numMapDrawSurfs ];
 	numMapDrawSurfs++;
diff --git a/tools/quake3/q3map2/surface_extra.cpp b/tools/quake3/q3map2/surface_extra.cpp
index e86d96cb..21275fa0 100644
--- a/tools/quake3/q3map2/surface_extra.cpp
+++ b/tools/quake3/q3map2/surface_extra.cpp
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ void LoadSurfaceExtraFile( const char *path ){
 		else
 		{
 			const int surfaceNum = atoi( token );
-			if ( surfaceNum < 0 || surfaceNum > MAX_MAP_DRAW_SURFS ) {
+			if ( surfaceNum < 0 ) {
 				Error( "ReadSurfaceExtraFile(): %s, line %d: bogus surface num %d", srfPath.c_str(), scriptline, surfaceNum );
 			}
 			while ( surfaceNum >= numSurfaceExtras )