diff --git a/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/graphics/sdl/3do_funcs.c b/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/graphics/sdl/3do_funcs.c
index a0ebd90ad..78ecbc1f4 100644
--- a/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/graphics/sdl/3do_funcs.c
+++ b/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/graphics/sdl/3do_funcs.c
@@ -23,8 +23,7 @@
 #include "opengl.h"
 
 int batch_depth = 0;
-
-static Task transition_task;
+static const BOOLEAN pausing_transition = TRUE; // change to FALSE for non-pausing version
 
 
 //Status: Not entirely unimplemented!
@@ -103,12 +102,12 @@ SetGraphicStrength (int numerator, int denominator)
 static int
 transition_task_func (void *data)
 {
-	const float TRANSITION_SPEED = (31.0f / 60.0f);
+	const float DURATION = (31.0f / 60.0f); // in seconds
 	Uint32 last_time = 0, current_time, delta_time, add_amount;
 	Task task = (Task)data;
-	
-	last_time = SDL_GetTicks ();
+
 	TransitionAmount = 0;
+	last_time = SDL_GetTicks ();
 
 	for (;;)
 	{
@@ -118,15 +117,18 @@ transition_task_func (void *data)
 		delta_time = current_time - last_time;
 		last_time = current_time;
 		
-		add_amount = (Uint32)((delta_time / 1000.0f / TRANSITION_SPEED) * 255);
+		add_amount = (Uint32) ((delta_time / 1000.0f / DURATION) * 255);
 		if (TransitionAmount + add_amount >= 255)
 			break;
 
 		TransitionAmount += add_amount;
 	}
 	
-	TransitionAmount = -1;
-	FinishTask (task);
+	TransitionAmount = 255;
+
+	if (!pausing_transition)
+		FinishTask (task);
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -134,34 +136,48 @@ transition_task_func (void *data)
 void
 ScreenTransition (int TransType, PRECT pRect)
 {
+	Task transition_task;
+
 	//fprintf(stderr, "ScreenTransition %d\n", TransType);
 
-	if (TransitionAmount == -1)
-	{
-		if (pRect)
-		{
-			TransitionClipRect.x = pRect->corner.x;
-			TransitionClipRect.y = pRect->corner.y;
-			TransitionClipRect.w = pRect->extent.width;
-			TransitionClipRect.h = pRect->extent.height;
-		}
-		else
-		{
-			TransitionClipRect.x = TransitionClipRect.y = 0;
-			TransitionClipRect.w = ScreenWidth;
-			TransitionClipRect.h = ScreenHeight;
-		}
+	if (TransitionAmount != 255)
+		return;
 
-		SDL_BlitSurface (SDL_Screen, &TransitionClipRect, TransitionScreen, &TransitionClipRect);
+	if (pRect)
+	{
+		TransitionClipRect.x = pRect->corner.x;
+		TransitionClipRect.y = pRect->corner.y;
+		TransitionClipRect.w = pRect->extent.width;
+		TransitionClipRect.h = pRect->extent.height;
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		TransitionClipRect.x = TransitionClipRect.y = 0;
+		TransitionClipRect.w = ScreenWidth;
+		TransitionClipRect.h = ScreenHeight;
+	}
+
+	SDL_BlitSurface (SDL_Screen, &TransitionClipRect, TransitionScreen, &TransitionClipRect);
 
 #ifdef HAVE_OPENGL
-		if (GraphicsDriver == TFB_GFXDRIVER_SDL_OPENGL)
-		{
-			TFB_GL_UploadTransitionScreen ();
-		}
+	if (GraphicsDriver == TFB_GFXDRIVER_SDL_OPENGL)
+	{
+		TFB_GL_UploadTransitionScreen ();
+	}
 #endif
+	
+	if (pausing_transition)
+	{
+		TransitionAmount = 0;
+		FlushGraphics ();
+	}
 
-		transition_task = AssignTask (transition_task_func, 1024, "screen transition");
+	transition_task = AssignTask (transition_task_func, 1024, "screen transition");
+
+	if (pausing_transition)
+	{
+		WaitThread (transition_task->thread, NULL);
+		FinishTask (transition_task);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/graphics/sdl/opengl.c b/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/graphics/sdl/opengl.c
index abf50d6ff..5f310c250 100644
--- a/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/graphics/sdl/opengl.c
+++ b/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/graphics/sdl/opengl.c
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ TFB_GL_SwapBuffers (void)
 	TFB_GL_DrawQuad ();
 
 	transition_amount = TransitionAmount;
-	if (transition_amount != -1)
+	if (transition_amount != 255)
 	{
 		float scale_x = (ScreenWidthActual / (float)ScreenWidth);
 		float scale_y = (ScreenHeightActual / (float)ScreenHeight);
diff --git a/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/graphics/sdl/pure.c b/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/graphics/sdl/pure.c
index 90395c0fd..2d4d90840 100644
--- a/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/graphics/sdl/pure.c
+++ b/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/graphics/sdl/pure.c
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ TFB_Pure_SwapBuffers ()
 	int fade_amount = FadeAmount;
 	int transition_amount = TransitionAmount;
 
-	if (transition_amount != -1)
+	if (transition_amount != 255)
 	{
 		backbuffer = fade_temp;
 		SDL_BlitSurface (SDL_Screen, NULL, backbuffer, NULL);
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ TFB_Pure_SwapBuffers ()
 
 	if (fade_amount != 255)
 	{
-		if (transition_amount == -1)
+		if (transition_amount == 255)
 		{
 			backbuffer = fade_temp;
 			SDL_BlitSurface (SDL_Screen, NULL, backbuffer, NULL);
diff --git a/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/graphics/sdl/sdl_common.c b/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/graphics/sdl/sdl_common.c
index 626ef00c0..1a2e665f4 100644
--- a/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/graphics/sdl/sdl_common.c
+++ b/sc2/src/sc2code/libs/graphics/sdl/sdl_common.c
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ SDL_Surface *ExtraScreen;
 SDL_Surface *TransitionScreen;
 
 
-volatile int TransitionAmount = -1;
+volatile int TransitionAmount = 255;
 SDL_Rect TransitionClipRect;
 
 BOOLEAN ShowFPS = FALSE;