diff --git a/src/game/client/game_client.cpp b/src/game/client/game_client.cpp
index 67354bec5..e3a0ab767 100644
--- a/src/game/client/game_client.cpp
+++ b/src/game/client/game_client.cpp
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 using namespace baselib;
 
-static data_container *data;
+data_container *data = 0x0;
 
 int charids[16] = {2,10,0,4,12,6,14,1,9,15,13,11,7,5,8,3};
 
diff --git a/src/game/client/menu.cpp b/src/game/client/menu.cpp
index d90e50399..dc689ab69 100644
--- a/src/game/client/menu.cpp
+++ b/src/game/client/menu.cpp
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 
 #include "data.h"
 
-static data_container *data;
+extern data_container *data;
 
 using namespace baselib;
 
@@ -956,8 +956,6 @@ void modmenu_init()
     teewars_banner_texture = gfx_load_texture("data/gui_logo.png");
 
 	music_menu = snd_load_wav("data/audio/Music_Menu.wav");
-
-	data = load_data_container("data/client.dat");
 }
 
 void modmenu_shutdown()