diff --git a/stepmania/Themes/default/BGAnimations/ScreenSystemLayer overlay.lua b/stepmania/Themes/default/BGAnimations/ScreenSystemLayer overlay.lua
index bc8d4559a9..c49f1a3084 100644
--- a/stepmania/Themes/default/BGAnimations/ScreenSystemLayer overlay.lua	
+++ b/stepmania/Themes/default/BGAnimations/ScreenSystemLayer overlay.lua	
@@ -23,17 +23,13 @@ local t = Def.ActorFrame {
 OnCommand=cmd(maxwidth,750;finishtweening;horizalign,left;vertalign,top;x,SCREEN_LEFT+20;y,SCREEN_TOP+20;zoom,0.8;shadowlength,2;diffusealpha,1;addx,-SCREEN_WIDTH;linear,0.5;addx,SCREEN_WIDTH);
 OffCommand=cmd(sleep,5;linear,0.5;diffusealpha,0);
 
-			SystemMessageMessageCommand = function(self)
+			SystemMessageMessageCommand = function(self, params)
 				self:visible(true);
-				self:settext( SCREENMAN:GetCurrentSystemMessage() );
+				self:settext( params.Message );
 				self:playcommand( "On" );
-				self:playcommand( "Off" );
-			end;
-			SystemMessageNoAnimateMessageCommand = function(self)
-				self:visible(true);
-				self:settext( SCREENMAN:GetCurrentSystemMessage() );
-				self:playcommand( "On" );
-				self:FinishTweening();
+				if params.NoAnimate then
+					self:finishtweening();
+				end
 				self:playcommand( "Off" );
 			end;
 			HideSystemMessageMessageCommand = cmd(visible,false);
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenManager.cpp b/stepmania/src/ScreenManager.cpp
index 59d2de73ff..daa806c53d 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenManager.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenManager.cpp
@@ -750,16 +750,20 @@ void ScreenManager::SendMessageToTopScreen( ScreenMessage SM )
 
 void ScreenManager::SystemMessage( const RString &sMessage )
 {
-	m_sSystemMessage = sMessage;
 	LOG->Trace( "%s", sMessage.c_str() );
-	MESSAGEMAN->Broadcast( "SystemMessage" );
+	Message msg( "SystemMessage" );
+	msg.SetParam( "Message", sMessage );
+	msg.SetParam( "NoAnimate", false );
+	MESSAGEMAN->Broadcast( msg );
 }
 
 void ScreenManager::SystemMessageNoAnimate( const RString &sMessage )
 {
 //	LOG->Trace( "%s", sMessage.c_str() );	// don't log because the caller is likely calling us every frame
-	m_sSystemMessage = sMessage;
-	MESSAGEMAN->Broadcast( "SystemMessageNoAnimate" );
+	Message msg( "SystemMessage" );
+	msg.SetParam( "Message", sMessage );
+	msg.SetParam( "NoAnimate", true );
+	MESSAGEMAN->Broadcast( msg );
 }
 
 void ScreenManager::HideSystemMessage()
@@ -847,7 +851,6 @@ public:
 	}
 	static int SystemMessage( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ p->SystemMessage( SArg(1) ); return 0; }
 	static int ScreenIsPrepped( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushboolean( L, ScreenManagerUtil::ScreenIsPrepped( SArg(1) ) ); return 1; }
-	static int GetCurrentSystemMessage( T* p, lua_State *L ){ LuaHelpers::Push( L, p->GetCurrentSystemMessage() ); return 1; }
 
 	LunaScreenManager()
 	{
@@ -855,7 +858,6 @@ public:
 		ADD_METHOD( GetTopScreen );
 		ADD_METHOD( SystemMessage );
 		ADD_METHOD( ScreenIsPrepped );
-		ADD_METHOD( GetCurrentSystemMessage );
 	}
 };
 
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenManager.h b/stepmania/src/ScreenManager.h
index cfa8c8970e..f6cf71b1a2 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenManager.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenManager.h
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ public:
 	void SystemMessage( const RString &sMessage );
 	void SystemMessageNoAnimate( const RString &sMessage );
 	void HideSystemMessage();
-	RString GetCurrentSystemMessage() const { return m_sSystemMessage; }
 
 	// Screen messages
 	void PostMessageToTopScreen( ScreenMessage SM, float fDelay );
@@ -63,8 +62,6 @@ public:
 private:
 	Screen		*m_pInputFocus; // NULL = top of m_ScreenStack
 
-	RString		m_sSystemMessage;
-	
 	// Screen loads, removals, and concurrent prepares are delayed until the next update.
 	RString		m_sDelayedScreen;
 	RString		m_sDelayedConcurrentPrepare;