diff --git a/stepmania/src/LocalizedString.cpp b/stepmania/src/LocalizedString.cpp
index b774c649a2..1e322a4220 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/LocalizedString.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/LocalizedString.cpp
@@ -51,7 +51,9 @@ void LocalizedString::Load( const RString &sSection, const RString &sName )
 {
 	m_sSection = sSection;
 	m_sName = sName;
-	m_sValue = sName;
+	m_sValue = "????";
+
+	Refresh();
 }
 
 LocalizedString::operator RString() const
diff --git a/stepmania/src/NetworkSyncManager.cpp b/stepmania/src/NetworkSyncManager.cpp
index 777fc3a719..2ca6f9c4ab 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/NetworkSyncManager.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/NetworkSyncManager.cpp
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ int NetworkSyncManager::GetSMOnlineSalt()
 	return m_iSalt;
 }
 
+static LocalizedString INITIALIZING_SERVER			( "NetworkSyncManager", "Initializing server..." );
+static LocalizedString INITIALIZING_CLIENT_NETWORK	( "NetworkSyncManager", "Initializing Client Network..." );
 NetworkSyncManager::NetworkSyncManager( LoadingWindow *ld )
 {
 	LANserver = NULL;	//So we know if it has been created yet
@@ -63,7 +65,7 @@ NetworkSyncManager::NetworkSyncManager( LoadingWindow *ld )
 
 	if( GetCommandlineArgument( "runserver" ))
 	{
-		ld->SetText("Initializing server...");
+		ld->SetText( INITIALIZING_SERVER );
 		LANserver = new StepManiaLanServer;
 		isLanServer = true;
 		GetCommandlineArgument( "runserver", &LANserver->servername );
@@ -71,7 +73,7 @@ NetworkSyncManager::NetworkSyncManager( LoadingWindow *ld )
 	else
 		isLanServer = false;
 	
-	ld->SetText("Initializing Client Network...");
+	ld->SetText( INITIALIZING_CLIENT_NETWORK );
     NetPlayerClient = new EzSockets;
 	NetPlayerClient->blocking = false;
 	m_ServerVersion = 0;
diff --git a/stepmania/src/SongManager.cpp b/stepmania/src/SongManager.cpp
index aefb252ae0..f436c435c2 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/SongManager.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/SongManager.cpp
@@ -71,12 +71,13 @@ void SongManager::InitAll( LoadingWindow *ld )
 	InitAutogenCourses();
 }
 
+static LocalizedString RELOADING ( "SongManager", "Reloading..." );
 void SongManager::Reload( LoadingWindow *ld )
 {
 	FlushDirCache();
 
 	if( ld )
-		ld->SetText( "Reloading ..." );
+		ld->SetText( RELOADING );
 
 	// save scores before unloading songs, of the scores will be lost
 	PROFILEMAN->SaveMachineProfile();
@@ -152,6 +153,7 @@ void SongManager::AddGroup( CString sDir, CString sGroupDirName )
 	m_sSongGroupBannerPaths.push_back( sBannerPath );
 }
 
+static LocalizedString LOADING_SONGS ( "SongManager", "Loading songs..." );
 void SongManager::LoadStepManiaSongDir( CString sDir, LoadingWindow *ld )
 {
 	/* Make sure sDir has a trailing slash. */
@@ -187,7 +189,7 @@ void SongManager::LoadStepManiaSongDir( CString sDir, LoadingWindow *ld )
 			// this is a song directory.  Load a new song!
 			if( ld )
 			{
-				ld->SetText( ssprintf("Loading songs...\n%s\n%s",
+				ld->SetText( LOADING_SONGS.GetValue()+ssprintf("\n%s\n%s",
 									  Basename(sGroupDirName).c_str(),
 									  Basename(sSongDirName).c_str()));
 				ld->Paint();
@@ -491,6 +493,7 @@ int SongManager::GetNumStagesForSong( const Song* pSong )
 		return 1;
 }
 
+static LocalizedString LOADING_COURSES ( "SongManager", "Loading courses..." );
 void SongManager::InitCoursesFromDisk( LoadingWindow *ld )
 {
 	LOG->Trace( "Loading courses." );
@@ -510,7 +513,7 @@ void SongManager::InitCoursesFromDisk( LoadingWindow *ld )
 
 			if( ld )
 			{
-				ld->SetText( ssprintf("Loading courses...\n%s\n%s",
+				ld->SetText( LOADING_COURSES.GetValue()+ssprintf("\n%s\n%s",
 					"Courses",
 					Basename(saCourseFiles[i]).c_str()));
 				ld->Paint();
@@ -537,7 +540,7 @@ void SongManager::InitCoursesFromDisk( LoadingWindow *ld )
 			{
 				if( ld )
 				{
-					ld->SetText( ssprintf("Loading courses...\n%s\n%s",
+					ld->SetText( LOADING_COURSES.GetValue()+ssprintf("\n%s\n%s",
 						Basename(*sCourseGroup).c_str(),
 						Basename(*sCoursePath).c_str()));
 					ld->Paint();
diff --git a/stepmania/src/arch/LoadingWindow/LoadingWindow_Win32.cpp b/stepmania/src/arch/LoadingWindow/LoadingWindow_Win32.cpp
index 320a89cbef..f997a50339 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/arch/LoadingWindow/LoadingWindow_Win32.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/arch/LoadingWindow/LoadingWindow_Win32.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include "RageSurface.h"
 #include "RageSurfaceUtils.h"
 #include "ProductInfo.h"
+#include "LocalizedString.h"
 
 #include "RageSurfaceUtils_Zoom.h"
 static HBITMAP g_hBitmap = NULL;
@@ -102,13 +103,14 @@ void LoadingWindow_Win32::SetIcon( const RageSurface *pIcon )
 		SetClassLong( hwnd, GCL_HICON, (LONG) m_hIcon );
 }
 
+static LocalizedString ENTER_MAIN_TITLE	("LoadingWindow_Win32","Initializing hardware...");
 LoadingWindow_Win32::LoadingWindow_Win32()
 {
 	m_hIcon = NULL;
 	hwnd = CreateDialog( handle.Get(), MAKEINTRESOURCE(IDD_LOADING_DIALOG), NULL, WndProc );
 	for( unsigned i = 0; i < 3; ++i )
 		text[i] = "ABC"; /* always set on first call */
-	SetText( "Initializing hardware..." );
+	SetText( ENTER_MAIN_TITLE );
 	Paint();
 }