diff --git a/stepmania/src/Character.cpp b/stepmania/src/Character.cpp
index 3ab99e553a..9f4043181c 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Character.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/Character.cpp
@@ -11,18 +11,27 @@ bool Character::Load( CString sCharDir )
 		sCharDir += "/";
 	m_sCharDir = sCharDir;
 
-	// Save character name
-	vector<CString> as;
-	split( sCharDir, "/", as );
-	m_sName = as.back();
+
+	// save ID
+	{
+		vector<CString> as;
+		split( sCharDir, "/", as );
+		m_sCharacterID = as.back();
+	}
+
 
 	// Save attacks
 	IniFile ini;
 	if( !ini.ReadFile( sCharDir+"character.ini" ) )
 		return false;
 	for( int i=0; i<NUM_ATTACK_LEVELS; i++ )
+	{
 		for( int j=0; j<NUM_ATTACKS_PER_LEVEL; j++ )
 			ini.GetValue( "Character", ssprintf("Level%dAttack%d",i+1,j+1), m_sAttacks[i][j] );
+	}
+
+	// get display name (if any)
+	ini.GetValue( "Character", "DisplayName", m_sDisplayName );
 
 	return true;
 }
diff --git a/stepmania/src/Character.h b/stepmania/src/Character.h
index 866d0778bf..067214e2f5 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Character.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/Character.h
@@ -28,15 +28,24 @@ public:
 	CString GetStageIconPath() const;
 	bool Has2DElems();
 
+	bool IsDefaultCharacter() const
+	{
+		return m_sCharacterID.CompareNoCase("default") == 0;
+	}
+
 	//
 	// Lua
 	//
 	void PushSelf( Lua *L );
 
+	// smart accessor
+	const CString &GetDisplayName() { return !m_sDisplayName.empty() ? m_sDisplayName : m_sCharacterID; }
+
 	CString m_sCharDir;
-	CString m_sName;
-
-
+	CString m_sCharacterID;
+private:
+	CString m_sDisplayName;
+public:
 
 	// All the stuff below will be filled in if this character is playable in Rave mode
 	bool	m_bUsableInRave;