diff --git a/src/GameSoundManager.cpp b/src/GameSoundManager.cpp
index e19cd42bd6..60ba11316b 100644
--- a/src/GameSoundManager.cpp
+++ b/src/GameSoundManager.cpp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include "GameState.h"
 #include "TimingData.h"
 #include "NotesLoaderSSC.h"
+#include "NotesLoaderSM.h"
 #include "PrefsManager.h"
 #include "RageDisplay.h"
 #include "AnnouncerManager.h"
@@ -150,6 +151,15 @@ static void StartMusic( MusicToPlay &ToPlay )
 			if( pStepsCabinetLights )
 				pStepsCabinetLights->GetNoteData( ToPlay.m_LightsData );
 		}
+		else if( SMLoader::LoadFromSMFile(ToPlay.m_sTimingFile, song) )
+		{
+			ToPlay.HasTiming = true;
+			ToPlay.m_TimingData = song.m_Timing;
+			// get cabinet lights if any
+			Steps *pStepsCabinetLights = SongUtil::GetOneSteps( &song, StepsType_lights_cabinet );
+			if( pStepsCabinetLights )
+				pStepsCabinetLights->GetNoteData( ToPlay.m_LightsData );
+		}
 	}
 
 	if( ToPlay.HasTiming )
@@ -704,6 +714,7 @@ void GameSoundManager::PlayMusic( PlayMusicParams params, PlayMusicParams Fallba
 	else
 	{
 		/* If no timing data was provided, look for it in the same place as the music file. */
+		// todo: allow loading .ssc files as well -aj
 		ToPlay.m_sTimingFile = SetExtension( params.sFile, "sm" );
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/Song.cpp b/src/Song.cpp
index 74da16a269..ecc196e7a1 100644
--- a/src/Song.cpp
+++ b/src/Song.cpp
@@ -223,8 +223,15 @@ bool Song::LoadFromSongDir( RString sDir )
 	if( bUseCache )
 	{
 //		LOG->Trace( "Loading '%s' from cache file '%s'.", m_sSongDir.c_str(), GetCacheFilePath().c_str() );
-		SSCLoader::LoadFromSSCFile( sCacheFilePath, *this, true );
-		SSCLoader::TidyUpData( *this, true );
+		bool bLoadedFromSSC = SSCLoader::LoadFromSSCFile( sCacheFilePath, *this, true );
+		if( bLoadedFromSSC )
+			SSCLoader::TidyUpData( *this, true );
+		else
+		{
+			// load from .sm
+			SMLoader::LoadFromSMFile( sCacheFilePath, *this, true );
+			SMLoader::TidyUpData( *this, true );
+		}
 	}
 	else
 	{
diff --git a/src/Steps.cpp b/src/Steps.cpp
index fb17405c61..699f794d15 100644
--- a/src/Steps.cpp
+++ b/src/Steps.cpp
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include "GameManager.h"
 #include "NoteDataUtil.h"
 #include "NotesLoaderSSC.h"
+#include "NotesLoaderSM.h"
 
 #include <algorithm>
 
@@ -229,12 +230,17 @@ void Steps::Decompress() const
 
 	if( !m_sFilename.empty() && m_sNoteDataCompressed.empty() )
 	{
-		/* We have data on disk and not in memory.  Load it. */
+		// We have data on disk and not in memory. Load it.
 		Song s;
-		if( !SSCLoader::LoadFromSSCFile(m_sFilename, s, true) )
+		bool bLoadedFromSSC = SSCLoader::LoadFromSSCFile(m_sFilename, s, true);
+		if( !bLoadedFromSSC )
 		{
-			LOG->Warn( "Couldn't load \"%s\"", m_sFilename.c_str() );
-			return;
+			// try reading from .sm instead
+			if( !SMLoader::LoadFromSMFile(m_sFilename, s, true) )
+			{
+				LOG->Warn( "Couldn't load \"%s\"", m_sFilename.c_str() );
+				return;
+			}
 		}
 
 		/* Find the steps. */