diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/Sound/Sound.cs b/OpenRA.Game/Sound/Sound.cs
index d61a5ac692..aab58260ab 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Game/Sound/Sound.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/Sound/Sound.cs
@@ -96,8 +96,9 @@ namespace OpenRA
 
 		ISound Play(SoundType type, Player player, string name, bool headRelative, WPos pos, float volumeModifier = 1f, bool loop = false)
 		{
-			if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(name))
+			if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(name) || (DisableWorldSounds && type == SoundType.World))
 				return null;
+
 			if (player != null && player != player.World.LocalPlayer)
 				return null;
 
@@ -121,6 +122,7 @@ namespace OpenRA
 			soundEngine.Volume = 1f;
 		}
 
+		public bool DisableWorldSounds { get; set; }
 		public ISound Play(SoundType type, string name) { return Play(type, null, name, true, WPos.Zero, 1f); }
 		public ISound Play(SoundType type, string name, WPos pos) { return Play(type, null, name, false, pos, 1f); }
 		public ISound Play(SoundType type, string name, float volumeModifier) { return Play(type, null, name, true, WPos.Zero, volumeModifier); }
@@ -308,7 +310,7 @@ namespace OpenRA
 			if (ruleset == null)
 				throw new ArgumentNullException("ruleset");
 
-			if (definition == null)
+			if (definition == null || (DisableWorldSounds && soundType == SoundType.World))
 				return false;
 
 			if (ruleset.Voices == null || ruleset.Notifications == null)
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/World/MusicPlaylist.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/World/MusicPlaylist.cs
index 3510b733b8..3cda83ef79 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/World/MusicPlaylist.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/World/MusicPlaylist.cs
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Traits
 			"It cannot be paused, but can be overridden by selecting a new track.")]
 		public readonly string BackgroundMusic = null;
 
+		[Desc("Disable all world sounds (combat etc).")]
+		public readonly bool DisableWorldSounds = false;
+
 		public object Create(ActorInitializer init) { return new MusicPlaylist(init.World, this); }
 	}
 
@@ -55,6 +58,9 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Traits
 			this.info = info;
 			this.world = world;
 
+			if (info.DisableWorldSounds)
+				Game.Sound.DisableWorldSounds = true;
+
 			IsMusicInstalled = world.Map.Rules.InstalledMusic.Any();
 			if (!IsMusicInstalled)
 				return;
@@ -220,6 +226,8 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Traits
 		{
 			if (currentSong != null)
 				Game.Sound.StopMusic();
+
+			Game.Sound.DisableWorldSounds = false;
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/mods/cnc/maps/shellmap/rules.yaml b/mods/cnc/maps/shellmap/rules.yaml
index dd30591281..dcd2b78e81 100644
--- a/mods/cnc/maps/shellmap/rules.yaml
+++ b/mods/cnc/maps/shellmap/rules.yaml
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ World:
 		Scripts: shellmap.lua
 	MusicPlaylist:
 		BackgroundMusic: map1
+		DisableWorldSounds: true
 
 LST:
 	Mobile:
diff --git a/mods/d2k/maps/shellmap/rules.yaml b/mods/d2k/maps/shellmap/rules.yaml
index 27a52e0df1..59a89e5d9e 100644
--- a/mods/d2k/maps/shellmap/rules.yaml
+++ b/mods/d2k/maps/shellmap/rules.yaml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ World:
 		Maximum: 3
 	MusicPlaylist:
 		BackgroundMusic: options
+		DisableWorldSounds: true
 	LuaScript:
 		Scripts: d2k-shellmap.lua
 
diff --git a/mods/ra/maps/desert-shellmap/rules.yaml b/mods/ra/maps/desert-shellmap/rules.yaml
index 96760317c5..63f2a7a1cb 100644
--- a/mods/ra/maps/desert-shellmap/rules.yaml
+++ b/mods/ra/maps/desert-shellmap/rules.yaml
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ World:
 	-MPStartLocations:
 	MusicPlaylist:
 		BackgroundMusic: intro
+		DisableWorldSounds: true
 	ResourceType@ore:
 		ValuePerUnit: 0
 	LuaScript:
diff --git a/mods/ts/maps/fields-of-green/map.yaml b/mods/ts/maps/fields-of-green/map.yaml
index 88c2c68da3..c7c0017e0d 100644
--- a/mods/ts/maps/fields-of-green/map.yaml
+++ b/mods/ts/maps/fields-of-green/map.yaml
@@ -1433,6 +1433,7 @@ Rules:
 			ValuePerUnit: 0
 		MusicPlaylist:
 			BackgroundMusic: intro
+			DisableWorldSounds: true
 		GlobalLightingPaletteEffect:
 			Blue: 0.7
 			Ambient: 0.7