diff --git a/src/hu_stuff.c b/src/hu_stuff.c
index 972faab56..624085591 100644
--- a/src/hu_stuff.c
+++ b/src/hu_stuff.c
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ static char hu_tick;
 //-------------------------------------------
 
 patch_t *missingpat;
+patch_t *blanklvl;
 
 // song credits
 static patch_t *songcreditbg;
@@ -186,6 +187,8 @@ void HU_LoadGraphics(void)
 
 	Font_Load();
 
+	HU_UpdatePatch(&blanklvl, "BLANKLVL");
+
 	HU_UpdatePatch(&songcreditbg, "K_SONGCR");
 
 	// cache ping gfx:
diff --git a/src/m_menu.c b/src/m_menu.c
index 80d9fc240..50f6a2c65 100644
--- a/src/m_menu.c
+++ b/src/m_menu.c
@@ -8952,7 +8952,7 @@ static void M_DrawLevelSelectOnly(boolean leftfade, boolean rightfade)
 	{
 		PictureOfLevel = mapheaderinfo[cv_nextmap.value+1]->thumbnailPic;
 		if (!PictureOfLevel)
-			PictureOfLevel = W_CachePatchName("BLANKLVL", PU_CACHE);
+			PictureOfLevel = blanklvl;
 	}
 	else
 		PictureOfLevel = W_CachePatchName("RANDOMLV", PU_CACHE);
@@ -9016,7 +9016,7 @@ static void M_DrawLevelSelectOnly(boolean leftfade, boolean rightfade)
 		{
 			PictureOfLevel = mapheaderinfo[i+1]->thumbnailPic;
 			if (!PictureOfLevel)
-				PictureOfLevel = W_CachePatchName("BLANKLVL", PU_CACHE);
+				PictureOfLevel = blanklvl;
 		}
 		else
 			PictureOfLevel = W_CachePatchName("RANDOMLV", PU_CACHE);
@@ -9052,7 +9052,7 @@ static void M_DrawLevelSelectOnly(boolean leftfade, boolean rightfade)
 		{
 			PictureOfLevel = mapheaderinfo[i+1]->thumbnailPic;
 			if (!PictureOfLevel)
-				PictureOfLevel = W_CachePatchName("BLANKLVL", PU_CACHE);
+				PictureOfLevel = blanklvl;
 		}
 		else
 			PictureOfLevel = W_CachePatchName("RANDOMLV", PU_CACHE);
diff --git a/src/p_setup.c b/src/p_setup.c
index 33614f175..8d8f0d2f3 100644
--- a/src/p_setup.c
+++ b/src/p_setup.c
@@ -400,13 +400,13 @@ static void P_ClearSingleMapHeaderInfo(INT16 i)
 
 	if (mapheaderinfo[num]->thumbnailPic)
 	{
-		Z_Free(mapheaderinfo[num]->thumbnailPic);
+		Patch_Free(mapheaderinfo[num]->thumbnailPic);
 		mapheaderinfo[num]->thumbnailPic = NULL;
 	}
 
 	if (mapheaderinfo[num]->minimapPic)
 	{
-		Z_Free(mapheaderinfo[num]->minimapPic);
+		Patch_Free(mapheaderinfo[num]->minimapPic);
 		mapheaderinfo[num]->minimapPic = NULL;
 	}
 
@@ -8809,14 +8809,26 @@ UINT8 P_InitMapData(void)
 			thumbnailPic = vres_Find(virtmap, "PICTURE");
 			minimap = vres_Find(virtmap, "MINIMAP");
 
+			// Clear out existing graphics...
+			if (mapheaderinfo[i]->thumbnailPic)
+			{
+				Patch_Free(mapheaderinfo[i]->thumbnailPic);
+			}
+
+			if (mapheaderinfo[i]->minimapPic)
+			{
+				Patch_Free(mapheaderinfo[i]->minimapPic);
+			}
+
+			// Now apply the new ones!
 			if (thumbnailPic)
 			{
-				mapheaderinfo[i]->thumbnailPic = vres_GetPatch(thumbnailPic, PU_CACHE);
+				mapheaderinfo[i]->thumbnailPic = vres_GetPatch(thumbnailPic, PU_STATIC);
 			}
 
 			if (minimap)
 			{
-				mapheaderinfo[i]->minimapPic = vres_GetPatch(minimap, PU_HUDGFX);
+				mapheaderinfo[i]->minimapPic = vres_GetPatch(minimap, PU_STATIC);
 			}
 
 			vres_Free(virtmap);
diff --git a/src/r_defs.h b/src/r_defs.h
index 7dd2c1d88..54da08673 100644
--- a/src/r_defs.h
+++ b/src/r_defs.h
@@ -892,6 +892,7 @@ struct patch_t
 };
 
 extern patch_t *missingpat;
+extern patch_t *blanklvl;
 
 #if defined(_MSC_VER)
 #pragma pack(1)
diff --git a/src/y_inter.c b/src/y_inter.c
index 4707b4f76..e13f9986b 100644
--- a/src/y_inter.c
+++ b/src/y_inter.c
@@ -128,7 +128,6 @@ typedef struct
 	char str[62];
 	UINT8 gtc;
 	const char *gts;
-	patch_t *pic;
 	boolean encore;
 } y_votelvlinfo;
 
@@ -1158,7 +1157,17 @@ void Y_VoteDrawer(void)
 		else
 		{
 			str = levelinfo[i].str;
-			pic = levelinfo[i].pic;
+			pic = NULL;
+
+			if (mapheaderinfo[votelevels[i][0]])
+			{
+				pic = mapheaderinfo[votelevels[i][0]]->thumbnailPic;
+			}
+
+			if (!pic)
+			{
+				pic = blanklvl;
+			}
 		}
 
 		if (selected[i])
@@ -1278,9 +1287,23 @@ void Y_VoteDrawer(void)
 			patch_t *pic;
 
 			if (votes[i] >= 3 && (i != pickedvote || voteendtic == -1))
+			{
 				pic = randomlvl;
+			}
 			else
-				pic = levelinfo[votes[i]].pic;
+			{
+				pic = NULL;
+
+				if (mapheaderinfo[votelevels[votes[i]][0]])
+				{
+					pic = mapheaderinfo[votelevels[votes[i]][0]]->thumbnailPic;
+				}
+
+				if (!pic)
+				{
+					pic = blanklvl;
+				}
+			}
 
 			if (!timer && i == voteclient.ranim)
 			{
@@ -1680,18 +1703,6 @@ void Y_StartVote(void)
 			levelinfo[i].gts = gametype_cons_t[votelevels[i][1]].strvalue;
 		else
 			levelinfo[i].gts = NULL;
-
-		// set up the pic
-		patch_t *thumbnailPic = NULL;
-		if (mapheaderinfo[votelevels[i][0]+1])
-		{
-			thumbnailPic = mapheaderinfo[votelevels[i][0]]->thumbnailPic;
-		}
-
-		if (thumbnailPic)
-			levelinfo[i].pic = thumbnailPic;
-		else
-			levelinfo[i].pic = W_CachePatchName("BLANKLVL", PU_STATIC);
 	}
 
 	voteclient.loaded = true;
@@ -1712,8 +1723,6 @@ void Y_EndVote(void)
 //
 static void Y_UnloadVoteData(void)
 {
-	UINT8 i;
-
 	voteclient.loaded = false;
 
 	if (rendermode != render_soft)
@@ -1728,28 +1737,6 @@ static void Y_UnloadVoteData(void)
 	UNLOAD(cursor4);
 	UNLOAD(randomlvl);
 	UNLOAD(rubyicon);
-
-	// to prevent double frees...
-	for (i = 0; i < 4; i++)
-	{
-	// I went to all the trouble of doing this,
-	// but literally nowhere else frees level pics.
-#if 0
-		UINT8 j;
-
-		if (!levelinfo[i].pic)
-			continue;
-
-		for (j = i+1; j < 4; j++)
-		{
-			if (levelinfo[j].pic == levelinfo[i].pic)
-				levelinfo[j].pic = NULL;
-		}
-		UNLOAD(levelinfo[i].pic);
-#else
-		CLEANUP(levelinfo[i].pic);
-#endif
-	}
 }
 
 //