diff --git a/source/game/game.cpp b/source/game/game.cpp
index d9a7d5d3d..a618a1555 100644
--- a/source/game/game.cpp
+++ b/source/game/game.cpp
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ int s_globalLevelSelectThing=120;
 int CGameScene::s_readyToExit;
 int CGameScene::s_levelFinished;
 
+SpriteBank	*CGameScene::s_BackSprites;
 
 /*****************************************************************************/
 
@@ -117,7 +118,12 @@ void 	CGameScene::init()
 
 		CFader::setFadingIn();
 
+		s_BackSprites=new ("BackGfx Sprites") SpriteBank();
+		s_BackSprites->load(LEVELS_LEVELBACKGFX_SPR);
+
 		initLevel();
+		CFileIO::EnableASync(true);
+
 }
 
 /*****************************************************************************/
@@ -140,11 +146,13 @@ int		CGameScene::canPause()
 
 void	CGameScene::shutdown()
 {
+		CFileIO::EnableASync(false);
 		shutdownLevel(true);
 		CSoundMediator::dumpSong();	
 
 		m_pauseMenu->shutdown();	delete m_pauseMenu;
 		s_genericFont->dump();		delete s_genericFont;
+		s_BackSprites->dump();		delete s_BackSprites;
 }
 
 /*****************************************************************************/
@@ -168,6 +176,7 @@ void	CGameScene::think(int _frames)
 //	}
 //#endif
 
+	CFileIO::LoadASyncFiles();
 
 	if(s_readyToExit)
 	{
@@ -274,12 +283,15 @@ void	CGameScene::initLevel()
 
 // Init actors (needs moving and tidying
 	int actorNum;
-	sThingActor **actorList = Level.getActorList();
 
+	sThingActor **actorList = Level.getActorList();
+	if (actorList)
+	{
 	for ( actorNum = 0 ; actorNum < Level.getActorCount() ; actorNum++ )
 	{
 		CNpcEnemy *enemy;
 		enemy = new ("npc enemy") CNpcEnemy;
+		ASSERT(enemy);
 		enemy->setTypeFromMapEdit( actorList[actorNum]->Type );
 		enemy->init();
 		enemy->setLayerCollision( Level.getCollisionLayer() );
@@ -312,7 +324,7 @@ void	CGameScene::initLevel()
 
 		enemy->postInit();
 	}
-
+	}
 	// Song is loaded/dumped by the level, and played from here. This just gives some
 	// better timing over when it starts (pkg)
 	CSoundMediator::playSong();
diff --git a/source/game/game.h b/source/game/game.h
index f22b290d2..ead097bf4 100644
--- a/source/game/game.h
+++ b/source/game/game.h
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 /*****************************************************************************/
 class	FontBank;
-
+class	SpriteBank;
 class CGameScene : public CScene
 {
 public:
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ virtual	int		canPause();
 		static void		setReadyToExit()	{s_readyToExit=true;}
 		static void		levelFinished()		{s_levelFinished=true;}
 	
+static	SpriteBank	*GetBackSprites()	{return(s_BackSprites);}
+
 protected:
 
 		void			initLevel();
@@ -52,6 +54,8 @@ protected:
 		static int			s_readyToExit;
 		static int			s_levelFinished;
 
+		static	SpriteBank	*s_BackSprites;
+
 };
 
 
diff --git a/source/level/layerback.cpp b/source/level/layerback.cpp
index 3e989a1f3..c8292a627 100644
--- a/source/level/layerback.cpp
+++ b/source/level/layerback.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include	"LayerBack.h"
 
 #include	<levelbackgfx.h>
+#include	"Game\game.h"
 
 sBackRGBTable	CLayerBack::BackRGBTable[]=
 {
@@ -54,14 +55,12 @@ CLayerBack::CLayerBack(sLayerHdr *Hdr,sTile *TileBank) : CLayerTile(Hdr,TileBank
 		ASSERT(Data->Count<=LAYER_SHADE_RGB_MAX);
 		BandCount=Data->Count-1;
 
-		Sprites=new ("BackGfx Sprites") SpriteBank();
-		Sprites->load(LEVELS_LEVELBACKGFX_SPR);
+		Sprites=CGameScene::GetBackSprites();
 }
 
 /*****************************************************************************/
 CLayerBack::~CLayerBack()
 {
-		Sprites->dump();	delete Sprites;
 }
 
 /*****************************************************************************/