diff --git a/src/gamedata/g_mapinfo.cpp b/src/gamedata/g_mapinfo.cpp
index 30b4c09ce7f..cbfdcb1f983 100644
--- a/src/gamedata/g_mapinfo.cpp
+++ b/src/gamedata/g_mapinfo.cpp
@@ -1662,6 +1662,7 @@ MapFlagHandlers[] =
 	{ "enableshadowmap",				MITYPE_CLRFLAG3,	LEVEL3_NOSHADOWMAP, 0 },
 	{ "enableskyboxao",					MITYPE_SETFLAG3,	LEVEL3_SKYBOXAO, 0 },
 	{ "disableskyboxao",				MITYPE_CLRFLAG3,	LEVEL3_SKYBOXAO, 0 },
+	{ "avoidmelee",						MITYPE_SETFLAG3,	LEVEL3_AVOIDMELEE, 0 },
 	{ "nobotnodes",						MITYPE_IGNORE,	0, 0 },		// Skulltag option: nobotnodes
 	{ "compat_shorttex",				MITYPE_COMPATFLAG, COMPATF_SHORTTEX, 0 },
 	{ "compat_stairs",					MITYPE_COMPATFLAG, COMPATF_STAIRINDEX, 0 },
diff --git a/src/gamedata/g_mapinfo.h b/src/gamedata/g_mapinfo.h
index 8e732291076..560085c7322 100644
--- a/src/gamedata/g_mapinfo.h
+++ b/src/gamedata/g_mapinfo.h
@@ -258,6 +258,7 @@ enum ELevelFlags : unsigned int
 	LEVEL3_E4M8SPECIAL			= 0x00004000,
 	LEVEL3_E4M6SPECIAL			= 0x00008000,
 	LEVEL3_NOSHADOWMAP			= 0x00010000,	// disables shadowmaps for a given level.
+	LEVEL3_AVOIDMELEE			= 0x00020000,	// global flag needed for proper MBF support.
 };
 
 
diff --git a/src/playsim/p_enemy.cpp b/src/playsim/p_enemy.cpp
index 4c45eb3898a..528e2b37d66 100644
--- a/src/playsim/p_enemy.cpp
+++ b/src/playsim/p_enemy.cpp
@@ -943,7 +943,7 @@ void P_NewChaseDir(AActor * actor)
 	if (target->health > 0 && !actor->IsFriend(target) && target != actor->goal)
     {   // Live enemy target
 
-		if (actor->flags3 & MF3_AVOIDMELEE)
+		if ((actor->flags3 & MF3_AVOIDMELEE) || (actor->Level->flags3 & LEVEL3_AVOIDMELEE))
 		{
 			bool ismeleeattacker = false;
 			double dist = actor->Distance2D(target);