diff --git a/engine/client/s_vox.c b/engine/client/s_vox.c
index 0d8b7d3a..a72f642e 100644
--- a/engine/client/s_vox.c
+++ b/engine/client/s_vox.c
@@ -248,6 +248,12 @@ static const char *VOX_GetDirectory( char *szpath, const char *psz, int nsize )
 	const char *p;
 	int len;
 
+	// HACKHACK: some modders send strings like "/fvox/_period four"
+	// which should get parsed as "_period four" said by fvox
+	// it might be incorrect but ignore first slash here for now
+	if( psz[0] == '/' )
+		psz++;
+
 	// search / backwards
 	p = Q_strrchr( psz, '/' );
 
@@ -595,8 +601,8 @@ static void Test_VOX_GetDirectory( void )
 	{
 		"", "", "vox/",
 		"bark bark", "bark bark", "vox/",
-		"barney/meow", "meow", "barney/"
-
+		"barney/meow", "meow", "barney/",
+		"/fvox/_period", "_period", "fvox/",
 	};
 	int i;