diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c88d238..e7b5ce6 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ apply-patches:
 	$(PATCH) < patches/decouple_framedrawing.patch
 	$(PATCH) < patches/crosshaircolor.patch
 	$(PATCH) < patches/win_builds.patch
+	$(PATCH) < patches/zenmode.patch
 	unix2dos src/vcpp/sauerbraten.nsi
 	unix2dos src/vcpp/sauerbraten.vcxproj
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index beab90a..61c4272 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ This repository contains the source for my client mod, as well as the patches ap
   - [tex_commands.patch](#tex_commandspatch)
   - [decouple_framedrawing.patch](#decouple_framedrawingpatch)
   - [crosshaircolor.patch](#crosshaircolorpatch)
+  - [zenmode.patch](#zenmodepatch)
 - [Installation](#installation)
   - [Windows](#windows)
   - [macOS](#macos)
@@ -146,6 +147,13 @@ Using `maxfps` and `maxtps`, you can optimize for different goals:
 
 - adds `crosshaircolor` variable to set a base crosshair color (for example, `/crosshaircolor 0 255 0` for pleasant green)
 
+### [zenmode.patch](./patches/zenmode.patch)
+
+- adds `zenmode` variable: if 1, hides non-essential console messages:
+  - server messages
+  - chat and team chat messages from spectators
+  - joins (all), leaves and renames (of spectators)
+
 ## Installation
 
 The latest builds are always at https://github.com/sauerbraten/p1xbraten/releases/latest.
diff --git a/patches/zenmode.patch b/patches/zenmode.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ade5701
--- /dev/null
+++ b/patches/zenmode.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,166 @@
+NOTE: builds partly on top of modversion.patch
+
+Index: src/engine/p1xbraten_version.cpp
+===================================================================
+--- src/engine/p1xbraten_version.cpp	(nonexistent)
++++ src/engine/p1xbraten_version.cpp	(working copy)
+@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@
+     if(naturalsort(p1xbratenversion, version) == -1)
+     {
+         // we're newer, run migrations
++        if(naturalsort(p1xbratenversion, "3.0.0") == -1) {
++            // activate CON_NONZEN in all consoles
++            if(!(confilter&(1<<14))) confilter += 1<<14;
++            if(!(fullconfilter&(1<<14))) fullconfilter += 1<<14;
++            if(!(miniconfilter&(1<<14))) miniconfilter += 1<<14;
++        }
+     }
+     setsvar("p1xbratenversion", version);
+     lockversion();
+Index: src/engine/console.cpp
+===================================================================
+--- src/engine/console.cpp	(revision 6491)
++++ src/engine/console.cpp	(working copy)
+@@ -116,7 +116,8 @@
+     {
+         // shuffle backwards to fill if necessary
+         int idx = offset+i < numl ? offset+i : --offset;
+-        if(!(conlines[idx].type&filter)) continue;
++        int flags = conlines[idx].type & CON_FLAGS;
++        if((flags&filter)!=flags) continue;
+         char *line = conlines[idx].line;
+         int width, height;
+         text_bounds(line, width, height, conwidth);
+@@ -127,7 +128,8 @@
+     loopi(numl)
+     {
+         int idx = offset + (dir > 0 ? numl-i-1 : i);
+-        if(!(conlines[idx].type&filter)) continue;
++        int flags = conlines[idx].type & CON_FLAGS;
++        if((flags&filter)!=flags) continue;
+         char *line = conlines[idx].line;
+         int width, height;
+         text_bounds(line, width, height, conwidth);
+Index: src/fpsgame/ai.cpp
+===================================================================
+--- src/fpsgame/ai.cpp	(revision 6491)
++++ src/fpsgame/ai.cpp	(working copy)
+@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@
+         if(!d->name[0])
+         {
+             if(aidebug) conoutf(CON_DEBUG, "%s assigned to %s at skill %d", colorname(d, name), o ? colorname(o) : "?", sk);
+-            else conoutf("\f0join:\f7 %s", colorname(d, name));
++            else conoutf(CON_INFO|CON_NONZEN, "\f0join:\f7 %s", colorname(d, name));
+             resetthisguy = true;
+         }
+         else
+Index: src/fpsgame/client.cpp
+===================================================================
+--- src/fpsgame/client.cpp	(revision 6491)
++++ src/fpsgame/client.cpp	(working copy)
+@@ -445,6 +445,19 @@
+     ICOMMAND(unignore, "s", (char *arg), unignore(parseplayer(arg)));
+     ICOMMAND(isignored, "s", (char *arg), intret(isignored(parseplayer(arg)) ? 1 : 0));
+
++    VARFP(zenmode, 0, 0, 1, {
++        if(zenmode)
++        {
++            if(miniconfilter&CON_NONZEN) miniconfilter -= CON_NONZEN;
++            if(confilter&CON_NONZEN) confilter -= CON_NONZEN;
++        }
++        else
++        {
++            if(!(miniconfilter&CON_NONZEN)) miniconfilter += CON_NONZEN;
++            if(!(confilter&CON_NONZEN)) confilter += CON_NONZEN;
++        }
++    });
++
+     void setteam(const char *arg1, const char *arg2)
+     {
+         int i = parseplayer(arg1);
+@@ -1329,7 +1342,7 @@
+                 if(isignored(d->clientnum)) break;
+                 if(d->state!=CS_DEAD && d->state!=CS_SPECTATOR)
+                     particle_textcopy(d->abovehead(), text, PART_TEXT, 2000, 0x32FF64, 4.0f, -8);
+-                conoutf(CON_CHAT, "%s:\f0 %s", chatcolorname(d), text);
++                conoutf(CON_CHAT + (d->state==CS_SPECTATOR ? CON_NONZEN : 0), "%s:\f0 %s", chatcolorname(d), text);
+                 break;
+             }
+
+@@ -1342,7 +1355,7 @@
+                 if(!t || isignored(t->clientnum)) break;
+                 if(t->state!=CS_DEAD && t->state!=CS_SPECTATOR)
+                     particle_textcopy(t->abovehead(), text, PART_TEXT, 2000, 0x6496FF, 4.0f, -8);
+-                conoutf(CON_TEAMCHAT, "\fs\f8[team]\fr %s: \f8%s", chatcolorname(t), text);
++                conoutf(CON_TEAMCHAT + (d->state==CS_SPECTATOR ? CON_NONZEN : 0), "\fs\f8[team]\fr %s: \f8%s", chatcolorname(t), text);
+                 break;
+             }
+
+@@ -1400,11 +1413,11 @@
+                 if(d->name[0])          // already connected
+                 {
+                     if(strcmp(d->name, text) && !isignored(d->clientnum))
+-                        conoutf("%s is now known as %s", colorname(d), colorname(d, text));
++                        conoutf(d->state==CS_SPECTATOR ? CON_INFO|CON_NONZEN : 0, "%s is now known as %s", colorname(d), colorname(d, text));
+                 }
+                 else                    // new client
+                 {
+-                    conoutf("\f0join:\f7 %s", colorname(d, text));
++                    conoutf(CON_INFO|CON_NONZEN, "\f0join:\f7 %s", colorname(d, text));
+                     if(needclipboard >= 0) needclipboard++;
+                 }
+                 copystring(d->name, text, MAXNAMELEN+1);
+@@ -1422,7 +1435,7 @@
+                     if(!text[0]) copystring(text, "unnamed");
+                     if(strcmp(text, d->name))
+                     {
+-                        if(!isignored(d->clientnum)) conoutf("%s is now known as %s", colorname(d), colorname(d, text));
++                        if(!isignored(d->clientnum)) conoutf(d->state==CS_SPECTATOR ? CON_INFO|CON_NONZEN : 0, "%s is now known as %s", colorname(d), colorname(d, text));
+                         copystring(d->name, text, MAXNAMELEN+1);
+                     }
+                 }
+@@ -1771,7 +1784,7 @@
+
+             case N_SERVMSG:
+                 getstring(text, p);
+-                conoutf("%s", text);
++                conoutf(CON_INFO|CON_NONZEN, "%s", text);
+                 break;
+
+             case N_SENDDEMOLIST:
+Index: src/fpsgame/fps.cpp
+===================================================================
+--- src/fpsgame/fps.cpp	(revision 6491)
++++ src/fpsgame/fps.cpp	(working copy)
+@@ -575,7 +575,7 @@
+         unignore(cn);
+         fpsent *d = clients[cn];
+         if(!d) return;
+-        if(notify && d->name[0]) conoutf("\f4leave:\f7 %s", colorname(d));
++        if(notify && d->name[0]) conoutf(d->state==CS_SPECTATOR ? CON_INFO|CON_NONZEN : 0, "\f4leave:\f7 %s", colorname(d));
+         removeweapons(d);
+         removetrackedparticles(d);
+         removetrackeddynlights(d);
+Index: src/fpsgame/game.h
+===================================================================
+--- src/fpsgame/game.h	(revision 6491)
++++ src/fpsgame/game.h	(working copy)
+@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@
+     CON_GAMEINFO   = 1<<10,
+     CON_FRAG_SELF  = 1<<11,
+     CON_FRAG_OTHER = 1<<12,
+-    CON_TEAMKILL   = 1<<13
++    CON_TEAMKILL   = 1<<13,
++    CON_NONZEN     = 1<<14
+ };
+
+ // network quantization scale
+Index: src/shared/iengine.h
+===================================================================
+--- src/shared/iengine.h	(revision 6491)
++++ src/shared/iengine.h	(working copy)
+@@ -201,3 +201,4 @@
++extern int confilter, fullconfilter, miniconfilter;
+
+ extern void conoutf(const char *s, ...) PRINTFARGS(1, 2);
+ extern void conoutf(int type, const char *s, ...) PRINTFARGS(2, 3);
diff --git a/src/engine/console.cpp b/src/engine/console.cpp
index 5ac3b09..3664668 100644
--- a/src/engine/console.cpp
+++ b/src/engine/console.cpp
@@ -119,7 +119,8 @@ int drawconlines(int conskip, int confade, int conwidth, int conheight, int cono
     {
         // shuffle backwards to fill if necessary
         int idx = offset+i < numl ? offset+i : --offset;
-        if(!(conlines[idx].type&filter)) continue;
+        int flags = conlines[idx].type & CON_FLAGS;
+        if((flags&filter)!=flags) continue;
         char *line = conlines[idx].line;
         int width, height;
         text_bounds(line, width, height, conwidth);
@@ -130,7 +131,8 @@ int drawconlines(int conskip, int confade, int conwidth, int conheight, int cono
     loopi(numl)
     {
         int idx = offset + (dir > 0 ? numl-i-1 : i);
-        if(!(conlines[idx].type&filter)) continue;
+        int flags = conlines[idx].type & CON_FLAGS;
+        if((flags&filter)!=flags) continue;
         char *line = conlines[idx].line;
         int width, height;
         text_bounds(line, width, height, conwidth);
diff --git a/src/engine/p1xbraten_version.cpp b/src/engine/p1xbraten_version.cpp
index 26f9d68..7bed22f 100644
--- a/src/engine/p1xbraten_version.cpp
+++ b/src/engine/p1xbraten_version.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@ void migratep1xbraten()
     if(naturalsort(p1xbratenversion, version) == -1)
     {
         // we're newer, run migrations
+        if(naturalsort(p1xbratenversion, "3.0.0") == -1) {
+            // activate CON_NONZEN in all consoles
+            if(!(confilter&(1<<14))) confilter += 1<<14;
+            if(!(fullconfilter&(1<<14))) fullconfilter += 1<<14;
+            if(!(miniconfilter&(1<<14))) miniconfilter += 1<<14;
+        }
     }
     setsvar("p1xbratenversion", version);
     lockversion();
diff --git a/src/fpsgame/ai.cpp b/src/fpsgame/ai.cpp
index cfe3502..1d950d5 100644
--- a/src/fpsgame/ai.cpp
+++ b/src/fpsgame/ai.cpp
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ namespace ai
         if(!d->name[0])
         {
             if(aidebug) conoutf(CON_DEBUG, "%s assigned to %s at skill %d", colorname(d, name), o ? colorname(o) : "?", sk);
-            else conoutf("\f0join:\f7 %s", colorname(d, name));
+            else conoutf(CON_INFO|CON_NONZEN, "\f0join:\f7 %s", colorname(d, name));
             resetthisguy = true;
         }
         else
diff --git a/src/fpsgame/client.cpp b/src/fpsgame/client.cpp
index 4a158c5..d1ad2ec 100644
--- a/src/fpsgame/client.cpp
+++ b/src/fpsgame/client.cpp
@@ -477,6 +477,19 @@ namespace game
     ICOMMAND(unignore, "s", (char *arg), unignore(parseplayer(arg))); 
     ICOMMAND(isignored, "s", (char *arg), intret(isignored(parseplayer(arg)) ? 1 : 0));
 
+    VARFP(zenmode, 0, 0, 1, {
+        if(zenmode)
+        {
+            if(miniconfilter&CON_NONZEN) miniconfilter -= CON_NONZEN;
+            if(confilter&CON_NONZEN) confilter -= CON_NONZEN;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            if(!(miniconfilter&CON_NONZEN)) miniconfilter += CON_NONZEN;
+            if(!(confilter&CON_NONZEN)) confilter += CON_NONZEN;
+        }
+    });
+
     void setteam(const char *arg1, const char *arg2)
     {
         int i = parseplayer(arg1);
@@ -1369,7 +1382,7 @@ namespace game
                 if(isignored(d->clientnum)) break;
                 if(d->state!=CS_DEAD && d->state!=CS_SPECTATOR)
                     particle_textcopy(d->abovehead(), text, PART_TEXT, 2000, 0x32FF64, 4.0f, -8);
-                conoutf(CON_CHAT, "%s:\f0 %s", chatcolorname(d), text);
+                conoutf(CON_CHAT + (d->state==CS_SPECTATOR ? CON_NONZEN : 0), "%s:\f0 %s", chatcolorname(d), text);
                 break;
             }
 
@@ -1382,7 +1395,7 @@ namespace game
                 if(!t || isignored(t->clientnum)) break;
                 if(t->state!=CS_DEAD && t->state!=CS_SPECTATOR)
                     particle_textcopy(t->abovehead(), text, PART_TEXT, 2000, 0x6496FF, 4.0f, -8);
-                conoutf(CON_TEAMCHAT, "\fs\f8[team]\fr %s: \f8%s", chatcolorname(t), text);
+                conoutf(CON_TEAMCHAT + (d->state==CS_SPECTATOR ? CON_NONZEN : 0), "\fs\f8[team]\fr %s: \f8%s", chatcolorname(t), text);
                 break;
             }
 
@@ -1440,11 +1453,11 @@ namespace game
                 if(d->name[0])          // already connected
                 {
                     if(strcmp(d->name, text) && !isignored(d->clientnum))
-                        conoutf("%s is now known as %s", colorname(d), colorname(d, text));
+                        conoutf(d->state==CS_SPECTATOR ? CON_INFO|CON_NONZEN : 0, "%s is now known as %s", colorname(d), colorname(d, text));
                 }
                 else                    // new client
                 {
-                    conoutf("\f0join:\f7 %s", colorname(d, text));
+                    conoutf(CON_INFO|CON_NONZEN, "\f0join:\f7 %s", colorname(d, text));
                     if(needclipboard >= 0) needclipboard++;
                 }
                 copystring(d->name, text, MAXNAMELEN+1);
@@ -1462,7 +1475,7 @@ namespace game
                     if(!text[0]) copystring(text, "unnamed");
                     if(strcmp(text, d->name))
                     {
-                        if(!isignored(d->clientnum)) conoutf("%s is now known as %s", colorname(d), colorname(d, text));
+                        if(!isignored(d->clientnum)) conoutf(d->state==CS_SPECTATOR ? CON_INFO|CON_NONZEN : 0, "%s is now known as %s", colorname(d), colorname(d, text));
                         copystring(d->name, text, MAXNAMELEN+1);
                     }
                 }
@@ -1834,7 +1847,7 @@ namespace game
 
             case N_SERVMSG:
                 getstring(text, p);
-                conoutf("%s", text);
+                conoutf(CON_INFO|CON_NONZEN, "%s", text);
                 break;
 
             case N_SENDDEMOLIST:
diff --git a/src/fpsgame/fps.cpp b/src/fpsgame/fps.cpp
index 406fb60..d9f2662 100644
--- a/src/fpsgame/fps.cpp
+++ b/src/fpsgame/fps.cpp
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@ namespace game
         unignore(cn);
         fpsent *d = clients[cn];
         if(!d) return;
-        if(notify && d->name[0]) conoutf("\f4leave:\f7 %s", colorname(d));
+        if(notify && d->name[0]) conoutf(d->state==CS_SPECTATOR ? CON_INFO|CON_NONZEN : 0, "\f4leave:\f7 %s", colorname(d));
         removeweapons(d);
         removetrackedparticles(d);
         removetrackeddynlights(d);
diff --git a/src/fpsgame/game.h b/src/fpsgame/game.h
index 0787554..badbcc7 100644
--- a/src/fpsgame/game.h
+++ b/src/fpsgame/game.h
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ enum
     CON_GAMEINFO   = 1<<10,
     CON_FRAG_SELF  = 1<<11,
     CON_FRAG_OTHER = 1<<12,
-    CON_TEAMKILL   = 1<<13
+    CON_TEAMKILL   = 1<<13,
+    CON_NONZEN     = 1<<14
 };
 
 // network quantization scale
diff --git a/src/shared/iengine.h b/src/shared/iengine.h
index 481818c..6f58c24 100644
--- a/src/shared/iengine.h
+++ b/src/shared/iengine.h
@@ -201,6 +201,7 @@ enum
 };
 
 extern int fullconsole;
+extern int confilter, fullconfilter, miniconfilter;
 
 extern void conoutf(const char *s, ...) PRINTFARGS(1, 2);
 extern void conoutf(int type, const char *s, ...) PRINTFARGS(2, 3);