diff --git a/src/intermission/intermission.cpp b/src/intermission/intermission.cpp
index f1dd8b9a0..cc2482220 100644
--- a/src/intermission/intermission.cpp
+++ b/src/intermission/intermission.cpp
@@ -847,6 +847,7 @@ void DIntermissionController::OnDestroy ()
 
 void F_StartIntermission(FIntermissionDescriptor *desc, bool deleteme, uint8_t state)
 {
+	ScaleOverrider s;
 	if (DIntermissionController::CurrentIntermission != NULL)
 	{
 		DIntermissionController::CurrentIntermission->Destroy();
@@ -892,6 +893,7 @@ void F_StartIntermission(FName seq, uint8_t state)
 
 bool F_Responder (event_t* ev)
 {
+	ScaleOverrider s;
 	if (DIntermissionController::CurrentIntermission != NULL)
 	{
 		return DIntermissionController::CurrentIntermission->Responder(ev);
@@ -907,6 +909,7 @@ bool F_Responder (event_t* ev)
 
 void F_Ticker ()
 {
+	ScaleOverrider s;
 	if (DIntermissionController::CurrentIntermission != NULL)
 	{
 		DIntermissionController::CurrentIntermission->Ticker();
@@ -921,6 +924,7 @@ void F_Ticker ()
 
 void F_Drawer ()
 {
+	ScaleOverrider s;
 	if (DIntermissionController::CurrentIntermission != NULL)
 	{
 		DIntermissionController::CurrentIntermission->Drawer();
@@ -936,6 +940,7 @@ void F_Drawer ()
 
 void F_EndFinale ()
 {
+	ScaleOverrider s;
 	if (DIntermissionController::CurrentIntermission != NULL)
 	{
 		DIntermissionController::CurrentIntermission->Destroy();
@@ -951,6 +956,7 @@ void F_EndFinale ()
 
 void F_AdvanceIntermission()
 {
+	ScaleOverrider s;
 	if (DIntermissionController::CurrentIntermission != NULL)
 	{
 		DIntermissionController::CurrentIntermission->mAdvance = true;
diff --git a/src/v_video.cpp b/src/v_video.cpp
index 61a9ceb7b..d82a24704 100644
--- a/src/v_video.cpp
+++ b/src/v_video.cpp
@@ -539,13 +539,10 @@ CCMD(clean)
 
 
 void V_UpdateModeSize (int width, int height)
-{
-	int cx1, cx2;
-	V_CalcCleanFacs(320, 200, width, height, &CleanXfac, &CleanYfac, &cx1, &cx2);
-
-	CleanWidth = width / CleanXfac;
-	CleanHeight = height / CleanYfac;
-	assert(CleanWidth >= 320 && CleanHeight >= 200);
+{	
+	// This calculates the menu scale.
+	// The optimal scale will always be to fit a virtual 640 pixel wide display onto the screen.
+	// Exceptions are made for a few ranges where the available virtual width is > 480.
 
 	int w = screen->GetWidth();
 	int factor;
@@ -554,9 +551,9 @@ void V_UpdateModeSize (int width, int height)
 	else if (w >= 1600 && w < 1920) factor = 3; 
 	else  factor = w / 640;
 
-	CleanXfac_1 = CleanYfac_1 = factor;
-	CleanWidth_1 = width / CleanXfac_1;
-	CleanHeight_1 = height / CleanYfac_1;
+	CleanXfac = CleanYfac = CleanXfac_1 = CleanYfac_1 = factor;
+	CleanWidth = CleanWidth_1 = width / CleanXfac_1;
+	CleanHeight = CleanHeight_1 = height / CleanYfac_1;
 
 	DisplayWidth = width;
 	DisplayHeight = height;
@@ -581,52 +578,8 @@ void V_OutputResized (int width, int height)
 
 void V_CalcCleanFacs (int designwidth, int designheight, int realwidth, int realheight, int *cleanx, int *cleany, int *_cx1, int *_cx2)
 {
-	float ratio;
-	int cwidth;
-	int cheight;
-	int cx1, cy1, cx2, cy2;
-
-	// For larger screems always use at least a 16:9 ratio for clean factor calculation, even if the actual ratio is narrower.
-	if (realwidth > 1280 && (double)realwidth / realheight < 16./9)
-	{
-		realheight = realwidth * 9 / 16;
-	}
-
-	ratio = ActiveRatio(realwidth, realheight);
-	if (AspectTallerThanWide(ratio))
-	{
-		cwidth = realwidth;
-		cheight = realheight * AspectMultiplier(ratio) / 48;
-	}
-	else
-	{
-		cwidth = realwidth * AspectMultiplier(ratio) / 48;
-		cheight = realheight;
-	}
-	// Use whichever pair of cwidth/cheight or width/height that produces less difference
-	// between CleanXfac and CleanYfac.
-	cx1 = MAX(cwidth / designwidth, 1);
-	cy1 = MAX(cheight / designheight, 1);
-	cx2 = MAX(realwidth / designwidth, 1);
-	cy2 = MAX(realheight / designheight, 1);
-	if (abs(cx1 - cy1) <= abs(cx2 - cy2) || MAX(cx1, cx2) >= 4)
-	{ // e.g. 640x360 looks better with this.
-		*cleanx = cx1;
-		*cleany = cy1;
-	}
-	else
-	{ // e.g. 720x480 looks better with this.
-		*cleanx = cx2;
-		*cleany = cy2;
-	}
-
-	if (*cleanx < *cleany)
-		*cleany = *cleanx;
-	else
-		*cleanx = *cleany;
-
-	if (_cx1 != NULL)	*_cx1 = cx1;
-	if (_cx2 != NULL)	*_cx2 = cx2;
+	if (designheight < 240 && realheight >= 480) designheight = 240;
+	*cleanx = *cleany = std::min(realwidth / designwidth, realheight / designheight);
 }
 
 bool IVideo::SetResolution ()
diff --git a/src/v_video.h b/src/v_video.h
index 06295b1a8..7f35f3322 100644
--- a/src/v_video.h
+++ b/src/v_video.h
@@ -628,4 +628,35 @@ inline int active_con_scale()
 }
 
 
+class ScaleOverrider
+{
+	int savedxfac, savedyfac, savedwidth, savedheight;
+
+public:
+	// This is to allow certain elements to use an optimal fullscreen scale which for the menu would be too large.
+	// The old code contained far too much mess to compensate for the menus which negatively affected everything else.
+	// However, for compatibility reasons the currently used variables cannot be changed so they have to be overridden temporarily.
+	// This class provides a safe interface for this because it ensures that the values get restored afterward.
+	// Currently, the intermission and the level summary screen use this.
+	ScaleOverrider()
+	{
+		savedxfac = CleanXfac;
+		savedyfac = CleanYfac;
+		savedwidth = CleanWidth;
+		savedheight = CleanHeight;
+		V_CalcCleanFacs(320, 200, screen->GetWidth(), screen->GetHeight(), &CleanXfac, &CleanYfac);
+		CleanWidth = screen->GetWidth() / CleanXfac;
+		CleanHeight = screen->GetHeight() / CleanYfac;
+	}
+
+	~ScaleOverrider()
+	{
+		CleanXfac = savedxfac;
+		CleanYfac = savedyfac;
+		CleanWidth = savedwidth;
+		CleanHeight = savedheight;
+	}
+};
+
+
 #endif // __V_VIDEO_H__
diff --git a/src/wi_stuff.cpp b/src/wi_stuff.cpp
index dedda4602..1e319a146 100644
--- a/src/wi_stuff.cpp
+++ b/src/wi_stuff.cpp
@@ -701,6 +701,7 @@ void WI_Ticker()
 {
 	if (WI_Screen)
 	{
+		ScaleOverrider s;
 		IFVIRTUALPTRNAME(WI_Screen, "StatusScreen", Ticker)
 		{
 			VMValue self = WI_Screen;
@@ -720,6 +721,7 @@ void WI_Drawer()
 {
 	if (WI_Screen)
 	{
+		ScaleOverrider s;
 		IFVIRTUALPTRNAME(WI_Screen, "StatusScreen", Drawer)
 		{
 			VMValue self = WI_Screen;
@@ -767,6 +769,7 @@ void WI_Start(wbstartstruct_t *wbstartstruct)
 		SN_StopAllSequences(Level);
 	}
 	WI_Screen = cls->CreateNew();
+	ScaleOverrider s;
 	IFVIRTUALPTRNAME(WI_Screen, "StatusScreen", Start)
 	{
 		VMValue val[2] = { WI_Screen, wbstartstruct };