diff --git a/src/g_levellocals.h b/src/g_levellocals.h
index 9fac6276e..cf63f81b2 100644
--- a/src/g_levellocals.h
+++ b/src/g_levellocals.h
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ public:
 	AActor *SpawnMapThing(int index, FMapThing *mt, int position);
 	AActor *SpawnPlayer(FPlayerStart *mthing, int playernum, int flags = 0);
 	void StartLightning();
-	void ForceLightning(int mode, const FString& tempSound = "");
+	void ForceLightning(int mode, FSoundID tempSound = NO_SOUND);
 	void ClearDynamic3DFloorData();
 	void WorldDone(void);
 	void AirControlChanged();
diff --git a/src/playsim/mapthinkers/a_lightning.cpp b/src/playsim/mapthinkers/a_lightning.cpp
index 0316d643f..f6e0f713d 100644
--- a/src/playsim/mapthinkers/a_lightning.cpp
+++ b/src/playsim/mapthinkers/a_lightning.cpp
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ IMPLEMENT_CLASS(DLightningThinker, false, false)
 //
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-void DLightningThinker::Construct(const FString& tempSound)
+void DLightningThinker::Construct(FSoundID tempSound)
 {
 	Stopped = false;
 	LightningFlashCount = 0;
@@ -179,14 +179,14 @@ void DLightningThinker::LightningFlash ()
 	}
 
 	Level->flags |= LEVEL_SWAPSKIES;	// set alternate sky
-	if (TempLightningSound.IsEmpty())
+	if (TempLightningSound == NO_SOUND)
 	{
 		S_Sound(CHAN_AUTO, 0, Level->LightningSound, 1.0, ATTN_NONE);
 	}
 	else
 	{
 		S_Sound(CHAN_AUTO, 0, TempLightningSound, 1.0, ATTN_NONE);
-		TempLightningSound = "";
+		TempLightningSound = NO_SOUND;
 	}
 	// [ZZ] just in case
 	Level->localEventManager->WorldLightning();
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ void DLightningThinker::LightningFlash ()
 //
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-void DLightningThinker::ForceLightning (int mode, const FString& tempSound)
+void DLightningThinker::ForceLightning (int mode, FSoundID tempSound)
 {
 	switch (mode)
 	{
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ void FLevelLocals::StartLightning ()
 //
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-void FLevelLocals::ForceLightning (int mode, const FString& tempSound)
+void FLevelLocals::ForceLightning (int mode, FSoundID tempSound)
 {
 	DLightningThinker *lightning = LocateLightning (this);
 	if (lightning == nullptr)
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ DEFINE_ACTION_FUNCTION(FLevelLocals, ForceLightning)
 {
 	PARAM_SELF_STRUCT_PROLOGUE(FLevelLocals);
 	PARAM_INT(mode);
-	PARAM_STRING(tempSound);
+	PARAM_SOUND(tempSound);
 	self->ForceLightning(mode,tempSound);
 	return 0;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/playsim/mapthinkers/a_lightning.h b/src/playsim/mapthinkers/a_lightning.h
index 502c76c64..f8f9b71df 100644
--- a/src/playsim/mapthinkers/a_lightning.h
+++ b/src/playsim/mapthinkers/a_lightning.h
@@ -6,17 +6,18 @@
 #endif
 
 #include "dthinker.h"
+#include "s_soundinternal.h"
 
 class DLightningThinker : public DThinker
 {
 	DECLARE_CLASS (DLightningThinker, DThinker);
 public:
 	static const int DEFAULT_STAT = STAT_LIGHTNING;
-	void Construct(const FString& tempSound = "");
+	void Construct(FSoundID tempSound = NO_SOUND);
 	~DLightningThinker ();
 	void Serialize(FSerializer &arc);
 	void Tick ();
-	void ForceLightning (int mode, const FString& tempSound = "");
+	void ForceLightning (int mode, FSoundID tempSound = NO_SOUND);
 	void TerminateLightning();
 
 protected:
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ protected:
 	int NextLightningFlash;
 	int LightningFlashCount;
 	bool Stopped;
-	FString TempLightningSound;
+	FSoundID TempLightningSound;
 	TArray<short> LightningLightLevels;
 };
 
diff --git a/wadsrc/static/zscript/doombase.zs b/wadsrc/static/zscript/doombase.zs
index 058b3a245..5a99de9e6 100644
--- a/wadsrc/static/zscript/doombase.zs
+++ b/wadsrc/static/zscript/doombase.zs
@@ -526,7 +526,7 @@ struct LevelLocals native
 	native String GetChecksum() const;
 
 	native void ChangeSky(TextureID sky1, TextureID sky2 );
-	native void ForceLightning(int mode = 0, string tempSound = "");
+	native void ForceLightning(int mode = 0, sound tempSound = "");
 
 	native SectorTagIterator CreateSectorTagIterator(int tag, line defline = null);
 	native LineIdIterator CreateLineIdIterator(int tag);