diff --git a/Core/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/MapUtil.cpp b/Core/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/MapUtil.cpp
index 1806c50741a..d56bfee2ad9 100644
--- a/Core/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/MapUtil.cpp
+++ b/Core/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/MapUtil.cpp
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@
 #include "GameLogic/FPUControl.h"
 #include "GameNetwork/GameInfo.h"
 #include "GameNetwork/NetworkDefs.h"
+#include "Lib/PathUtil.h"
 
 
 //-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1078,9 +1079,41 @@ Bool isOfficialMap( AsciiString mapName )
 }
 
 
+static AsciiString normalizePathSeparators( const AsciiString &path )
+{
+	const char nativeSeparator = getNativePathSeparator();
+	const char *src = path.str();
+
+	for (; *src != 0; ++src)
+	{
+		if (isPathSeparator(*src) && *src != nativeSeparator)
+		{
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (*src == 0)
+	{
+		return path;
+	}
+
+	AsciiString normalized;
+	for (src = path.str(); *src != 0; ++src)
+	{
+		normalized.concat(isPathSeparator(*src) ? nativeSeparator : *src);
+	}
+
+	return normalized;
+}
+
 const MapMetaData *MapCache::findMap(AsciiString mapName)
 {
 	mapName.toLower();
+
+	// TheSuperHackers @bugfix bobtista 28/08/2026 Match whichever separator the cache keys were
+	// built with, so a name stored with the other separator still resolves
+	mapName = normalizePathSeparators(mapName);
+
 	MapCache::iterator it = find(mapName);
 	if (it == end())
 		return nullptr;
diff --git a/Core/Libraries/Include/Lib/PathUtil.h b/Core/Libraries/Include/Lib/PathUtil.h
index cf1ce769d91..33c9b5a3c2b 100644
--- a/Core/Libraries/Include/Lib/PathUtil.h
+++ b/Core/Libraries/Include/Lib/PathUtil.h
@@ -23,6 +23,38 @@
 #include "BaseType.h"
 #include <string.h>
 
+inline char getNativePathSeparator()
+{
+#ifdef _WIN32
+	return '\\';
+#else
+	return '/';
+#endif
+}
+
+inline Bool isPathSeparator(char c)
+{
+	return c == '/' || c == '\\';
+}
+
+inline const char* getLastPathSeparator(const char* path)
+{
+	return maxPtr(strrchr(path, '/'), strrchr(path, '\\'));
+}
+
+inline const wchar_t* getLastPathSeparator(const wchar_t* path)
+{
+	return maxPtr(wcsrchr(path, L'/'), wcsrchr(path, L'\\'));
+}
+
+// Returns the whole path when it contains no separator
+inline const char* getFileName(const char* path)
+{
+	const char* lastSeparator = getLastPathSeparator(path);
+
+	return lastSeparator ? lastSeparator + 1 : path;
+}
+
 inline const char* getExtension(const char* path)
 {
 	const char* lastDot = strrchr(path, '.');
@@ -32,7 +64,7 @@ inline const char* getExtension(const char* path)
 		return nullptr;
 	}
 
-	const char* lastSeparator = maxPtr(strrchr(path, '/'), strrchr(path, '\\'));
+	const char* lastSeparator = getLastPathSeparator(path);
 
 	// Check if the dot is contained in the filename
 	if (lastSeparator && lastDot < lastSeparator)
@@ -52,7 +84,7 @@ inline const wchar_t* getExtension(const wchar_t* path)
 		return nullptr;
 	}
 
-	const wchar_t* lastSeparator = maxPtr(wcsrchr(path, L'/'), wcsrchr(path, L'\\'));
+	const wchar_t* lastSeparator = getLastPathSeparator(path);
 
 	// Check if the dot is contained in the filename
 	if (lastSeparator && lastDot < lastSeparator)
diff --git a/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/GUICallbacks/Menus/LanGameOptionsMenu.cpp b/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/GUICallbacks/Menus/LanGameOptionsMenu.cpp
index 0520332611d..232c71d563f 100644
--- a/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/GUICallbacks/Menus/LanGameOptionsMenu.cpp
+++ b/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/GUICallbacks/Menus/LanGameOptionsMenu.cpp
@@ -780,15 +780,18 @@ void LanGameOptionsMenuInit( WindowLayout *layout, void *userData )
 		slot->setColor( pref.getPreferredColor() );
 		slot->setPlayerTemplate( pref.getPreferredFaction() );
 		slot->setNATBehavior(FirewallHelperClass::FIREWALL_TYPE_SIMPLE);
-		game->setMap( pref.getPreferredMap() );
-		AsciiString lowerMap = pref.getPreferredMap();
-		lowerMap.toLower();
-		std::map<AsciiString, MapMetaData>::iterator it = TheMapCache->find(lowerMap);
-		if (it != TheMapCache->end())
+		AsciiString mapName = pref.getPreferredMap();
+		const MapMetaData *mapData = TheMapCache->findMap(mapName);
+		if (mapData != nullptr)
+		{
+			mapName = mapData->m_fileName;
+		}
+		game->setMap(mapName);
+		if (mapData != nullptr)
 		{
 			TheLAN->GetMyGame()->getSlot(0)->setMapAvailability(true);
-			TheLAN->GetMyGame()->setMapCRC( it->second.m_CRC );
-			TheLAN->GetMyGame()->setMapSize( it->second.m_filesize );
+			TheLAN->GetMyGame()->setMapCRC( mapData->m_CRC );
+			TheLAN->GetMyGame()->setMapSize( mapData->m_filesize );
 
 			TheLAN->GetMyGame()->adjustSlotsForMap(); // BGC- adjust the slots for the selected map.
 		}
diff --git a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/GUICallbacks/Menus/LanGameOptionsMenu.cpp b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/GUICallbacks/Menus/LanGameOptionsMenu.cpp
index 609a0f772cd..9ed2aae7e9c 100644
--- a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/GUICallbacks/Menus/LanGameOptionsMenu.cpp
+++ b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/GUICallbacks/Menus/LanGameOptionsMenu.cpp
@@ -856,17 +856,20 @@ void LanGameOptionsMenuInit( WindowLayout *layout, void *userData )
 		slot->setColor( pref.getPreferredColor() );
 		slot->setPlayerTemplate( pref.getPreferredFaction() );
 		slot->setNATBehavior(FirewallHelperClass::FIREWALL_TYPE_SIMPLE);
-		game->setMap( pref.getPreferredMap() );
+		AsciiString mapName = pref.getPreferredMap();
+		const MapMetaData *mapData = TheMapCache->findMap(mapName);
+		if (mapData != nullptr)
+		{
+			mapName = mapData->m_fileName;
+		}
+		game->setMap(mapName);
     game->setStartingCash( pref.getStartingCash() );
     game->setSuperweaponRestriction( pref.getSuperweaponRestricted() ? 1 : 0 );
-		AsciiString lowerMap = pref.getPreferredMap();
-		lowerMap.toLower();
-		std::map<AsciiString, MapMetaData>::iterator it = TheMapCache->find(lowerMap);
-		if (it != TheMapCache->end())
+		if (mapData != nullptr)
 		{
 			TheLAN->GetMyGame()->getSlot(0)->setMapAvailability(true);
-			TheLAN->GetMyGame()->setMapCRC( it->second.m_CRC );
-			TheLAN->GetMyGame()->setMapSize( it->second.m_filesize );
+			TheLAN->GetMyGame()->setMapCRC( mapData->m_CRC );
+			TheLAN->GetMyGame()->setMapSize( mapData->m_filesize );
 
 			TheLAN->GetMyGame()->adjustSlotsForMap(); // BGC- adjust the slots for the selected map.
 		}