diff --git a/src/game/game_init.c b/src/game/game_init.c
index af5fe146..f9d79dde 100644
--- a/src/game/game_init.c
+++ b/src/game/game_init.c
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #include "segment2.h"
 #include "segment_symbols.h"
 #include "rumble_init.h"
+#include "port/ui/cvar_prefixes.h"
 #include "port/interpolation/FrameInterpolation.h"
 
 // First 3 controller slots
@@ -503,28 +504,29 @@ void run_demo_inputs(void) {
             gControllers[0].controllerData->stick_x = 0;
             gControllers[0].controllerData->stick_y = 0;
             gControllers[0].controllerData->button = END_DEMO;
-            gCurrDemoInput = NULL;
         } else {
             // Backup the start button if it is pressed, since we don't want the
             // demo input to override the mask where start may have been pressed.
             u16 startPushed = gControllers[0].controllerData->button & START_BUTTON;
 
-            // Perform the demo inputs by assigning the current button mask and the stick inputs.
-            gControllers[0].controllerData->stick_x = gCurrDemoInput->rawStickX;
-            gControllers[0].controllerData->stick_y = gCurrDemoInput->rawStickY;
+            if(CVarGetInteger(CVAR_CHEAT("PlayInDemo"), 0) == 0) {
+                // Perform the demo inputs by assigning the current button mask and the stick inputs.
+                gControllers[0].controllerData->stick_x = gCurrDemoInput->rawStickX;
+                gControllers[0].controllerData->stick_y = gCurrDemoInput->rawStickY;
 
-            // To assign the demo input, the button information is stored in
-            // an 8-bit mask rather than a 16-bit mask. this is because only
-            // A, B, Z, Start, and the C-Buttons are used in a demo, as bits
-            // in that order. In order to assign the mask, we need to take the
-            // upper 4 bits (A, B, Z, and Start) and shift then left by 8 to
-            // match the correct input mask. We then add this to the masked
-            // lower 4 bits to get the correct button mask.
-            gControllers[0].controllerData->button =
-                ((gCurrDemoInput->buttonMask & 0xF0) << 8) + ((gCurrDemoInput->buttonMask & 0xF));
+                // To assign the demo input, the button information is stored in
+                // an 8-bit mask rather than a 16-bit mask. this is because only
+                // A, B, Z, Start, and the C-Buttons are used in a demo, as bits
+                // in that order. In order to assign the mask, we need to take the
+                // upper 4 bits (A, B, Z, and Start) and shift then left by 8 to
+                // match the correct input mask. We then add this to the masked
+                // lower 4 bits to get the correct button mask.
+                gControllers[0].controllerData->button =
+                    ((gCurrDemoInput->buttonMask & 0xF0) << 8) + ((gCurrDemoInput->buttonMask & 0xF));
 
-            // If start was pushed, put it into the demo sequence being input to end the demo.
-            gControllers[0].controllerData->button |= startPushed;
+                // If start was pushed, put it into the demo sequence being input to end the demo.
+                gControllers[0].controllerData->button |= startPushed;
+            }
 
             // Run the current demo input's timer down. if it hits 0, advance the demo input list.
             if (--gCurrDemoInput->timer == 0) {
diff --git a/src/game/level_update.c b/src/game/level_update.c
index 125bbec9..b474e1d0 100644
--- a/src/game/level_update.c
+++ b/src/game/level_update.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "course_table.h"
 #include "rumble_init.h"
 
+#include "port/ui/cvar_prefixes.h"
 #include "port/hooks/list/EngineEvent.h"
 #include "port/mods/PortEnhancements.h"
 
@@ -957,7 +958,7 @@ void basic_update(UNUSED s16 *arg) {
 }
 
 s32 play_mode_normal(void) {
-    if (gCurrDemoInput != NULL) {
+    if (gCurrDemoInput != NULL && CVarGetInteger(CVAR_CHEAT("PlayInDemo"), 0) == 0) {
         print_intro_text();
         if (gPlayer1Controller->buttonPressed & END_DEMO) {
             level_trigger_warp(gMarioState,
diff --git a/src/menu/title_screen.c b/src/menu/title_screen.c
index e08bd1dd..fba8bfbc 100644
--- a/src/menu/title_screen.c
+++ b/src/menu/title_screen.c
@@ -53,23 +53,22 @@ static const char* gDemoInputs[8] = {
 s32 run_level_id_or_demo(s32 level) {
     gCurrDemoInput = NULL;
 
-    if (level == LEVEL_NONE) {
+    if (level == LEVEL_NONE && !gDebugLevelSelect) {
         if (!gPlayer1Controller->buttonDown && !gPlayer1Controller->stickMag) {
             // start the demo. 800 frames has passed while
             // player is idle on PRESS START screen.
             if ((++sDemoCountdown) == PRESS_START_DEMO_TIMER) {
+                // if the next demo sequence ID is the count limit, reset it back to
+                // the first sequence.
+                if (gDemoInputListID >= ARRAY_COUNT(gDemoInputs) - 1) {
+                    gDemoInputListID = 0;
+                }
 
                 // start the Mario demo animation for the demo list.
                 void* data = segmented_to_virtual(gDemoInputs[gDemoInputListID]);
 
                 if(data == NULL) {
-                    return 0;
-                }
-
-                // if the next demo sequence ID is the count limit, reset it back to
-                // the first sequence.
-                if (++gDemoInputListID == ARRAY_COUNT(gDemoInputs)) {
-                    gDemoInputListID = 0;
+                    return level;
                 }
 
                 // add 1 (+4) to the pointer to skip the first 4 bytes
@@ -79,6 +78,7 @@ s32 run_level_id_or_demo(s32 level) {
                 level = (s8)((struct DemoInput *) data)->timer;
                 gCurrSaveFileNum = 1;
                 gCurrActNum = 1;
+                gDemoInputListID++;
             }
         } else { // activity was detected, so reset the demo countdown.
             sDemoCountdown = 0;
diff --git a/src/port/ui/GhostshipMenuEnhancements.cpp b/src/port/ui/GhostshipMenuEnhancements.cpp
index 4762f640..8a00915b 100644
--- a/src/port/ui/GhostshipMenuEnhancements.cpp
+++ b/src/port/ui/GhostshipMenuEnhancements.cpp
@@ -163,6 +163,10 @@ void GhostshipMenu::AddMenuEnhancements() {
         .CVar(CVAR_CHEAT("PauseExitWhenever"))
         .RaceDisable(false)
         .Options(CheckboxOptions().Tooltip("Exit from anywhere using the Pause Menu."));
+    AddWidget(path, "Play In Demo", WIDGET_CVAR_CHECKBOX)
+        .CVar(CVAR_CHEAT("PlayInDemo"))
+        .RaceDisable(false)
+        .Options(CheckboxOptions().Tooltip("Allows normal gameplay when a demo is playing."));
 }
 
 } // namespace GhostshipGui