diff --git a/dgl-common.c b/dgl-common.c
index 2ccb723..67581e8 100644
--- a/dgl-common.c
+++ b/dgl-common.c
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ dgl_find_menu(char *menuname)
  * %n == user name (string; gotten from 'me', or from 'plrname' if 'me' is null)
  * %r == chroot (string)  (aka "dglroot" config var)
  * %g == game name
+ * %s == short game name
  */
 char *
 dgl_format_str(int game, struct dg_user *me, char *str, char *plrname)
@@ -148,6 +149,12 @@ dgl_format_str(int game, struct dg_user *me, char *str, char *plrname)
 		while (*p != '\0')
 		    p++;
 		break;
+	    case 's':
+		if (game >= 0 && game < num_games && myconfig[game]) snprintf (p, end + 1 - p, "%s", myconfig[game]->shortname);
+		else return NULL;
+		while (*p != '\0')
+		    p++;
+		break;
 	    case 'r':
 		snprintf (p, end + 1 - p, "%s", globalconfig.dglroot);
 		while (*p != '\0')
diff --git a/examples/dgamelaunch.conf b/examples/dgamelaunch.conf
index 1bf44d1..868e644 100644
--- a/examples/dgamelaunch.conf
+++ b/examples/dgamelaunch.conf
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ lockfile = "/dgl-lock"
 #   %n = user nick, if user is logged in
 #   %u = shed_uid, as defined above, but numeric
 #   %g = game name, if user has selected a game.
+#   %s = short game name, if user has selected a game.
 #
 # eg. commands[login] = mkdir "foo", unlink "bar", setenv "Z" "foo"
 #