diff --git a/changelog.txt b/changelog.txt
index a7f7fa30..884f8094 100644
--- a/changelog.txt
+++ b/changelog.txt
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ Find me a cat!
 ---------------------
 
 [*] Changelog updates - oh shi-
+[*] Optional heartbeat sound when health reaches a certain level.
 
 // TODO : find a better order for these categories
 
@@ -191,4 +192,4 @@ I18n / L10n
 
 [*] Client now tries to set the LANG alias if it's not defined.
 [*] fixed LANG for windows (breaks Win98/2K compatibility!)
-[*] Float separator set to "." (dot) regardless of locale.
\ No newline at end of file
+[*] Float separator set to "." (dot) regardless of locale.
diff --git a/config/menus_settings.cfg b/config/menus_settings.cfg
index cc304161..d8aba43c 100644
--- a/config/menus_settings.cfg
+++ b/config/menus_settings.cfg
@@ -518,6 +518,7 @@ menuitemcheckbox "Die 1: " "(soundmuted 32)"      [ mutesound 32 (! $arg1) ]
 menuitemcheckbox "Die 2: " "(soundmuted 33)"      [ mutesound 33 (! $arg1) ]
 menuitemcheckbox "Gib sounds: " "(soundmuted 48)" [ mutesound 48 (! $arg1) ]
 menuitemcheckbox "Tinnitus: " "(soundmuted 62)"   [ mutesound 62 (! $arg1) ]
+menuitemcheckbox "Heartbeat: " "(soundmuted 100)" [ mutesound 100 (! $arg1) ]
 
 newmenu "Mute movement sounds"
 
diff --git a/config/sounds.cfg b/config/sounds.cfg
index 1a1d11c0..7562f190 100755
--- a/config/sounds.cfg
+++ b/config/sounds.cfg
@@ -109,7 +109,8 @@ registersound "voicecom/thanks_1"               // 95 : public
 registersound "voicecom/thanks_2"               // 96 : public
 registersound "voicecom/awesome_1"              // 97 : public
 registersound "voicecom/awesome_2"              // 98 : public
-registersound "misc/pickup_helmet"		// 99 - S_ITEMHELMET
+registersound "misc/pickup_helmet"              // 99 - S_ITEMHELMET
+registersound "player/heartbeat"                // 100 - S_HEARTBEAT
 
 						// Music
 registermusic "pingpong/Ping_Pong_-_Kamikadze"	// M_FLAGGRAB
diff --git a/docs/reference.xml b/docs/reference.xml
index b80fceef..a8e8c7fb 100644
--- a/docs/reference.xml
+++ b/docs/reference.xml
@@ -4854,6 +4854,11 @@ Output:
 					<value token="N" description="velocity" minValue="1" maxValue="100" defaultValue="30"/>
 				</variable>
 
+				<variable name="heartbeat">
+					<description>Defines the health level at or below which a heartbeat sound will be played. A value of 0 (which is the default) disables this feature.</description>
+					<value token="H" description="health value" minValue="0" maxValue="99" defaultValue="0"/>
+				</variable>
+
 				<variable name="teamdisplaymode">
 					<description>Sets the team display mode.</description>
 					<remarks>
diff --git a/packages/audio/player/heartbeat.ogg b/packages/audio/player/heartbeat.ogg
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..13bda9d1
Binary files /dev/null and b/packages/audio/player/heartbeat.ogg differ
diff --git a/packages/audio/player/heartbeat.ogg_license.txt b/packages/audio/player/heartbeat.ogg_license.txt
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..543075c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/audio/player/heartbeat.ogg_license.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+heartbeat.ogg by Lunardrive (http://www.freesound.org/usersViewSingle.php?id=120830)
+    Four Heartbeats HQ_BeatSmith.wav (http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=22416)
+
+This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Sampling Plus 1.0 License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/sampling+/1.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA.
diff --git a/source/src/audiomanager.cpp b/source/src/audiomanager.cpp
index 83900c14..a2d17f68 100644
--- a/source/src/audiomanager.cpp
+++ b/source/src/audiomanager.cpp
@@ -532,6 +532,8 @@ void audiomanager::stopsound()
     if(gamemusic) gamemusic->reset();
 }
 
+VAR(heartbeat, 0, 0, 99);
+
 // main audio update routine
 
 void audiomanager::updateaudio()
@@ -540,7 +542,7 @@ void audiomanager::updateaudio()
 
     alcSuspendContext(context); // don't process sounds while we mess around
 
-    //bool alive = player1->state!=CS_DEAD;
+    bool alive = player1->state!=CS_DEAD;
     bool firstperson = camera1==player1 || (player1->isspectating() && player1->spectatemode==SM_DEATHCAM);
 
     // footsteps
@@ -560,6 +562,10 @@ void audiomanager::updateaudio()
     bool tinnitus = /*alive &&*/ firstperson && player1->eardamagemillis>0 && lastmillis<=player1->eardamagemillis;
     location *tinnitusloc = updateloopsound(S_TINNITUS, tinnitus);
 
+    // heartbeat
+    bool heartbeatsound = heartbeat && alive && firstperson && player1->health <= heartbeat;
+    updateloopsound(S_HEARTBEAT, heartbeatsound);
+
     // pitch fx
     const float lowpitch = 0.65f;
     bool pitchfx = underwater || tinnitus;
diff --git a/source/src/sound.h b/source/src/sound.h
index 484a2989..1b669832 100644
--- a/source/src/sound.h
+++ b/source/src/sound.h
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ enum
     S_AWESOME1,
     S_AWESOME2,
     S_ITEMHELMET,	// begin: Sounds for AssaultCube v1.1.0.4 onwards
+    S_HEARTBEAT,
     S_NULL
 };