diff --git a/Engine/source/windowManager/sdl/sdlSplashScreen.cpp b/Engine/source/windowManager/sdl/sdlSplashScreen.cpp
index bf0931a9c..1cf2440af 100644
--- a/Engine/source/windowManager/sdl/sdlSplashScreen.cpp
+++ b/Engine/source/windowManager/sdl/sdlSplashScreen.cpp
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 
 #include "platform/platform.h"
 #include "console/console.h"
-
+#include "gfx/bitmap/gBitmap.h"
 #include "SDL.h"
 #include "windowManager/sdl/sdlWindow.h"
 
@@ -36,7 +36,52 @@ bool Platform::displaySplashWindow( String path )
    if(path.isEmpty())
       return false;
 
-   gSplashImage = SDL_LoadBMP(path);
+   Torque::Path iconPath = Torque::Path(path);
+
+   if (iconPath.getExtension() == String("bmp"))
+   {
+      Con::errorf("Unable to use bmp format images for the splash screen. Please use a different format.");
+      return false;
+   }
+
+   Resource<GBitmap> img = GBitmap::load(iconPath);
+   if (img != NULL)
+   {
+      U32 pitch;
+      U32 width = img->getWidth();
+      bool hasAlpha = img->getHasTransparency();
+      U32 depth;
+
+      if (hasAlpha)
+      {
+         pitch = 4 * width;
+         depth = 32;
+      }
+      else
+      {
+         pitch = 3 * width;
+         depth = 24;
+      }
+
+      Uint32 rmask, gmask, bmask, amask;
+      if (SDL_BYTEORDER == SDL_BIG_ENDIAN)
+      {
+         S32 shift = hasAlpha ? 8 : 0;
+         rmask = 0xff000000 >> shift;
+         gmask = 0x00ff0000 >> shift;
+         bmask = 0x0000ff00 >> shift;
+         amask = 0x000000ff >> shift;
+      }
+      else
+      {
+         rmask = 0x000000ff;
+         gmask = 0x0000ff00;
+         bmask = 0x00ff0000;
+         amask = hasAlpha ? 0xff000000 : 0;
+      }
+
+      gSplashImage = SDL_CreateRGBSurfaceFrom(img->getAddress(0, 0), img->getWidth(), img->getHeight(), depth, pitch, rmask, gmask, bmask, amask);
+   }
 
    //now the pop-up window
    if (gSplashImage)
diff --git a/Engine/source/windowManager/sdl/sdlWindowMgr.cpp b/Engine/source/windowManager/sdl/sdlWindowMgr.cpp
index 6157374dd..489377082 100644
--- a/Engine/source/windowManager/sdl/sdlWindowMgr.cpp
+++ b/Engine/source/windowManager/sdl/sdlWindowMgr.cpp
@@ -168,47 +168,55 @@ PlatformWindow *PlatformWindowManagerSDL::createWindow(GFXDevice *device, const
 
    //Now, fetch our window icon, if any
    Torque::Path iconPath = Torque::Path(Con::getVariable( "$Core::windowIcon" ));
-   Resource<GBitmap> bmp = GBitmap::load(iconPath);
-   if (bmp != NULL)
+
+   if (iconPath.getExtension() == String("bmp"))
    {
-      U32 pitch;
-      U32 width = bmp->getWidth();
-      bool hasAlpha = bmp->getHasTransparency();
-      U32 depth;
-
-      if (hasAlpha)
+      Con::errorf("Unable to use bmp format images for the window icon. Please use a different format.");
+   }
+   else
+   {
+      Resource<GBitmap> img = GBitmap::load(iconPath);
+      if (img != NULL)
       {
-         pitch = 4 * width;
-         depth = 32;
-      }
-      else
-      {
-         pitch = 3 * width;
-         depth = 24;
-      }
+         U32 pitch;
+         U32 width = img->getWidth();
+         bool hasAlpha = img->getHasTransparency();
+         U32 depth;
 
-      Uint32 rmask, gmask, bmask, amask;
-      if (SDL_BYTEORDER == SDL_BIG_ENDIAN)
-      {
-         S32 shift = hasAlpha ? 8 : 0;
-         rmask = 0xff000000 >> shift;
-         gmask = 0x00ff0000 >> shift;
-         bmask = 0x0000ff00 >> shift;
-         amask = 0x000000ff >> shift;
+         if (hasAlpha)
+         {
+            pitch = 4 * width;
+            depth = 32;
+         }
+         else
+         {
+            pitch = 3 * width;
+            depth = 24;
+         }
+
+         Uint32 rmask, gmask, bmask, amask;
+         if (SDL_BYTEORDER == SDL_BIG_ENDIAN)
+         {
+            S32 shift = hasAlpha ? 8 : 0;
+            rmask = 0xff000000 >> shift;
+            gmask = 0x00ff0000 >> shift;
+            bmask = 0x0000ff00 >> shift;
+            amask = 0x000000ff >> shift;
+         }
+         else
+         {
+            rmask = 0x000000ff;
+            gmask = 0x0000ff00;
+            bmask = 0x00ff0000;
+            amask = hasAlpha ? 0xff000000 : 0;
+         }
+
+         SDL_Surface* iconSurface = SDL_CreateRGBSurfaceFrom(img->getAddress(0, 0), img->getWidth(), img->getHeight(), depth, pitch, rmask, gmask, bmask, amask);
+
+         SDL_SetWindowIcon(window->mWindowHandle, iconSurface);
+
+         SDL_FreeSurface(iconSurface);
       }
-      else
-      {
-         rmask = 0x000000ff;
-         gmask = 0x0000ff00;
-         bmask = 0x00ff0000;
-         amask = hasAlpha ? 0xff000000 : 0;
-      }
-
-      SDL_Surface* iconSurface = SDL_CreateRGBSurfaceFrom(bmp->getAddress(0, 0), bmp->getWidth(), bmp->getHeight(), depth, pitch, rmask, gmask, bmask, amask);
-
-      SDL_SetWindowIcon(window->mWindowHandle, iconSurface);
-
-      SDL_FreeSurface(iconSurface);
    }
 
    if(device)
diff --git a/Templates/Empty/game/core/torque.png b/Templates/Empty/game/core/torque.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1023f2bb6
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diff --git a/Templates/Full/game/core/torque.png b/Templates/Full/game/core/torque.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1023f2bb6
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