diff --git a/Source/control.cpp b/Source/control.cpp
index 863c2f22e..789627e6f 100644
--- a/Source/control.cpp
+++ b/Source/control.cpp
@@ -544,30 +544,34 @@ void control_update_life_mana()
 
 void InitControlPan()
 {
-	pBtmBuff.emplace(GetMainPanel().size.width, (GetMainPanel().size.height + 16) * (IsChatAvailable() ? 2 : 1));
-	pManaBuff.emplace(88, 88);
-	pLifeBuff.emplace(88, 88);
-
-	LoadCharPanel();
-	LoadSpellIcons();
-	{
-		const OwnedCelSprite sprite = LoadCel("CtrlPan\\Panel8.CEL", GetMainPanel().size.width);
-		CelDrawUnsafeTo(*pBtmBuff, { 0, (GetMainPanel().size.height + 16) - 1 }, CelSprite { sprite }, 0);
-	}
-	{
-		const Point bulbsPosition { 0, 87 };
-		const OwnedCelSprite statusPanel = LoadCel("CtrlPan\\P8Bulbs.CEL", 88);
-		CelDrawUnsafeTo(*pLifeBuff, bulbsPosition, CelSprite { statusPanel }, 0);
-		CelDrawUnsafeTo(*pManaBuff, bulbsPosition, CelSprite { statusPanel }, 1);
+	if (!HeadlessMode) {
+		pBtmBuff.emplace(GetMainPanel().size.width, (GetMainPanel().size.height + 16) * (IsChatAvailable() ? 2 : 1));
+		pManaBuff.emplace(88, 88);
+		pLifeBuff.emplace(88, 88);
+
+		LoadCharPanel();
+		LoadSpellIcons();
+		{
+			const OwnedCelSprite sprite = LoadCel("CtrlPan\\Panel8.CEL", GetMainPanel().size.width);
+			CelDrawUnsafeTo(*pBtmBuff, { 0, (GetMainPanel().size.height + 16) - 1 }, CelSprite { sprite }, 0);
+		}
+		{
+			const Point bulbsPosition { 0, 87 };
+			const OwnedCelSprite statusPanel = LoadCel("CtrlPan\\P8Bulbs.CEL", 88);
+			CelDrawUnsafeTo(*pLifeBuff, bulbsPosition, CelSprite { statusPanel }, 0);
+			CelDrawUnsafeTo(*pManaBuff, bulbsPosition, CelSprite { statusPanel }, 1);
+		}
 	}
 	talkflag = false;
 	if (IsChatAvailable()) {
-		{
-			const OwnedCelSprite sprite = LoadCel("CtrlPan\\TalkPanl.CEL", GetMainPanel().size.width);
-			CelDrawUnsafeTo(*pBtmBuff, { 0, (GetMainPanel().size.height + 16) * 2 - 1 }, CelSprite { sprite }, 0);
+		if (!HeadlessMode) {
+			{
+				const OwnedCelSprite sprite = LoadCel("CtrlPan\\TalkPanl.CEL", GetMainPanel().size.width);
+				CelDrawUnsafeTo(*pBtmBuff, { 0, (GetMainPanel().size.height + 16) * 2 - 1 }, CelSprite { sprite }, 0);
+			}
+			multiButtons = LoadCel("CtrlPan\\P8But2.CEL", 33);
+			talkButtons = LoadCel("CtrlPan\\TalkButt.CEL", 61);
 		}
-		multiButtons = LoadCel("CtrlPan\\P8But2.CEL", 33);
-		talkButtons = LoadCel("CtrlPan\\TalkButt.CEL", 61);
 		sgbPlrTalkTbl = 0;
 		TalkMessage[0] = '\0';
 		for (bool &whisper : WhisperList)
@@ -575,20 +579,23 @@ void InitControlPan()
 		for (bool &talkButtonDown : TalkButtonsDown)
 			talkButtonDown = false;
 	}
-	LoadMainPanel();
 	panelflag = false;
 	lvlbtndown = false;
-	pPanelButtons = LoadCel("CtrlPan\\Panel8bu.CEL", 71);
+	if (!HeadlessMode) {
+		LoadMainPanel();
+		pPanelButtons = LoadCel("CtrlPan\\Panel8bu.CEL", 71);
+		pChrButtons = LoadCel("Data\\CharBut.CEL", 41);
+	}
 	ClearPanBtn();
 	if (!IsChatAvailable())
 		PanelButtonIndex = 6;
 	else
 		PanelButtonIndex = 8;
-	pChrButtons = LoadCel("Data\\CharBut.CEL", 41);
+	if (!HeadlessMode)
+		pDurIcons = LoadCel("Items\\DurIcons.CEL", 32);
 	for (bool &buttonEnabled : chrbtn)
 		buttonEnabled = false;
 	chrbtnactive = false;
-	pDurIcons = LoadCel("Items\\DurIcons.CEL", 32);
 	InfoString = {};
 	ClearPanel();
 	drawhpflag = true;
@@ -598,9 +605,11 @@ void InitControlPan()
 	sbooktab = 0;
 	sbookflag = false;
 
-	InitSpellBook();
-	pQLogCel = LoadCel("Data\\Quest.CEL", static_cast<uint16_t>(SidePanelSize.width));
-	pGBoxBuff = LoadCel("CtrlPan\\Golddrop.cel", 261);
+	if (!HeadlessMode) {
+		InitSpellBook();
+		pQLogCel = LoadCel("Data\\Quest.CEL", static_cast<uint16_t>(SidePanelSize.width));
+		pGBoxBuff = LoadCel("CtrlPan\\Golddrop.cel", 261);
+	}
 	CloseGoldDrop();
 	dropGoldValue = 0;
 	initialDropGoldValue = 0;
@@ -608,7 +617,8 @@ void InitControlPan()
 
 	CalculatePanelAreas();
 
-	InitModifierHints();
+	if (!HeadlessMode)
+		InitModifierHints();
 }
 
 void DrawCtrlPan(const Surface &out)
diff --git a/Source/diablo.cpp b/Source/diablo.cpp
index c81c3ddd9..41999e9d1 100644
--- a/Source/diablo.cpp
+++ b/Source/diablo.cpp
@@ -693,20 +693,16 @@ void GameEventHandler(uint32_t uMsg, int32_t wParam, int32_t lParam)
 		if (gbIsMultiplayer)
 			pfile_write_hero();
 		nthread_ignore_mutex(true);
-		if (!HeadlessMode) {
-			PaletteFadeOut(8);
-			sound_stop();
-		}
+		PaletteFadeOut(8);
+		sound_stop();
 		LastMouseButtonAction = MouseActionType::None;
 		sgbMouseDown = CLICK_NONE;
 		ShowProgress((interface_mode)uMsg);
 		force_redraw = 255;
-		if (!HeadlessMode) {
-			DrawAndBlit();
-			LoadPWaterPalette();
-			if (gbRunGame)
-				PaletteFadeIn(8);
-		}
+		DrawAndBlit();
+		LoadPWaterPalette();
+		if (gbRunGame)
+			PaletteFadeIn(8);
 		nthread_ignore_mutex(false);
 		gbGameLoopStartup = true;
 		return;
@@ -729,13 +725,11 @@ void RunGameLoop(interface_mode uMsg)
 	gbRunGame = true;
 	gbProcessPlayers = true;
 	gbRunGameResult = true;
-	if (!HeadlessMode) {
-		force_redraw = 255;
-		DrawAndBlit();
-		LoadPWaterPalette();
-		PaletteFadeIn(8);
-		force_redraw = 255;
-	}
+	force_redraw = 255;
+	DrawAndBlit();
+	LoadPWaterPalette();
+	PaletteFadeIn(8);
+	force_redraw = 255;
 	gbGameLoopStartup = true;
 	nthread_ignore_mutex(false);
 
@@ -804,13 +798,11 @@ void RunGameLoop(interface_mode uMsg)
 		sfile_write_stash();
 	}
 
-	if (!HeadlessMode) {
-		PaletteFadeOut(8);
-		NewCursor(CURSOR_NONE);
-		ClearScreenBuffer();
-		force_redraw = 255;
-		scrollrt_draw_game_screen();
-	}
+	PaletteFadeOut(8);
+	NewCursor(CURSOR_NONE);
+	ClearScreenBuffer();
+	force_redraw = 255;
+	scrollrt_draw_game_screen();
 	previousHandler = SetEventHandler(previousHandler);
 	assert(HeadlessMode || previousHandler == GameEventHandler);
 	FreeGame();
@@ -2101,13 +2093,18 @@ void LoadGameLevel(bool firstflag, lvl_entry lvldir)
 	IncProgress();
 
 	if (firstflag) {
-		InitInv();
-		InitStash();
-		InitQuestText();
-		InitInfoBoxGfx();
+		CloseInventory();
+		drawsbarflag = false;
+		qtextflag = false;
+		if (!HeadlessMode) {
+			InitInv();
+			InitStash();
+			InitQuestText();
+			InitInfoBoxGfx();
+			InitHelp();
+		}
 		InitStores();
 		InitAutomapOnce();
-		InitHelp();
 	}
 	SetRndSeed(glSeedTbl[currlevel]);
 
@@ -2143,8 +2140,9 @@ void LoadGameLevel(bool firstflag, lvl_entry lvldir)
 		if (leveltype != DTYPE_TOWN) {
 			GetLevelMTypes();
 			InitThemes();
-			LoadAllGFX();
-		} else {
+			if (!HeadlessMode)
+				LoadAllGFX();
+		} else if (!HeadlessMode) {
 			IncProgress();
 #if !defined(USE_SDL1) && !defined(__vita__)
 			InitVirtualGamepadGFX(renderer);
@@ -2249,11 +2247,13 @@ void LoadGameLevel(bool firstflag, lvl_entry lvldir)
 		InitGolems();
 		InitMonsters();
 		IncProgress();
+		if (!HeadlessMode) {
 #if !defined(USE_SDL1) && !defined(__vita__)
-		InitVirtualGamepadGFX(renderer);
+			InitVirtualGamepadGFX(renderer);
 #endif
-		InitMissileGFX(gbIsHellfire);
-		IncProgress();
+			InitMissileGFX(gbIsHellfire);
+			IncProgress();
+		}
 		InitCorpses();
 		IncProgress();
 		LoadLevelSOLData();
diff --git a/Source/engine/demomode.cpp b/Source/engine/demomode.cpp
index c79a70d4b..7a8bdd899 100644
--- a/Source/engine/demomode.cpp
+++ b/Source/engine/demomode.cpp
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ void NotifyGameLoopEnd()
 		CreateDemoReference = false;
 	}
 
-	if (IsRunning()) {
+	if (IsRunning() && !HeadlessMode) {
 		float seconds = (SDL_GetTicks() - StartTime) / 1000.0f;
 		SDL_Log("%d frames, %.2f seconds: %.1f fps", LogicTick, seconds, LogicTick / seconds);
 		gbRunGameResult = false;
diff --git a/Source/engine/dx.cpp b/Source/engine/dx.cpp
index 80f575612..13abf1337 100644
--- a/Source/engine/dx.cpp
+++ b/Source/engine/dx.cpp
@@ -157,6 +157,9 @@ void BltFast(SDL_Rect *srcRect, SDL_Rect *dstRect)
 
 void Blit(SDL_Surface *src, SDL_Rect *srcRect, SDL_Rect *dstRect)
 {
+	if (HeadlessMode)
+		return;
+
 	SDL_Surface *dst = GetOutputSurface();
 #ifndef USE_SDL1
 	if (SDL_BlitSurface(src, srcRect, dst, dstRect) < 0)
@@ -207,6 +210,9 @@ void Blit(SDL_Surface *src, SDL_Rect *srcRect, SDL_Rect *dstRect)
 
 void RenderPresent()
 {
+	if (HeadlessMode)
+		return;
+
 	SDL_Surface *surface = GetOutputSurface();
 
 	if (!gbActive) {
diff --git a/Source/engine/palette.cpp b/Source/engine/palette.cpp
index 616227937..dd9430ac4 100644
--- a/Source/engine/palette.cpp
+++ b/Source/engine/palette.cpp
@@ -176,6 +176,9 @@ void CycleColorsReverse(int from, int to)
 
 void palette_update(int first, int ncolor)
 {
+	if (HeadlessMode)
+		return;
+
 	assert(Palette);
 	if (SDLC_SetSurfaceAndPaletteColors(PalSurface, Palette.get(), system_palette, first, ncolor) < 0) {
 		ErrSdl();
@@ -206,6 +209,9 @@ void LoadPalette(const char *pszFileName, bool blend /*= true*/)
 {
 	assert(pszFileName);
 
+	if (HeadlessMode)
+		return;
+
 	struct Color {
 		uint8_t r;
 		uint8_t g;
@@ -238,6 +244,9 @@ void LoadPalette(const char *pszFileName, bool blend /*= true*/)
 
 void LoadRndLvlPal(dungeon_type l)
 {
+	if (HeadlessMode)
+		return;
+
 	if (l == DTYPE_TOWN) {
 		LoadPalette("Levels\\TownData\\Town.pal");
 		return;
@@ -293,6 +302,9 @@ int UpdateGamma(int gamma)
 
 void SetFadeLevel(int fadeval)
 {
+	if (HeadlessMode)
+		return;
+
 	for (int i = 0; i < 256; i++) {
 		system_palette[i].r = (fadeval * logical_palette[i].r) / 256;
 		system_palette[i].g = (fadeval * logical_palette[i].g) / 256;
@@ -311,6 +323,9 @@ void BlackPalette()
 
 void PaletteFadeIn(int fr)
 {
+	if (HeadlessMode)
+		return;
+
 	ApplyGamma(logical_palette, orig_palette, 256);
 
 	const uint32_t tc = SDL_GetTicks();
@@ -334,7 +349,7 @@ void PaletteFadeIn(int fr)
 
 void PaletteFadeOut(int fr)
 {
-	if (!sgbFadedIn)
+	if (!sgbFadedIn || HeadlessMode)
 		return;
 
 	const uint32_t tc = SDL_GetTicks();
diff --git a/Source/engine/render/scrollrt.cpp b/Source/engine/render/scrollrt.cpp
index a664334a9..6db50af9d 100644
--- a/Source/engine/render/scrollrt.cpp
+++ b/Source/engine/render/scrollrt.cpp
@@ -1560,6 +1560,9 @@ extern SDL_Surface *PalSurface;
 
 void ClearScreenBuffer()
 {
+	if (HeadlessMode)
+		return;
+
 	assert(PalSurface != nullptr);
 	SDL_FillRect(PalSurface, nullptr, 0);
 }
@@ -1652,6 +1655,9 @@ void EnableFrameCount()
 
 void scrollrt_draw_game_screen()
 {
+	if (HeadlessMode)
+		return;
+
 	int hgt = 0;
 
 	if (force_redraw == 255) {
@@ -1676,7 +1682,7 @@ void scrollrt_draw_game_screen()
 
 void DrawAndBlit()
 {
-	if (!gbRunGame) {
+	if (!gbRunGame || HeadlessMode) {
 		return;
 	}
 
diff --git a/Source/gmenu.cpp b/Source/gmenu.cpp
index abf4c8e6d..a46214eae 100644
--- a/Source/gmenu.cpp
+++ b/Source/gmenu.cpp
@@ -190,6 +190,10 @@ void gmenu_init_menu()
 	gmenu_current_option = nullptr;
 	sgCurrentMenuIdx = 0;
 	mouseNavigation = false;
+
+	if (HeadlessMode)
+		return;
+
 	if (gbIsHellfire)
 		sgpLogo = LoadCel("Data\\hf_logo3.CEL", 430);
 	else
diff --git a/Source/inv.cpp b/Source/inv.cpp
index 38f135595..a3769ed1a 100644
--- a/Source/inv.cpp
+++ b/Source/inv.cpp
@@ -1077,9 +1077,6 @@ void InitInv()
 		pInvCels = LoadCel(!gbIsSpawn ? "Data\\Inv\\Inv_Sor.CEL" : "Data\\Inv\\Inv.CEL", static_cast<uint16_t>(SidePanelSize.width));
 		break;
 	}
-
-	CloseInventory();
-	drawsbarflag = false;
 }
 
 void DrawInv(const Surface &out)
diff --git a/Source/items.cpp b/Source/items.cpp
index f62d6038d..57892c6cf 100644
--- a/Source/items.cpp
+++ b/Source/items.cpp
@@ -3771,6 +3771,9 @@ void DrawUniqueInfo(const Surface &out)
 
 void PrintItemDetails(const Item &item)
 {
+	if (HeadlessMode)
+		return;
+
 	if (item._iClass == ICLASS_WEAPON) {
 		if (item._iMinDam == item._iMaxDam) {
 			if (item._iMaxDur == DUR_INDESTRUCTIBLE)
@@ -3809,6 +3812,9 @@ void PrintItemDetails(const Item &item)
 
 void PrintItemDur(const Item &item)
 {
+	if (HeadlessMode)
+		return;
+
 	if (item._iClass == ICLASS_WEAPON) {
 		if (item._iMinDam == item._iMaxDam) {
 			if (item._iMaxDur == DUR_INDESTRUCTIBLE)
diff --git a/Source/minitext.cpp b/Source/minitext.cpp
index edb539645..04e32943c 100644
--- a/Source/minitext.cpp
+++ b/Source/minitext.cpp
@@ -127,7 +127,6 @@ void FreeQuestText()
 void InitQuestText()
 {
 	pTextBoxCels = LoadCel("Data\\TextBox.CEL", 591);
-	qtextflag = false;
 }
 
 void InitQTextMsg(_speech_id m)
diff --git a/Source/misdat.cpp b/Source/misdat.cpp
index 12d4e13ae..0a5dc0046 100644
--- a/Source/misdat.cpp
+++ b/Source/misdat.cpp
@@ -248,6 +248,9 @@ void MissileFileData::LoadGFX()
 
 void InitMissileGFX(bool loadHellfireGraphics)
 {
+	if (HeadlessMode)
+		return;
+
 	for (size_t mi = 0; MissileSpriteData[mi].animFAmt != 0; mi++) {
 		if (!loadHellfireGraphics && mi > MFILE_SCBSEXPD)
 			break;
diff --git a/Source/monster.cpp b/Source/monster.cpp
index 60e415525..63ba56a4f 100644
--- a/Source/monster.cpp
+++ b/Source/monster.cpp
@@ -3612,11 +3612,13 @@ void InitMonsterGFX(size_t monsterTypeIndex)
 	};
 
 	std::array<uint32_t, MaxAnims> animOffsets;
-	monster.animData = MultiFileLoader<MaxAnims> {}(
-	    numAnims,
-	    FileNameWithCharAffixGenerator({ "Monsters\\", monsterData.GraphicType }, ".CL2", Animletter),
-	    animOffsets.data(),
-	    hasAnim);
+	if (HeadlessMode) {
+		monster.animData = MultiFileLoader<MaxAnims> {}(
+		    numAnims,
+		    FileNameWithCharAffixGenerator({ "Monsters\\", monsterData.GraphicType }, ".CL2", Animletter),
+		    animOffsets.data(),
+		    hasAnim);
+	}
 
 	for (unsigned animIndex = 0; animIndex < numAnims; animIndex++) {
 		AnimStruct &anim = monster.anims[animIndex];
@@ -3630,6 +3632,9 @@ void InitMonsterGFX(size_t monsterTypeIndex)
 		anim.rate = monsterData.Rate[animIndex];
 		anim.width = width;
 
+		if (HeadlessMode)
+			continue;
+
 		byte *cl2Data = &monster.animData[animOffsets[animIndex]];
 		if (IsDirectionalAnim(monster, animIndex)) {
 			CelGetDirectionFrames(cl2Data, anim.celSpritesForDirections.data());
@@ -3642,6 +3647,9 @@ void InitMonsterGFX(size_t monsterTypeIndex)
 
 	monster.data = &monsterData;
 
+	if (HeadlessMode)
+		return;
+
 	if (monsterData.TransFile != nullptr) {
 		InitMonsterTRN(monster);
 	}
diff --git a/Source/objects.cpp b/Source/objects.cpp
index b31924be4..6a248db86 100644
--- a/Source/objects.cpp
+++ b/Source/objects.cpp
@@ -766,15 +766,17 @@ void SetupObject(Object &object, Point position, _object_id ot)
 	object_graphic_id ofi = objectData.ofindex;
 	object.position = position;
 
-	const auto &found = std::find(std::begin(ObjFileList), std::end(ObjFileList), ofi);
-	if (found == std::end(ObjFileList)) {
-		LogCritical("Unable to find object_graphic_id {} in list of objects to load, level generation error.", ofi);
-		return;
-	}
+	if (!HeadlessMode) {
+		const auto &found = std::find(std::begin(ObjFileList), std::end(ObjFileList), ofi);
+		if (found == std::end(ObjFileList)) {
+			LogCritical("Unable to find object_graphic_id {} in list of objects to load, level generation error.", ofi);
+			return;
+		}
 
-	const int j = std::distance(std::begin(ObjFileList), found);
+		const int j = std::distance(std::begin(ObjFileList), found);
 
-	object._oAnimData = pObjCels[j].get();
+		object._oAnimData = pObjCels[j].get();
+	}
 	object._oAnimFlag = objectData.oAnimFlag;
 	if (object._oAnimFlag) {
 		object._oAnimDelay = objectData.oAnimDelay;
@@ -4077,6 +4079,9 @@ bool IsItemBlockingObjectAtPosition(Point position)
 
 void LoadLevelObjects(bool filesLoaded[65])
 {
+	if (HeadlessMode)
+		return;
+
 	for (const ObjectData objectData : AllObjects) {
 		if (leveltype == objectData.olvltype) {
 			filesLoaded[objectData.ofindex] = true;
@@ -5171,15 +5176,18 @@ void SyncObjectAnim(Object &object)
 {
 	object_graphic_id index = AllObjects[object._otype].ofindex;
 
-	const auto &found = std::find(std::begin(ObjFileList), std::end(ObjFileList), index);
-	if (found == std::end(ObjFileList)) {
-		LogCritical("Unable to find object_graphic_id {} in list of objects to load, level generation error.", index);
-		return;
-	}
+	if (!HeadlessMode) {
+		const auto &found = std::find(std::begin(ObjFileList), std::end(ObjFileList), index);
+		if (found == std::end(ObjFileList)) {
+			LogCritical("Unable to find object_graphic_id {} in list of objects to load, level generation error.", index);
+			return;
+		}
+
+		const int i = std::distance(std::begin(ObjFileList), found);
 
-	const int i = std::distance(std::begin(ObjFileList), found);
+		object._oAnimData = pObjCels[i].get();
+	}
 
-	object._oAnimData = pObjCels[i].get();
 	switch (object._otype) {
 	case OBJ_L1LDOOR:
 	case OBJ_L1RDOOR:
diff --git a/Source/player.cpp b/Source/player.cpp
index 79fb6d84b..cbedaac52 100644
--- a/Source/player.cpp
+++ b/Source/player.cpp
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ void SetPlayerGPtrs(const char *path, std::unique_ptr<byte[]> &data, std::array<
 {
 	data = nullptr;
 	data = LoadFileInMem(path);
-	if (data == nullptr && HeadlessMode)
+	if (data == nullptr)
 		return;
 
 	const byte *directionFrames[8];
@@ -2182,6 +2182,9 @@ Player *PlayerAtPosition(Point position)
 
 void LoadPlrGFX(Player &player, player_graphic graphic)
 {
+	if (HeadlessMode)
+		return;
+
 	auto &animationData = player.AnimationData[static_cast<size_t>(graphic)];
 	if (animationData.RawData != nullptr)
 		return;
@@ -2298,6 +2301,9 @@ void LoadPlrGFX(Player &player, player_graphic graphic)
 
 void InitPlayerGFX(Player &player)
 {
+	if (HeadlessMode)
+		return;
+
 	ResetPlayerGFX(player);
 
 	if (player._pHitPoints >> 6 == 0) {