diff --git a/common/entdata.cc b/common/entdata.cc
index 6da36b36..881caccd 100644
--- a/common/entdata.cc
+++ b/common/entdata.cc
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ entdict_t::entdict_t(std::initializer_list<keyvalue_t> l) : keyvalues(l) { }
 
 entdict_t::entdict_t() = default;
 
-const std::string &entdict_t::get(const std::string_view &key) const
+std::string entdict_t::get(const std::string_view &key) const
 {
     if (auto it = find(key); it != keyvalues.end()) {
         return it->second;
diff --git a/include/common/entdata.h b/include/common/entdata.h
index e64ad940..156b157f 100644
--- a/include/common/entdata.h
+++ b/include/common/entdata.h
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ public:
     entdict_t();
     inline entdict_t(parser_base_t &parser) { parse(parser); }
 
-    const std::string &get(const std::string_view &key) const;
+    std::string get(const std::string_view &key) const;
     vec_t get_float(const std::string_view &key) const;
     int32_t get_int(const std::string_view &key) const;
     // returns number of vector components read
diff --git a/include/light/entities.hh b/include/light/entities.hh
index 78366232..96279c0b 100644
--- a/include/light/entities.hh
+++ b/include/light/entities.hh
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ public:
     settings::setting_string suntexture{this, "suntexture", ""};
     settings::setting_bool nostaticlight{this, "nostaticlight", false};
 
-    const std::string &classname() const;
+    std::string classname() const;
 
     const light_formula_t &getFormula() const { return formula.value(); }
 
diff --git a/include/qbsp/qbsp.hh b/include/qbsp/qbsp.hh
index a2166696..f2a63077 100644
--- a/include/qbsp/qbsp.hh
+++ b/include/qbsp/qbsp.hh
@@ -255,9 +255,11 @@ public:
     fs::path map_path;
     fs::path bsp_path;
     std::unordered_map<std::string, std::tuple<std::string, std::optional<extended_texinfo_t>>> loaded_texture_defs;
+    std::unordered_map<std::string, entdict_t> loaded_entity_defs;
 
 private:
     void load_texture_def(const std::string &pathname);
+    void load_entity_def(const std::string &pathname);
 };
 }; // namespace settings
 
diff --git a/light/entities.cc b/light/entities.cc
index 045b3e96..ede8d868 100644
--- a/light/entities.cc
+++ b/light/entities.cc
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ static void MakeSurfaceLights(const mbsp_t *bsp);
 
 // light_t
 
-const std::string &light_t::classname() const
+std::string light_t::classname() const
 {
     return epairs->get("classname");
 }
diff --git a/qbsp/qbsp.cc b/qbsp/qbsp.cc
index 889423d2..b07907b3 100644
--- a/qbsp/qbsp.cc
+++ b/qbsp/qbsp.cc
@@ -138,6 +138,35 @@ void qbsp_settings::load_texture_def(const std::string &pathname)
     }
 }
 
+void qbsp_settings::load_entity_def(const std::string &pathname)
+{
+    if (!fs::exists(pathname)) {
+        FError("can't find aliasdef file {}", pathname);
+    }
+
+    fs::data data = fs::load(pathname);
+    parser_t parser(data);
+
+    while (true) {
+        if (!parser.parse_token() || parser.at_end()) {
+            break;
+        }
+
+        std::string classname = std::move(parser.token);
+
+        if (!parser.parse_token(PARSE_PEEK)) {
+            FError("expected {{ in alias def {}, got end of file", pathname);
+        }
+
+        if (parser.token != "{") {
+            FError("expected {{ in alias def {}, got {}", pathname, parser.token);
+        }
+
+        // parse ent dict
+        loaded_entity_defs[classname] = parser;
+    }
+}
+
 void qbsp_settings::postinitialize(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
     // side effects from common
@@ -220,6 +249,10 @@ void qbsp_settings::postinitialize(int argc, const char **argv)
         load_texture_def(def);
     }
 
+    for (auto &def : aliasdefs.values()) {
+        load_entity_def(def);
+    }
+
     common_settings::postinitialize(argc, argv);
 }
 }; // namespace settings