diff --git a/source/PlayState.hx b/source/PlayState.hx
index b5107eb..30cd5aa 100644
--- a/source/PlayState.hx
+++ b/source/PlayState.hx
@@ -344,7 +344,22 @@ class PlayState extends MusicBeatState
 				dialogue = CoolUtil.coolTextFile(Paths.txt('thorns/thornsDialogue'));
 		}
 
-		switch(SONG.stage)
+		//defaults if no stage was found in chart
+
+		var stageCheck:String = 'stage';
+		//i should check if its stage (but this is when none is found in chart anyway)
+		if (SONG.stage == null) {
+			switch(storyWeek)
+			{
+				case 2: stageCheck = 'halloween';
+				case 3: stageCheck = 'philly';
+				case 4: stageCheck = 'limo';
+				case 5: if (songLowercase == 'winter-horrorland') {stageCheck = 'mallEvil';} else {stageCheck = 'mall';}
+				case 6: if (songLowercase == 'thorns') {stageCheck = 'schoolEvil';} else {stageCheck = 'school';}
+			}
+		} else {stageCheck = SONG.stage;}
+
+		switch(stageCheck)
 		{
 			case 'halloween': 
 			{
diff --git a/source/Song.hx b/source/Song.hx
index 00d8e94..872fb74 100644
--- a/source/Song.hx
+++ b/source/Song.hx
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class Song
 	public var player2:String = 'dad';
 	public var gfVersion:String = 'gf';
 	public var noteStyle:String = 'normal';
-	public var stage:String = 'stage';
+	public var stage:String = '';
 
 	public function new(song, notes, bpm)
 	{
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ class Song
 	public static function loadFromJson(jsonInput:String, ?folder:String):SwagSong
 	{
 		trace(jsonInput);
-		
-		// pre lowercasing the song name (update)
+
+		// pre lowercasing the folder name
 		var folderLowercase = StringTools.replace(folder, " ", "-").toLowerCase();
 		switch (folderLowercase) {
 			case 'dad-battle': folderLowercase = 'dadbattle';