diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index daba92762..89dd521c5 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -33,4 +33,6 @@ perl/
 *cbp
 
 submodules/*
-cmake-build-debug/
\ No newline at end of file
+cmake-build-debug/
+
+.nfs.*
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/zone/map.cpp b/zone/map.cpp
index a0e3e6400..dbfa3928e 100644
--- a/zone/map.cpp
+++ b/zone/map.cpp
@@ -242,46 +242,65 @@ bool Map::Load(std::string filename, bool force_mmf_overwrite)
 		return true;
 	}
 #else
-bool Map::Load(std::string filename)
+
+/**
+ * @param filename
+ * @return
+ */
+bool Map::Load(const std::string &filename)
 {
 #endif /*USE_MAP_MMFS*/
 
-	FILE *f = fopen(filename.c_str(), "rb");
-	if(f) {
+	FILE *map_file = fopen(filename.c_str(), "rb");
+	if (map_file) {
 		uint32 version;
-		if(fread(&version, sizeof(version), 1, f) != 1) {
-			fclose(f);
+		if (fread(&version, sizeof(version), 1, map_file) != 1) {
+			fclose(map_file);
 			return false;
 		}
-		
-		if(version == 0x01000000) {
+
+		if (version == 0x01000000) {
 			LogInfo("Loaded V1 Map File [{}]", filename.c_str());
-			bool v = LoadV1(f);
-			fclose(f);
+			bool loaded_map_file = LoadV1(map_file);
+			fclose(map_file);
+
+			if (loaded_map_file) {
+				LogInfo("Loaded V1 Map File [{}]", filename.c_str());
+			} else {
+				LogError("Failed to load V1 Map File [{}]", filename.c_str());
+			}
 
 #ifdef USE_MAP_MMFS
 			if (v)
 				return SaveMMF(filename, force_mmf_overwrite);
 #endif /*USE_MAP_MMFS*/
 
-			return v;
-		} else if(version == 0x02000000) {
-			LogInfo("Loaded V2 Map File [{}]", filename.c_str());
-			bool v = LoadV2(f);
-			fclose(f);
+			return loaded_map_file;
+		}
+		else if (version == 0x02000000) {
+			LogInfo("Loading V2 Map File [{}]", filename.c_str());
+			bool loaded_map_file = LoadV2(map_file);
+			fclose(map_file);
+
+			if (loaded_map_file) {
+				LogInfo("Loaded V2 Map File [{}]", filename.c_str());
+			} else {
+				LogError("Failed to load V2 Map File [{}]", filename.c_str());
+			}
 
 #ifdef USE_MAP_MMFS
 			if (v)
 				return SaveMMF(filename, force_mmf_overwrite);
 #endif /*USE_MAP_MMFS*/
 
-			return v;
-		} else {
-			fclose(f);
+			return loaded_map_file;
+		}
+		else {
+			fclose(map_file);
 			return false;
 		}
 	}
-	
+
 	return false;
 }
 
diff --git a/zone/map.h b/zone/map.h
index 8a2ec7f68..eefb43f2d 100644
--- a/zone/map.h
+++ b/zone/map.h
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ public:
 #ifdef USE_MAP_MMFS
 	bool Load(std::string filename, bool force_mmf_overwrite = false);
 #else
-	bool Load(std::string filename);
+	bool Load(const std::string& filename);
 #endif
 
 	static Map *LoadMapFile(std::string file);
diff --git a/zone/water_map.cpp b/zone/water_map.cpp
index d2e6daad1..ec5575f24 100644
--- a/zone/water_map.cpp
+++ b/zone/water_map.cpp
@@ -10,10 +10,34 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
+/**
+ * @param name
+ * @return
+ */
+inline bool file_exists(const std::string& name) {
+	std::ifstream f(name.c_str());
+	return f.good();
+}
+
+/**
+ * @param zone_name
+ * @return
+ */
 WaterMap* WaterMap::LoadWaterMapfile(std::string zone_name) {
 	std::transform(zone_name.begin(), zone_name.end(), zone_name.begin(), ::tolower);
-		
-	std::string file_path = Config->MapDir + "water/" + zone_name + std::string(".wtr");
+
+	std::string filename;
+	if (file_exists("maps")) {
+		filename = "maps";
+	}
+	else if (file_exists("Maps")) {
+		filename = "Maps";
+	}
+	else {
+		filename = Config->MapDir;
+	}
+
+	std::string file_path = filename + "/water/" + zone_name + std::string(".wtr");
 	LogDebug("Attempting to load water map with path [{}]", file_path.c_str());
 	FILE *f = fopen(file_path.c_str(), "rb");
 	if(f) {