diff --git a/panda/src/audio/audioManager.cxx b/panda/src/audio/audioManager.cxx
index 5b7d855105..60ab6ba293 100644
--- a/panda/src/audio/audioManager.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/audio/audioManager.cxx
@@ -21,9 +21,15 @@
 #include "audioManager.h"
 #include "atomicAdjust.h"
 #include "nullAudioManager.h"
-
+#include "windowsRegistry.h"
+#include "virtualFileSystem.h"
+#include "config_util.h"
 #include "load_dso.h"
 
+#ifdef WIN32
+#include <windows.h>  // For GetSystemDirectory()
+#endif
+
 
 TypeHandle AudioManager::_type_handle;
 
@@ -287,3 +293,47 @@ float AudioManager::audio_3d_get_drop_off_factor() const {
     // intentionally blank.
     return 0.0f;
 }
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: AudioManager::get_dls_pathname
+//       Access: Public
+//  Description: Returns the full pathname to the DLS file, as
+//               specified by the Config.prc file, or the default for
+//               the current OS if appropriate.  Returns empty string
+//               if the DLS file is unavailable.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+Filename AudioManager::
+get_dls_pathname() {
+  Filename dls_filename = audio_dls_file;
+  if (!dls_filename.empty()) {
+    VirtualFileSystem *vfs = VirtualFileSystem::get_global_ptr();
+    vfs->resolve_filename(dls_filename, get_sound_path()) ||
+      vfs->resolve_filename(dls_filename, get_model_path());
+    
+    return dls_filename;
+  }
+
+#ifdef WIN32
+  Filename pathname;
+
+  // Get the registry key from DirectMusic
+  string os_filename = WindowsRegistry::get_string_value("SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\DirectMusic", "GMFilePath", "");
+
+  if (!os_filename.empty()) {
+    pathname = Filename::from_os_specific(os_filename);
+  } else {
+    char sysdir[MAX_PATH+1];
+    GetSystemDirectory(sysdir,MAX_PATH+1);
+    pathname = Filename(Filename::from_os_specific(sysdir), Filename("drivers/gm.dls"));
+  }
+  pathname.make_true_case();
+  return pathname;
+
+#elif defined(IS_OSX)
+  // This appears to be the standard place for this file on OSX 10.4.
+  return Filename("/System/Library/Components/CoreAudio.component/Contents/Resources/gs_instruments.dls");
+
+#else
+  return Filename();
+#endif
+}
diff --git a/panda/src/audio/audioManager.h b/panda/src/audio/audioManager.h
index f51628870e..f2ffc6eb30 100644
--- a/panda/src/audio/audioManager.h
+++ b/panda/src/audio/audioManager.h
@@ -216,6 +216,8 @@ PUBLISHED:
   virtual void audio_3d_set_drop_off_factor(float factor);
   virtual float audio_3d_get_drop_off_factor() const;
 
+  Filename get_dls_pathname();
+
 public:
   static void register_AudioManager_creator(Create_AudioManager_proc* proc);
 
diff --git a/panda/src/audiotraits/fmodAudioManager.cxx b/panda/src/audiotraits/fmodAudioManager.cxx
index 4b675ae973..e76d2128eb 100644
--- a/panda/src/audiotraits/fmodAudioManager.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/audiotraits/fmodAudioManager.cxx
@@ -156,13 +156,9 @@ FmodAudioManager() {
   memset(&_midi_info, 0, sizeof(_midi_info));
   _midi_info.cbsize = sizeof(_midi_info);
 
-  Filename dls_filename = audio_dls_file;
-  if (!dls_filename.empty()) {
-    VirtualFileSystem *vfs = VirtualFileSystem::get_global_ptr();
-    vfs->resolve_filename(dls_filename, get_sound_path()) ||
-      vfs->resolve_filename(dls_filename, get_model_path());
-    
-    _dlsname = dls_filename.to_os_specific();
+  Filename dls_pathname = get_dls_pathname();
+  if (!dls_pathname.empty()) {
+    _dlsname = dls_pathname.to_os_specific();
     _midi_info.dlsname = _dlsname.c_str();
   }
 }
diff --git a/panda/src/audiotraits/milesAudioManager.cxx b/panda/src/audiotraits/milesAudioManager.cxx
index 17e4f148e2..a6b83df86c 100644
--- a/panda/src/audiotraits/milesAudioManager.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/audiotraits/milesAudioManager.cxx
@@ -109,13 +109,12 @@ MilesAudioManager() {
           if (dls == NULL) {
             audio_error("  Unable to open DLS. " << AIL_last_error());
           } else {
-            string dls_file;
-            get_gm_file_path(dls_file);
-            audio_debug("  dls_file=\""<<dls_file<<"\"");
+            Filename dls_pathname = get_dls_pathname();
+            string os_pathname = dls_pathname.to_os_specific();
             // note: if AIL_DLS_load_file is not done, midi fails to play on some machines.
             nassertv(_dls_field == NULL);
-            audio_debug("  AIL_DLS_load_file(dls, " << dls_file << ", 0)");
-            _dls_field = AIL_DLS_load_file(dls, dls_file.c_str(), 0);
+            audio_debug("  AIL_DLS_load_file(dls, " << os_pathname << ", 0)");
+            _dls_field = AIL_DLS_load_file(dls, os_pathname.c_str(), 0);
           }
 
           if (!_dls_field) {
@@ -680,85 +679,6 @@ stop_all_sounds() {
 }
 
 
-#ifdef WIN32
-////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-//     Function: MilesAudioManager::get_registry_entry
-//       Access: private
-//  Description: Combine base\\subKeyname\\keyName to get
-//               'result' from the Windows registry.
-////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-bool MilesAudioManager::
-get_registry_entry(HKEY base, const char* subKeyName,
-    const char* keyName, string& result) {
-  // Open the key to access the registry:
-  HKEY key;
-  long r=RegOpenKeyEx(base, subKeyName, 0, KEY_QUERY_VALUE, &key);
-  if (r==ERROR_SUCCESS) {
-    DWORD len=0;
-    // Read the size of the value at keyName:
-    r=RegQueryValueEx(key, keyName, 0, 0, 0, &len);
-    if (r==ERROR_SUCCESS) {
-      char* src = new char[len];
-      DWORD type;
-      // Read the value at keyName:
-      r=RegQueryValueEx(key, keyName, 0, &type, (unsigned char*)src, &len);
-      if (r==ERROR_SUCCESS) {
-        if (type==REG_EXPAND_SZ) {
-          // Find the size of the expanded string:
-          DWORD destSize=ExpandEnvironmentStrings(src, 0, 0);
-          // Get a destination buffer of that size:
-          char* dest = new char[destSize];
-          // Do the expansion:
-          ExpandEnvironmentStrings(src, dest, destSize);
-          // Propagate the result:
-          result=dest;
-          delete [] dest;
-        } else if (type==REG_SZ) {
-          result=src;
-        } else {
-          audio_error("MilesAudioManager::get_reg_entry(): Unknown key type.");
-        }
-      }
-      delete [] src;
-    }
-    RegCloseKey(key);
-  }
-
-  return (r==ERROR_SUCCESS);
-}
-#endif
-////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-//     Function: MilesAudioManager::get_gm_file_path
-//       Access: private
-//  Description: Get path of downloadable sound midi instruments file.
-////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-void MilesAudioManager::
-get_gm_file_path(string& result) {
-  Filename dls_filename = audio_dls_file;
-  if (!dls_filename.empty()) {
-    result = dls_filename.to_os_specific();
-    return;
-  }
-
-#ifdef WIN32
-  if(!get_registry_entry(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,"SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\DirectMusic", "GMFilePath", result)) {
-          char sysdir[MAX_PATH+1];
-          GetSystemDirectory(sysdir,MAX_PATH+1);
-          result = sysdir;
-          result.append("\\drivers\\gm.dls");
-  }
-#endif
-
-#ifdef IS_OSX 
-result = 
-//"gs_instruments.dls";
-"/System/Library/Components/CoreAudio.component/Contents/Resources/gs_instruments.dls";
-#endif
-
-
-  audio_debug("MilesAudioManager::get_gm_file_path() result out=\""<<result<<"\"");
-}
-
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: MilesAudioManager::force_midi_reset
 //       Access: Private
diff --git a/panda/src/audiotraits/milesAudioManager.h b/panda/src/audiotraits/milesAudioManager.h
index 3f0e7208cd..3bbc611f96 100644
--- a/panda/src/audiotraits/milesAudioManager.h
+++ b/panda/src/audiotraits/milesAudioManager.h
@@ -122,13 +122,7 @@ private:
 
   void starting_sound(MilesAudioSound* audio);
   void stopping_sound(MilesAudioSound* audio);
-#ifdef WIN32
-  // utility function that should be moved to another class:
-  bool get_registry_entry(HKEY base, 
-                          const char* subKeyName, 
-                          const char* keyName, 
-                          string& result);
-#endif
+
   // get the default dls file path:
   void get_gm_file_path(string& result);
 
diff --git a/panda/src/express/windowsRegistry.cxx b/panda/src/express/windowsRegistry.cxx
index 08c7026508..360f10cbf5 100755
--- a/panda/src/express/windowsRegistry.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/express/windowsRegistry.cxx
@@ -327,6 +327,18 @@ do_get(const string &key, const string &name, int &data_type, string &data) {
       << ": " << format_message(error) << "\n";
   }
 
+  if (okflag) {
+    if (data_type == REG_EXPAND_SZ) {
+      // Expand the string.
+      DWORD destSize=ExpandEnvironmentStrings(data.c_str(), 0, 0);
+      char *dest = new char[destSize];
+      ExpandEnvironmentStrings(data.c_str(), dest, destSize);
+      data = dest;
+      delete[] dest;
+      data_type = REG_SZ;
+    }
+  }
+
   return okflag;
 }