Install a Project Zomboid custom mapWorkshop maps & the right map load order

Published on August 4, 2026 · last updated on October 21, 2026

Add the map like any mod

A custom map is a Workshop item like any other. You enter it via the two-key system (see Install mods) - WorkshopItems for the download, Mods for activation:

WorkshopItems=522891356
Mods=EerieCountry

The map load order (the most important part)

In addition, you need the Map= entry in servertest.ini. This is where you stack the maps - and the vanilla map (Muldraugh, KY) always belongs at the end, so that it is kept as the base:

Map=Eerie Country, KY;Muldraugh, KY

With several maps, the order decides which one takes precedence where they overlap - the one named first wins. You will find the exact map folder name on the map's Workshop page.

New map, new save

If you add a map or change the load order, that affects world generation. On existing servers, areas that have already been explored are not replaced retroactively - for a clean result, a fresh save is recommended. Back up your old save via FTP beforehand if you want to keep it.

Checking map dependencies

Some maps require further mods (for example shared tile packs such as "Blackwood" or required frameworks). These dependencies are listed on the Workshop page and also have to go into WorkshopItems and Mods - otherwise parts of the map appear broken or not at all.

Tile packs are the most common stumbling block, because they are not a map themselves and are therefore easily overlooked. If one is missing, the map still loads - but buildings then consist of gaps and white areas. If you see this picture, do not search the load order, but go through the list of dependencies again.

How the three entries work together

A custom map needs three entries, and each has a task of its own. This is exactly where most attempts fail - rarely is everything missing, usually only one of them:

The three identifiers are not identical. The Workshop ID is a number, the mod name an identifier without spaces, and the map name often contains some - for example Eerie Country, KY. All three are on the map's Workshop page, usually in the description text under a heading such as "Server Setup". Copy them from there instead of typing them.

When the map does not appear

The error pattern tells you quite precisely where to look:

• The server does not start. Usually a typo in the Map= entry or a missing vanilla map at the end of the chain. Muldraugh, KY always has to come last.
• The server runs, the world is vanilla. The mod is active but not in the load order - the Map= entry is missing.
• The map is there, but full of holes. A tile pack or another dependency is missing.
• The map was there and is now gone. The author updated the mod and changed the internal name in the process. A look at the Workshop change notes clears that up.

In any case: changes to the load order only affect areas that have not been explored yet. For a clean result, a fresh save is worth it - back up the old one via WebFTP or SFTP beforehand, see Create backups. How mods are added in general is explained in Install mods.

Frequently asked questions