diff --git a/src/playsim/p_effect.cpp b/src/playsim/p_effect.cpp
index 12e86a423..61c61c4d5 100644
--- a/src/playsim/p_effect.cpp
+++ b/src/playsim/p_effect.cpp
@@ -1006,6 +1006,7 @@ DZSprite::DZSprite()
 	Translation = Flags = 0;
 	sub = nullptr;
 	cursector = nullptr;
+	scolor = 0xffffff;
 }
 
 void DZSprite::CallPostBeginPlay()
@@ -1054,6 +1055,19 @@ DEFINE_ACTION_FUNCTION_NATIVE(FLevelLocals, SpawnZSprite, SpawnZSprite)
 	ACTION_RETURN_OBJECT(zs);
 }
 
+void DZSprite::UpdateSpriteInfo()
+{
+	PT.color = scolor;
+	PT.Pos = Pos;
+	PT.Vel = Vel;
+	PT.Roll = Roll;
+	PT.alpha = Alpha;
+	PT.texture = Texture;
+	PT.style = ERenderStyle(GetRenderStyle());
+	PT.flags = Flags;
+	PT.subsector = sub;
+	PT.sprite = this;
+}
 
 // This runs just like Actor's, make sure to call Super.Tick() in ZScript.
 void DZSprite::Tick()
@@ -1070,8 +1084,10 @@ void DZSprite::Tick()
 	}
 
 	if (isFrozen())
+	{	// needed here because it won't retroactively update like actors do.
+		UpdateSpriteInfo(); 
 		return;
-	
+	}
 	Prev = Pos;
 	PrevRoll = Roll;
 	// Handle crossing a line portal
@@ -1101,17 +1117,7 @@ void DZSprite::Tick()
 			cursector = nullptr;
 		}
 	}
-	PT.color = 0xffffff;
-	PT.Pos = Pos;
-	PT.Vel = Vel;
-	PT.Roll = Roll;
-	PT.size = Scale.X;
-	PT.alpha = Alpha;
-	PT.texture = Texture;
-	PT.style = ERenderStyle(GetRenderStyle());
-	PT.flags = Flags;
-	PT.subsector = sub;
-	PT.sprite = this;
+	UpdateSpriteInfo();
 }
 
 int DZSprite::GetLightLevel(sector_t* rendersector) const
@@ -1218,6 +1224,7 @@ void DZSprite::Serialize(FSerializer& arc)
 		("style", Style)
 		("translation", Translation)
 		("cursector", cursector)
+		("scolor", scolor)
 		("flipx", bXFlip)
 		("flipy", bYFlip)
 		("dontinterpolate", bDontInterpolate)
@@ -1239,6 +1246,7 @@ DEFINE_FIELD(DZSprite, Texture);
 DEFINE_FIELD(DZSprite, Translation);
 DEFINE_FIELD(DZSprite, Flags);
 DEFINE_FIELD(DZSprite, LightLevel);
+DEFINE_FIELD(DZSprite, scolor);
 DEFINE_FIELD(DZSprite, cursector);
 DEFINE_FIELD(DZSprite, bXFlip);
 DEFINE_FIELD(DZSprite, bYFlip);
diff --git a/src/playsim/p_effect.h b/src/playsim/p_effect.h
index 4ae9c8713..d0a0ed883 100644
--- a/src/playsim/p_effect.h
+++ b/src/playsim/p_effect.h
@@ -155,6 +155,8 @@ public:
 	double			Roll, PrevRoll, Alpha;
 	int16_t			LightLevel;
 
+	int				scolor;
+
 	FRenderStyle	Style;
 	FTextureID		Texture;
 	uint32_t		Translation;
@@ -186,6 +188,7 @@ public:
 	float InterpolatedRoll(double ticFrac) const;
 
 	void Tick() override;
+	void UpdateSpriteInfo();
 	void Serialize(FSerializer& arc) override;
 
 };
diff --git a/src/rendering/hwrenderer/scene/hw_sprites.cpp b/src/rendering/hwrenderer/scene/hw_sprites.cpp
index 204425ee7..548cd5ad2 100644
--- a/src/rendering/hwrenderer/scene/hw_sprites.cpp
+++ b/src/rendering/hwrenderer/scene/hw_sprites.cpp
@@ -1410,7 +1410,9 @@ void HWSprite::ProcessParticle (HWDrawInfo *di, particle_t *particle, sector_t *
 	rendered_sprites++;
 }
 
-// [MC] ZSprites are to be rendered akin to actor sprites. 
+// [MC] ZSprites are to be rendered akin to actor sprites. The reason this whole system
+// is hitching a ride on particle_t is because of the large number of checks with 
+// HWSprite elsewhere in the draw lists.
 void HWSprite::AdjustZSprite(HWDrawInfo* di, DZSprite* spr, sector_t* sector)
 {
 	translation = spr->Translation;
diff --git a/wadsrc/static/zscript/zsprite.zs b/wadsrc/static/zscript/zsprite.zs
index 24360b6de..a4b259585 100644
--- a/wadsrc/static/zscript/zsprite.zs
+++ b/wadsrc/static/zscript/zsprite.zs
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ Class ZSprite : Thinker native
 	native bool			bXFlip, bYFlip,
 						bDontInterpolate,
 						bAddLightLevel;
+	native Color		scolor;
 
 	native Sector		CurSector; // can be null!