diff --git a/src/common/objects/dobjtype.cpp b/src/common/objects/dobjtype.cpp
index a3172c5e5..0d1bfdf9a 100644
--- a/src/common/objects/dobjtype.cpp
+++ b/src/common/objects/dobjtype.cpp
@@ -46,8 +46,6 @@
 #include "symbols.h"
 #include "types.h"
 
-#include "p_visualthinker.h"
-
 // MACROS ------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 // TYPES -------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -423,7 +421,7 @@ PClass *PClass::FindClass (FName zaname)
 //
 //==========================================================================
 
-DObject *PClass::CreateNew(int *statnum)
+DObject *PClass::CreateNew()
 {
 	uint8_t *mem = (uint8_t *)M_Malloc (Size);
 	assert (mem != nullptr);
@@ -446,12 +444,6 @@ DObject *PClass::CreateNew(int *statnum)
 
 	((DObject *)mem)->SetClass (const_cast<PClass *>(this));
 	InitializeSpecials(mem, Defaults, &PClass::SpecialInits);
-    
-    if(statnum && ((DObject *)mem)->IsKindOf(RUNTIME_CLASS(DVisualThinker)))
-    {
-        *statnum = STAT_VISUALTHINKER;
-    }
-    
 	return (DObject *)mem;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/common/objects/dobjtype.h b/src/common/objects/dobjtype.h
index 17ad29862..62e6f5ccc 100644
--- a/src/common/objects/dobjtype.h
+++ b/src/common/objects/dobjtype.h
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ public:
 	PClass();
 	~PClass();
 	void InsertIntoHash(bool native);
-	DObject *CreateNew(int *statnum = nullptr);
+	DObject *CreateNew();
 	PClass *CreateDerivedClass(FName name, unsigned int size, bool *newlycreated = nullptr, int fileno = 0);
 
 	void InitializeActorInfo();
diff --git a/src/g_levellocals.h b/src/g_levellocals.h
index c02a6bd01..af2d6bb28 100644
--- a/src/g_levellocals.h
+++ b/src/g_levellocals.h
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@
 #include "r_data/r_interpolate.h"
 #include "doom_aabbtree.h"
 #include "doom_levelmesh.h"
+#include "p_visualthinker.h"
 
 //============================================================================
 //
@@ -425,7 +426,12 @@ public:
 
 	DThinker *CreateThinker(PClass *cls, int statnum = STAT_DEFAULT)
 	{
-		DThinker *thinker = static_cast<DThinker*>(cls->CreateNew(&statnum));
+		DThinker *thinker = static_cast<DThinker*>(cls->CreateNew());
+		if (statnum && thinker->IsKindOf(RUNTIME_CLASS(DVisualThinker)))
+		{
+			statnum = STAT_VISUALTHINKER;
+		}
+
 		assert(thinker->IsKindOf(RUNTIME_CLASS(DThinker)));
 		thinker->ObjectFlags |= OF_JustSpawned;
 		Thinkers.Link(thinker, statnum);