diff --git a/src/playsim/p_effect.cpp b/src/playsim/p_effect.cpp
index c3bdaa6fcd0..f96ec13011b 100644
--- a/src/playsim/p_effect.cpp
+++ b/src/playsim/p_effect.cpp
@@ -1006,7 +1006,6 @@ void DVisualThinker::Construct()
 	PT.subsector = nullptr;
 	cursector = nullptr;
 	PT.color = 0xffffff;
-	sprite = -1;
 	AnimatedTexture.SetNull();
 }
 
@@ -1111,7 +1110,7 @@ void DVisualThinker::Tick()
 		return;
 
 	// There won't be a standard particle for this, it's only for graphics.
-	if (!PT.texture.isValid() && (sprite == -1))
+	if (!PT.texture.isValid())
 	{
 		Printf("No valid texture, destroyed");
 		Destroy();
@@ -1326,5 +1325,3 @@ DEFINE_FIELD(DVisualThinker, PrevRoll);
 DEFINE_FIELD(DVisualThinker, Translation);
 DEFINE_FIELD(DVisualThinker, LightLevel);
 DEFINE_FIELD(DVisualThinker, cursector);
-DEFINE_FIELD(DVisualThinker, sprite);
-DEFINE_FIELD(DVisualThinker, frame);
diff --git a/src/playsim/p_effect.h b/src/playsim/p_effect.h
index d0a38f44c95..1e5ba270536 100644
--- a/src/playsim/p_effect.h
+++ b/src/playsim/p_effect.h
@@ -147,4 +147,4 @@ struct SPortalHit
 void P_DrawRailTrail(AActor *source, TArray<SPortalHit> &portalhits, int color1, int color2, double maxdiff = 0, int flags = 0, PClassActor *spawnclass = NULL, DAngle angle = nullAngle, int duration = TICRATE, double sparsity = 1.0, double drift = 1.0, int SpiralOffset = 270, DAngle pitch = nullAngle);
 void P_DrawSplash (FLevelLocals *Level, int count, const DVector3 &pos, DAngle angle, int kind);
 void P_DrawSplash2 (FLevelLocals *Level, int count, const DVector3 &pos, DAngle angle, int updown, int kind);
-void P_DisconnectEffect (AActor *actor);
+void P_DisconnectEffect (AActor *actor);
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/playsim/p_visualthinker.h b/src/playsim/p_visualthinker.h
index 988119b2e21..d4b1e262dd9 100644
--- a/src/playsim/p_visualthinker.h
+++ b/src/playsim/p_visualthinker.h
@@ -37,8 +37,6 @@ class DVisualThinker : public DThinker
 	sector_t		*cursector;
 
 	int flags;
-	int				sprite;				// used to find patch_t and flip value
-	uint8_t			frame;				// sprite frame to draw
 
 	// internal only variables
 	particle_t		PT;
diff --git a/src/rendering/hwrenderer/scene/hw_sprites.cpp b/src/rendering/hwrenderer/scene/hw_sprites.cpp
index 7940affc1f4..b7e1f20fe16 100644
--- a/src/rendering/hwrenderer/scene/hw_sprites.cpp
+++ b/src/rendering/hwrenderer/scene/hw_sprites.cpp
@@ -414,7 +414,7 @@ bool HWSprite::CalculateVertices(HWDrawInfo* di, FVector3* v, DVector3* vp)
 	const bool drawBillboardFacingCamera = hw_force_cambbpref ? gl_billboard_faces_camera :
 		gl_billboard_faces_camera
 		|| ((actor && (!(actor->renderflags2 & RF2_BILLBOARDNOFACECAMERA) && (actor->renderflags2 & RF2_BILLBOARDFACECAMERA)))
-		|| (particle && (!(particle->flags & SPF_NOFACECAMERA) && (particle->flags & SPF_FACECAMERA))));
+		|| (particle && particle->texture.isValid() && (!(particle->flags & SPF_NOFACECAMERA) && (particle->flags & SPF_FACECAMERA))));
 
 	// [Nash] has +ROLLSPRITE
 	const bool drawRollSpriteActor = (actor != nullptr && actor->renderflags & RF_ROLLSPRITE);
@@ -1409,10 +1409,8 @@ void HWSprite::ProcessParticle(HWDrawInfo *di, particle_t *particle, sector_t *s
 	if (!particle || particle->alpha <= 0)
 		return;
 
-	if (spr && spr->PT.texture.isNull() && (spr->sprite == -1))
-	{
+	if (spr && spr->PT.texture.isNull())
 		return;
-	}
 
 	lightlevel = hw_ClampLight(spr ? spr->GetLightLevel(sector) : sector->GetSpriteLight());
 	foglevel = (uint8_t)clamp<short>(sector->lightlevel, 0, 255);
@@ -1485,7 +1483,7 @@ void HWSprite::ProcessParticle(HWDrawInfo *di, particle_t *particle, sector_t *s
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		bool has_texture = particle->texture.isValid() || !!spr;
+		bool has_texture = particle->texture.isValid();
 		bool custom_animated_texture = (particle->flags & SPF_LOCAL_ANIM) && particle->animData.ok;
 		
 		int particle_style = has_texture ? 2 : gl_particles_style; // Treat custom texture the same as smooth particles
@@ -1507,19 +1505,6 @@ void HWSprite::ProcessParticle(HWDrawInfo *di, particle_t *particle, sector_t *s
 				else if(has_texture)
 				{
 					lump = particle->texture;
-					if (spr && !lump.isValid())
-					{
-						bool mirror = false;
-						DVector3 thingpos = (DVector3)spr->InterpolatedPosition(vp.TicFrac);
-						DAngle ang = (thingpos - vp.Pos).Angle();
-						if (di->Viewpoint.IsOrtho()) ang = vp.Angles.Yaw;
-
-						bool spriteflip = false; // !!(thing->renderflags & RF_SPRITEFLIP)
-
-						int rot;
-						rot = -1;
-						lump = sprites[spr->sprite].GetSpriteFrame(spr->frame, rot, ang, &mirror, spriteflip);
-					}
 				}
 				else
 				{
diff --git a/wadsrc/static/zscript/visualthinker.zs b/wadsrc/static/zscript/visualthinker.zs
index 46f9bb7d73b..45b32865cb2 100644
--- a/wadsrc/static/zscript/visualthinker.zs
+++ b/wadsrc/static/zscript/visualthinker.zs
@@ -30,9 +30,6 @@ Class VisualThinker : Thinker native
 	native void SetRenderStyle(int mode); // see ERenderStyle
 	native bool IsFrozen();
 
-	native SpriteID sprite;
-	native uint8 frame;
-
 	native protected void UpdateSector(); // needs to be called if the thinker is set to a non-ticking statnum and the position is modified (or if Tick is overriden and doesn't call Super.Tick())
 	native protected void UpdateSpriteInfo(); // needs to be called every time the texture is updated if the thinker uses SPF_LOCAL_ANIM and is set to a non-ticking statnum (or if Tick is overriden and doesn't call Super.Tick())