diff --git a/src/d_player.h b/src/d_player.h
index 2a770b316..cf7788101 100644
--- a/src/d_player.h
+++ b/src/d_player.h
@@ -135,11 +135,12 @@ typedef enum
 
 typedef enum
 {
-	PF2_SELFMUTE = 1<<1,
-	PF2_SELFDEAFEN = 1<<2,
-	PF2_SERVERMUTE = 1<<3,
-	PF2_SERVERDEAFEN = 1<<4,
-	PF2_STRICTFASTFALL = 1<<5,
+	PF2_SELFMUTE 			= 1<<1,
+	PF2_SELFDEAFEN 			= 1<<2,
+	PF2_SERVERMUTE 			= 1<<3,
+	PF2_SERVERDEAFEN 		= 1<<4,
+	PF2_STRICTFASTFALL 		= 1<<5,
+	PF2_ALWAYSDAMAGED		= 1<<6,
 } pflags2_t;
 
 typedef enum
diff --git a/src/k_collide.cpp b/src/k_collide.cpp
index 0de68598c..0392e0133 100644
--- a/src/k_collide.cpp
+++ b/src/k_collide.cpp
@@ -885,18 +885,28 @@ boolean K_BubbleShieldCollide(mobj_t *t1, mobj_t *t2)
 		thing = oldthing;
 		P_SetTarget(&g_tm.thing, oldg_tm.thing);*/
 
+		boolean hit = false;
+
 		if (K_KartBouncing(t2, t1->target) == true)
 		{
 			if (t2->player && t1->target && t1->target->player)
 			{
-				K_PvPTouchDamage(t2, t1->target);
+				hit = K_PvPTouchDamage(t2, t1->target);
 			}
 
 			// Don't play from t1 else it gets cut out... for some reason.
 			S_StartSound(t2, sfx_s3k44);
 		}
 
-		return true;
+		if (hit && (gametyperules & GTR_BUMPERS))
+		{
+			K_PopBubbleShield(t1->target->player);
+			return false;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			return true;
+		}
 	}
 
 	if (K_BubbleShieldCanReflect(t1, t2))
@@ -1158,6 +1168,27 @@ boolean K_PvPTouchDamage(mobj_t *t1, mobj_t *t2)
 		return false;
 	}
 
+
+	boolean guard1 = K_PlayerGuard(t1->player);
+	boolean guard2 = K_PlayerGuard(t2->player);
+
+	// Bubble Shield physically extends past guard when inflated,
+	// makes some sense to suppress this behavior
+	if (t1->player->bubbleblowup)
+		guard1 = false;
+	if (t2->player->bubbleblowup)
+		guard2 = false;
+
+	if (guard1 && guard2)
+		K_DoPowerClash(t1, t2);
+	else if (guard1)
+		K_DoGuardBreak(t1, t2);
+	else if (guard2)
+		K_DoGuardBreak(t2, t1);
+
+	if (guard1 || guard2)
+		return false;
+
 	// Clash instead of damage if both parties have any of these conditions
 	auto canClash = [](mobj_t *t1, mobj_t *t2)
 	{
diff --git a/src/k_kart.c b/src/k_kart.c
index f09f724d6..bcf9747b8 100644
--- a/src/k_kart.c
+++ b/src/k_kart.c
@@ -72,8 +72,11 @@
 // comeback is Battle Mode's karma comeback, also bool
 // mapreset is set when enough players fill an empty server
 
-static void K_PopBubbleShield(player_t *player)
+void K_PopBubbleShield(player_t *player)
 {
+	if (player->curshield != KSHIELD_BUBBLE)
+		return;
+
 	S_StartSound(player->mo, sfx_kc31);
 	K_StripItems(player);
 	K_AddHitLag(player->mo, 4, false);
@@ -1180,20 +1183,6 @@ boolean K_KartBouncing(mobj_t *mobj1, mobj_t *mobj2)
 
 	K_SpawnBumpForObjs(mobj1, mobj2);
 
-	if (mobj1->type == MT_PLAYER && mobj2->type == MT_PLAYER
-		&& !mobj1->player->powerupVFXTimer && !mobj2->player->powerupVFXTimer)
-	{
-		boolean guard1 = K_PlayerGuard(mobj1->player);
-		boolean guard2 = K_PlayerGuard(mobj2->player);
-
-		if (guard1 && guard2)
-			K_DoPowerClash(mobj1, mobj2);
-		else if (guard1)
-			K_DoGuardBreak(mobj1, mobj2);
-		else if (guard2)
-			K_DoGuardBreak(mobj2, mobj1);
-	}
-
 	K_PlayerJustBumped(mobj1->player);
 	K_PlayerJustBumped(mobj2->player);
 
@@ -4565,12 +4554,16 @@ void K_DoPowerClash(mobj_t *t1, mobj_t *t2) {
 	UINT8 lag1 = 5;
 	UINT8 lag2 = 5;
 
+	boolean stripbubble = (gametyperules & GTR_BUMPERS);
+
 	// short-circuit instashield for vfx visibility
 	if (t1->player)
 	{
 		t1->player->instashield = 1;
 		t1->player->speedpunt += 20;
 		lag1 -= min(lag1, t1->player->speedpunt/10);
+		if (stripbubble && t1->player->curshield == KSHIELD_BUBBLE)
+			K_PopBubbleShield(t1->player);
 	}
 
 	if (t2->player)
@@ -4578,6 +4571,8 @@ void K_DoPowerClash(mobj_t *t1, mobj_t *t2) {
 		t2->player->instashield = 1;
 		t2->player->speedpunt += 20;
 		lag2 -= min(lag1, t2->player->speedpunt/10);
+		if (stripbubble && t2->player->curshield == KSHIELD_BUBBLE)
+			K_PopBubbleShield(t2->player);
 	}
 
 	S_StartSound(t1, sfx_parry);
@@ -4615,7 +4610,9 @@ void K_DoGuardBreak(mobj_t *t1, mobj_t *t2) {
 	angle_t thrangle = R_PointToAngle2(t2->x, t2->y, t1->x, t1->y);
 	P_Thrust(t1, thrangle, 7*mapobjectscale);
 
+	t1->player->pflags2 |= PF2_ALWAYSDAMAGED;
 	P_DamageMobj(t1, t2, t2, 1, DMG_TUMBLE);
+	t1->player->pflags2 &= ~PF2_ALWAYSDAMAGED;
 
 	clash = P_SpawnMobj((t1->x/2) + (t2->x/2), (t1->y/2) + (t2->y/2), (t1->z/2) + (t2->z/2), MT_GUARDBREAK);
 
@@ -10380,6 +10377,8 @@ void K_KartPlayerThink(player_t *player, ticcmd_t *cmd)
 	if (player->powerupVFXTimer > 0)
 	{
 		player->powerupVFXTimer--;
+		if (player->powerupVFXTimer == 0)
+			player->mo->flags &= ~MF_NOCLIPTHING;
 	}
 
 	if (player->dotrickfx && !player->mo->hitlag)
@@ -14722,7 +14721,7 @@ void K_MoveKartPlayer(player_t *player, boolean onground)
 										S_StartSound(player->mo, sfx_s3k75);
 
 									player->bubbleblowup++;
-									player->bubblecool = player->bubbleblowup*4;
+									player->bubblecool = player->bubbleblowup * (gametyperules & GTR_BUMPERS ? 6 : 4);
 
 									if (player->bubbleblowup > bubbletime*2)
 									{
diff --git a/src/k_kart.h b/src/k_kart.h
index 935ff2819..e454ec0a1 100644
--- a/src/k_kart.h
+++ b/src/k_kart.h
@@ -118,6 +118,8 @@ Make sure this matches the actual number of states
 
 angle_t K_ReflectAngle(angle_t angle, angle_t against, fixed_t maxspeed, fixed_t yourspeed);
 
+void K_PopBubbleShield(player_t *player);
+
 boolean K_IsDuelItem(mobjtype_t type);
 boolean K_DuelItemAlwaysSpawns(mapthing_t *mt);
 boolean K_InRaceDuel(void);
diff --git a/src/k_powerup.cpp b/src/k_powerup.cpp
index 2efd94b84..38ece8439 100644
--- a/src/k_powerup.cpp
+++ b/src/k_powerup.cpp
@@ -65,9 +65,10 @@ void K_GivePowerUp(player_t* player, kartitems_t powerup, tic_t time)
 	}
 
 	S_StartSound(NULL, sfx_gsha7l);
-	player->flashing = 2*TICRATE;
+	player->flashing = 3*TICRATE;
 	player->mo->hitlag += BATTLE_POWERUP_VFX_TIME;
 	player->powerupVFXTimer = BATTLE_POWERUP_VFX_TIME;
+	player->mo->flags |= MF_NOCLIPTHING;
 	Obj_SpawnPowerUpSpinner(player->mo, powerup, BATTLE_POWERUP_VFX_TIME);
 
 	g_darkness.start = leveltime;
diff --git a/src/p_inter.c b/src/p_inter.c
index aa53f1496..9af619404 100644
--- a/src/p_inter.c
+++ b/src/p_inter.c
@@ -3104,6 +3104,12 @@ boolean P_DamageMobj(mobj_t *target, mobj_t *inflictor, mobj_t *source, INT32 da
 					invincible = false;
 				}
 
+				if (player->pflags2 && PF2_ALWAYSDAMAGED)
+				{
+					invincible = false;
+					clash = false;
+				}
+
 				// TODO: doing this from P_DamageMobj limits punting to objects that damage the player.
 				// And it may be kind of yucky.
 				// But this is easier than accounting for every condition in PIT_CheckThing!
diff --git a/src/p_user.c b/src/p_user.c
index a49cd3930..80169dee6 100644
--- a/src/p_user.c
+++ b/src/p_user.c
@@ -4564,9 +4564,7 @@ void P_PlayerThink(player_t *player)
 
 	// Strength counts up to diminish fade.
 	if (player->flashing && player->flashing < UINT16_MAX &&
-		(player->spectator || !P_PlayerInPain(player)) &&
-		// Battle: flashing tics do not decrease in the air
-		(!(gametyperules & GTR_BUMPERS) || P_IsObjectOnGround(player->mo)))
+		(player->spectator || !P_PlayerInPain(player)))
 	{
 		player->flashing--;
 	}