diff --git a/src/k_kart.c b/src/k_kart.c
index 12c2e2658..2bf1fdefc 100644
--- a/src/k_kart.c
+++ b/src/k_kart.c
@@ -11564,7 +11564,7 @@ void K_KartResetPlayerColor(player_t *player)
 		goto finalise;
 	}
 
-	if (player->ringboost && (leveltime & 1)) // ring boosting
+	if (player->ringboost && (leveltime & 1) && (((R_CanShowSkinInDemo(player->skin))) || ((!R_CanShowSkinInDemo(player->skin)) && !cv_reducevfx.value && demo.playback))) // ring boosting + messy condition stack for, specifically, disabling this when viewing a staff ghost replay of a currently hidden character
 	{
 		player->mo->colorized = true;
 		fullbright = true;
diff --git a/src/r_spritefx.cpp b/src/r_spritefx.cpp
index dea525c11..7c00321a0 100644
--- a/src/r_spritefx.cpp
+++ b/src/r_spritefx.cpp
@@ -46,8 +46,7 @@ INT32 R_ThingLightLevel(mobj_t* thing)
 		}
 
 		if (!R_CanShowSkinInDemo(((skin_t*)thing->skin)->skinnum)
-		&& !thing->colorized
-		&& !thing->hitlag)
+		&& ((cv_reducevfx.value) || (!thing->colorized && !thing->hitlag)))
 		{
 			lightlevel -= 128;
 		}