diff --git a/src/k_hitlag.c b/src/k_hitlag.c
index 5a4bcc73f..92b69bf31 100644
--- a/src/k_hitlag.c
+++ b/src/k_hitlag.c
@@ -113,7 +113,11 @@ static void K_SpawnSingleHitLagSpark(
 			spark->angle += ANGLE_90;
 		}
 
-		spark->hitlag = pause;
+		if (pause > 0)
+		{
+			spark->hitlag = pause+1; // A little dumb, but hitlag is decremented on the same tic we spawn, so naively setting is off-by-one.
+			// spark->renderflags |= RF_DONTDRAW; // "Re-visible" behavior in P_MobjThinker, under a type check. (Currently unused.)
+		}
 
 		if (color != SKINCOLOR_NONE)
 		{
diff --git a/src/p_mobj.c b/src/p_mobj.c
index ec92a5efc..b705772be 100644
--- a/src/p_mobj.c
+++ b/src/p_mobj.c
@@ -9895,6 +9895,14 @@ void P_MobjThinker(mobj_t *mobj)
 			K_HandleDirectionalInfluence(mobj->player);
 		}
 
+		// Hitlag VFX "stagger" behavior.
+		// Oni likes the look better if all sparks visibly hold on their 1st frame,
+		// but if we ever reverse course, this is here.
+		/*
+		if (mobj->type == MT_HITLAG && mobj->hitlag == 0)
+			mobj->renderflags &= ~RF_DONTDRAW;
+		*/
+
 		return;
 	}