diff --git a/data/dynos_mgr_actor.cpp b/data/dynos_mgr_actor.cpp
index d80adb44f..aa9056fb0 100644
--- a/data/dynos_mgr_actor.cpp
+++ b/data/dynos_mgr_actor.cpp
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ void DynOS_Actor_Override(struct Object* obj, void** aSharedChild) {
     if (it == _ValidActors.end()) { return; }
 
     // Check if the behavior uses a character specific model
-    if (obj && (obj->behavior == smlua_override_behavior(bhvMario) ||
+    if (obj && (obj->behavior == bhvMario ||
             obj->behavior == smlua_override_behavior(bhvNormalCap) ||
             obj->behavior == smlua_override_behavior(bhvWingCap) ||
             obj->behavior == smlua_override_behavior(bhvMetalCap) ||
diff --git a/src/game/behavior_actions.c b/src/game/behavior_actions.c
index e6c358df8..1c8303a52 100644
--- a/src/game/behavior_actions.c
+++ b/src/game/behavior_actions.c
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ Gfx *geo_move_mario_part_from_parent(s32 run, UNUSED struct GraphNode *node, Mat
 
     if (run == TRUE) {
         sp1C = (struct Object *) gCurGraphNodeObject;
-        if (sp1C->behavior == smlua_override_behavior(bhvMario) && sp1C->prevObj != NULL) {
+        if (sp1C->behavior == bhvMario && sp1C->prevObj != NULL) {
             create_transformation_from_matrices(sp20, mtx, *gCurGraphNodeCamera->matrixPtr);
             obj_update_pos_from_parent_transformation(sp20, sp1C->prevObj);
             obj_set_gfx_pos_from_pos(sp1C->prevObj);
diff --git a/src/game/behaviors/flame_mario.inc.c b/src/game/behaviors/flame_mario.inc.c
index cbfa5c215..63f82c015 100644
--- a/src/game/behaviors/flame_mario.inc.c
+++ b/src/game/behaviors/flame_mario.inc.c
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ void bhv_black_smoke_mario_loop(void) {
 }
 
 void bhv_flame_mario_loop(void) {
-    if (o->parentObj == NULL || o->parentObj->behavior != smlua_override_behavior(bhvMario)) {
+    if (o->parentObj == NULL || o->parentObj->behavior != bhvMario) {
         obj_mark_for_deletion(o);
         return;
     }
diff --git a/src/game/behaviors/water_mist_particle.inc.c b/src/game/behaviors/water_mist_particle.inc.c
index f47a22bf2..9780ade70 100644
--- a/src/game/behaviors/water_mist_particle.inc.c
+++ b/src/game/behaviors/water_mist_particle.inc.c
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 void bhv_water_mist_spawn_loop(void) {
     clear_particle_flags(0x20000);
-    if (o->parentObj == NULL || o->parentObj->behavior != smlua_override_behavior(bhvMario)) {
+    if (o->parentObj == NULL || o->parentObj->behavior != bhvMario) {
         obj_mark_for_deletion(o);
         return;
     }
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ void bhv_water_mist_spawn_loop(void) {
 }
 
 void bhv_water_mist_loop(void) {
-    if (o->parentObj == NULL || o->parentObj->behavior != smlua_override_behavior(bhvMario)) {
+    if (o->parentObj == NULL || o->parentObj->behavior != bhvMario) {
         obj_mark_for_deletion(o);
         return;
     }
diff --git a/src/game/behaviors/water_splashes_and_waves.inc.c b/src/game/behaviors/water_splashes_and_waves.inc.c
index b5c52ac15..c555306a0 100644
--- a/src/game/behaviors/water_splashes_and_waves.inc.c
+++ b/src/game/behaviors/water_splashes_and_waves.inc.c
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ void bhv_water_droplet_loop(void) {
 }
 
 void bhv_idle_water_wave_loop(void) {
-    if (o->parentObj == NULL || o->parentObj->behavior != smlua_override_behavior(bhvMario)) {
+    if (o->parentObj == NULL || o->parentObj->behavior != bhvMario) {
         obj_mark_for_deletion(o);
         return;
     }
diff --git a/src/game/mario.c b/src/game/mario.c
index 8858ae372..7d0b3e69c 100644
--- a/src/game/mario.c
+++ b/src/game/mario.c
@@ -2404,11 +2404,10 @@ void mario_update_wall(struct MarioState* m, struct WallCollisionData* wcd) {
 
 struct MarioState *get_mario_state_from_object(struct Object *o) {
     if (!o) { return NULL; }
-    for (s32 i = 0; i != MAX_PLAYERS; ++i) {
-        struct MarioState *m = &gMarioStates[i];
-        if (m->marioObj == o) {
-            return m;
-        }
+    if (o->behavior != bhvMario) { return NULL; }
+    s32 stateIndex = o->oBehParams - 1;
+    if (stateIndex >= 0 && stateIndex < MAX_PLAYERS) {
+        return &gMarioStates[stateIndex];
     }
     return NULL;
 }
diff --git a/src/game/mario_misc.c b/src/game/mario_misc.c
index 8e4e62f26..02644b79b 100644
--- a/src/game/mario_misc.c
+++ b/src/game/mario_misc.c
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ s8 geo_get_processing_mario_index(void) {
         return index;
     }
 
-    if (gCurGraphNodeProcessingObject->behavior != smlua_override_behavior(bhvMario)) {
+    if (gCurGraphNodeProcessingObject->behavior != bhvMario) {
         return -1;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/game/object_list_processor.c b/src/game/object_list_processor.c
index ec0534d05..e6f8c0adf 100644
--- a/src/game/object_list_processor.c
+++ b/src/game/object_list_processor.c
@@ -558,7 +558,7 @@ void spawn_objects_from_info(UNUSED s32 unused, struct SpawnInfo *spawnInfo) {
                 object->respawnInfo = &spawnInfo->behaviorArg;
 
                 // found a player
-                if (spawnInfo->behaviorArg & ((u32)1 << 31) && object->behavior == smlua_override_behavior(bhvMario)) {
+                if (spawnInfo->behaviorArg & ((u32)1 << 31) && object->behavior == bhvMario) {
                     u16 playerIndex = (spawnInfo->behaviorArg & ~(1 << 31));
                     object->oBehParams = playerIndex + 1;
                     gMarioObjects[playerIndex] = object;
diff --git a/src/game/rendering_graph_node.c b/src/game/rendering_graph_node.c
index e4699d835..a97fbfffc 100644
--- a/src/game/rendering_graph_node.c
+++ b/src/game/rendering_graph_node.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include "game/first_person_cam.h"
 #include "course_table.h"
 #include "skybox.h"
+#include "mario.h"
 
 /**
  * This file contains the code that processes the scene graph for rendering.
@@ -1227,12 +1228,8 @@ static void geo_sanitize_object_gfx(void) {
 }
 
 static struct MarioBodyState *get_mario_body_state_from_mario_object(struct Object *marioObj) {
-    for (s32 i = 0; i < MAX_PLAYERS; ++i) {
-        struct MarioState *m = &gMarioStates[i];
-        if (m->marioObj == marioObj) {
-            return m->marioBodyState;
-        }
-    }
+    struct MarioState *m = get_mario_state_from_object(marioObj);
+    if (m) { return m->marioBodyState; }
     return NULL;
 }
 
@@ -1262,13 +1259,7 @@ static void geo_process_object(struct Object *node) {
     }
 
     if (node->header.gfx.node.flags & GRAPH_RENDER_PLAYER) {
-        gCurGraphNodeMarioState = NULL;
-        for (s32 i = 0; i < MAX_PLAYERS; i++) {
-            if (gMarioStates[i].marioObj == node) {
-                gCurGraphNodeMarioState = &gMarioStates[i];
-                break;
-            }
-        }
+        gCurGraphNodeMarioState = get_mario_state_from_object(node);
         if (gCurGraphNodeMarioState != NULL) {
             gCurGraphNodeMarioState->minimumBoneY = 9999;
         }
@@ -1390,9 +1381,11 @@ static void geo_process_object(struct Object *node) {
             gMatStackPrevFixed[gMatStackIndex] = mtxPrev;
 
             if (node->header.gfx.sharedChild != NULL) {
-                gCurMarioBodyState = get_mario_body_state_from_mario_object(node);
-                if (gCurMarioBodyState) {
-                    gCurMarioBodyState->currAnimPart = MARIO_ANIM_PART_NONE;
+                if (node->header.gfx.node.flags & GRAPH_RENDER_PLAYER) {
+                    gCurMarioBodyState = get_mario_body_state_from_mario_object(node);
+                    if (gCurMarioBodyState) {
+                        gCurMarioBodyState->currAnimPart = MARIO_ANIM_PART_NONE;
+                    }
                 }
                 gCurGraphNodeObject = (struct GraphNodeObject *) node;
                 node->header.gfx.sharedChild->parent = &node->header.gfx.node;
diff --git a/src/game/spawn_object.c b/src/game/spawn_object.c
index c0e6f40a3..d0e4c65ca 100644
--- a/src/game/spawn_object.c
+++ b/src/game/spawn_object.c
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ void unload_object(struct Object *obj) {
     obj->header.gfx.node.flags &= ~GRAPH_RENDER_ACTIVE;
 
     // Clear Mario object pointers
-    if (obj->behavior == smlua_override_behavior(bhvMario)) {
+    if (obj->behavior == bhvMario) {
         u8 playerIndex = obj->oBehParams - 1;
         if (playerIndex < MAX_PLAYERS) {
             gMarioObjects[playerIndex] = NULL;
diff --git a/src/pc/lua/smlua_hooks.c b/src/pc/lua/smlua_hooks.c
index e0cf01b9b..2c7ed2329 100644
--- a/src/pc/lua/smlua_hooks.c
+++ b/src/pc/lua/smlua_hooks.c
@@ -452,6 +452,12 @@ int smlua_hook_custom_bhv(BehaviorScript *bhvScript, const char *bhvName) {
     }
 
     u32 originalBehaviorId = get_id_from_behavior(bhvScript);
+
+    if (originalBehaviorId == id_bhvMario) {
+        LOG_LUA_LINE("Cannot hook Mario's behavior. Use HOOK_MARIO_UPDATE and HOOK_BEFORE_MARIO_UPDATE.");
+        return 0;
+    }
+
     u8 newBehavior = originalBehaviorId >= id_bhv_max_count;
 
     struct LuaHookedBehavior *hooked = &sHookedBehaviors[sHookedBehaviorsCount];
@@ -507,6 +513,11 @@ int smlua_hook_behavior(lua_State* L) {
         return 0;
     }
 
+    if (overrideBehaviorId == id_bhvMario) {
+        LOG_LUA_LINE("Hook behavior: cannot hook Mario's behavior. Use HOOK_MARIO_UPDATE and HOOK_BEFORE_MARIO_UPDATE.");
+        return 0;
+    }
+
     lua_Integer objectList = smlua_to_integer(L, 2);
     if (objectList <= 0 || objectList >= NUM_OBJ_LISTS || !gSmLuaConvertSuccess) {
         LOG_LUA_LINE("Hook behavior: tried use invalid object list: %lld, %u", objectList, gSmLuaConvertSuccess);
diff --git a/src/pc/network/network_player.c b/src/pc/network/network_player.c
index 7b5294b5a..5e1661bbb 100644
--- a/src/pc/network/network_player.c
+++ b/src/pc/network/network_player.c
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ void network_player_update_model(u8 localIndex) {
     if (index >= CT_MAX) { index = 0; }
     m->character = &gCharacters[index];
 
-    if (m->marioObj == NULL || m->marioObj->behavior != smlua_override_behavior(bhvMario)) { return; }
+    if (m->marioObj == NULL || m->marioObj->behavior != bhvMario) { return; }
     obj_set_model(m->marioObj, m->character->modelId);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/pc/network/packets/packet_spawn_star.c b/src/pc/network/packets/packet_spawn_star.c
index 057bbd849..f22fbf436 100644
--- a/src/pc/network/packets/packet_spawn_star.c
+++ b/src/pc/network/packets/packet_spawn_star.c
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ void network_receive_spawn_star(struct Packet* p) {
 void network_send_spawn_star_nle(struct Object* o, u32 params) {
     if (!o) { return; }
     u8 globalIndex = UNKNOWN_GLOBAL_INDEX;
-    if (o->behavior == smlua_override_behavior(bhvMario)) {
+    if (o->behavior == bhvMario) {
         u8 localIndex = o->oBehParams - 1;
         if (localIndex < MAX_PLAYERS) { globalIndex = gNetworkPlayers[localIndex].globalIndex; }
     }