diff --git a/neo/renderer/tr_light.cpp b/neo/renderer/tr_light.cpp
index 523a08a2..58076c10 100644
--- a/neo/renderer/tr_light.cpp
+++ b/neo/renderer/tr_light.cpp
@@ -1443,7 +1443,9 @@ static void R_AddAmbientDrawsurfs( viewEntity_t *vEntity ) {
 			float particle_radius = -1.0f;		// Default = disallow softening, but allow modelDepthHack if specified in the decl.
 			if ( r_useSoftParticles.GetBool() && r_enableDepthCapture.GetInteger() != 0
 				&& !shader->ReceivesLighting()          // don't soften surfaces that are meant to be solid
-				&& tr.viewDef->renderView.viewID >= 0 ) // Skip during "invisible" rendering passes (e.g. lightgem)
+				&& tr.viewDef->renderView.viewID >= 0   // Skip during "invisible" rendering passes (e.g. lightgem)
+				           // don't apply to particles spawned at the player-weapon (like muzzle flash)
+				&& !vEntity->weaponDepthHack ) // to fix https://github.com/dhewm/dhewm3-sdk/issues/36
 			{
 				const idRenderModelPrt* prt = dynamic_cast<const idRenderModelPrt*>( def->parms.hModel ); // yuck.
 				if ( prt )