diff --git a/engine/client/cl_ents.c b/engine/client/cl_ents.c
index 1d10a76c5..8011794eb 100644
--- a/engine/client/cl_ents.c
+++ b/engine/client/cl_ents.c
@@ -1728,14 +1728,19 @@ void CL_LinkPacketEntities (void)
 		}
 
 		for (i=0 ; i<3 ; i++)
+		{
 			if ( abs(old_origin[i] - ent->origin[i]) > 128)
 			{	// no trail if too far
 				VectorCopy (ent->origin, old_origin);
 				break;
 			}
+		}
 
-		if (P_ParticleTrail (old_origin, ent->origin, model->particletrail, &(le->trailstate)))
-			P_ParticleTrailIndex(old_origin, ent->origin, model->traildefaultindex, 0, &(le->trailstate));
+		if (model->particletrail >= 0)
+		{
+			if (P_ParticleTrail (old_origin, ent->origin, model->particletrail, &(le->trailstate)))
+				P_ParticleTrailIndex(old_origin, ent->origin, model->traildefaultindex, 0, &(le->trailstate));
+		}
 
 		{
 			extern cvar_t gl_part_flame;
@@ -2029,14 +2034,19 @@ void CL_LinkPacketEntities (void)
 		}
 
 		for (i=0 ; i<3 ; i++)
+		{
 			if ( abs(old_origin[i] - ent->origin[i]) > 128)
 			{	// no trail if too far
 				VectorCopy (ent->origin, old_origin);
 				break;
 			}
+		}
 
-		if (P_ParticleTrail (old_origin, ent->origin, model->particletrail, &cl.lerpents[s1->number].trailstate))
-			P_ParticleTrailIndex(old_origin, ent->origin, model->traildefaultindex, 0, &cl.lerpents[s1->number].trailstate);
+		if (model->particletrail >= 0)
+		{
+			if (P_ParticleTrail (old_origin, ent->origin, model->particletrail, &cl.lerpents[s1->number].trailstate))
+				P_ParticleTrailIndex(old_origin, ent->origin, model->traildefaultindex, 0, &cl.lerpents[s1->number].trailstate);
+		}
 
 		{
 			extern cvar_t gl_part_flame;
diff --git a/engine/client/m_options.c b/engine/client/m_options.c
index 3350103bc..eff1bb6cc 100644
--- a/engine/client/m_options.c
+++ b/engine/client/m_options.c
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ typedef struct {
 presetinfo_t preset[] =
 {
 	{"r_presetname",		{"286",		"fast",		"default",	"nice",		"realtime"}},
-	{"r_particlesdesc",		{"none",	"faithful",	"spikeset",	"spikeset",	"spikeset"}},
+	{"r_particlesdesc",		{"none",	"highfps",	"spikeset",	"spikeset",	"spikeset"}},
 	{"r_stains",			{"0",		"0",		"1",		"1",		"1"}},
 	{"r_drawflat",			{"1",		"0",		"0",		"0",		"0"}},
 	{"r_nolerp",			{"1",		"1",		"0",		"0",		"0"}},
diff --git a/engine/client/r_part.c b/engine/client/r_part.c
index af49166c3..894d1d234 100644
--- a/engine/client/r_part.c
+++ b/engine/client/r_part.c
@@ -126,8 +126,8 @@ cvar_t r_particlesdesc = {"r_particlesdesc", "spikeset", NULL, CVAR_LATCH|CVAR_S
 
 cvar_t r_part_rain_quantity = {"r_part_rain_quantity", "1"};
 
-cvar_t r_rockettrail = {"r_rockettrail", "1"};
-cvar_t r_grenadetrail = {"r_grenadetrail", "1"};
+cvar_t r_rockettrail = {"r_rockettrail", "1", NULL, CVAR_SEMICHEAT};
+cvar_t r_grenadetrail = {"r_grenadetrail", "1", NULL, CVAR_SEMICHEAT};
 
 cvar_t r_particle_tracelimit = {"r_particle_tracelimit", "250"};
 cvar_t r_part_sparks = {"r_part_sparks", "1"};
@@ -1038,7 +1038,7 @@ void P_SelectableTrail(model_t *model, cvar_t *selection, int mdleffect, int mdl
 
 	switch (select)
 	{
-	case 0: // check for string
+	case 0: // check for string, otherwise no trail
 		{
 			int effect = P_FindParticleType(selection->string);
 
@@ -1049,6 +1049,9 @@ void P_SelectableTrail(model_t *model, cvar_t *selection, int mdleffect, int mdl
 				break;
 			}
 		}
+
+		model->particletrail = -1;
+		break;
 	case 1: // default model effect
 	default:
 		model->particletrail = mdleffect;