diff --git a/include/client/effects.h b/include/client/effects.h
index e545e2ccb..16214742a 100644
--- a/include/client/effects.h
+++ b/include/client/effects.h
@@ -31,6 +31,17 @@
 #define __client_effects_h
 
 #include "QF/simd/types.h"
+#include "QF/ecs/component.h"
+
+enum {
+	effect_light,		// light entity id
+	effect_muzzleflash,	// light entity id
+
+	effect_comp_count,
+};
+
+extern const component_t effect_components[effect_comp_count];
+extern struct ecs_system_s effect_system;
 
 struct entity_s;
 struct entity_state_s;
diff --git a/libs/client/cl_effects.c b/libs/client/cl_effects.c
index 3057bd5ea..f407fbd1c 100644
--- a/libs/client/cl_effects.c
+++ b/libs/client/cl_effects.c
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 # include <strings.h>
 #endif
 
+#include "QF/ecs.h"
 #include "QF/render.h"
 
 #include "QF/plugin/vid_render.h"	//FIXME
@@ -50,6 +51,53 @@
 #include "client/particles.h"
 #include "client/world.h"
 
+ecs_system_t effect_system;
+
+const component_t effect_components[effect_comp_count] = {
+	[effect_light] = {
+		.size = sizeof (uint32_t),
+		.name = "effect light",
+	},
+	[effect_muzzleflash] = {
+		.size = sizeof (uint32_t),
+		.name = "muzzle flash",
+	},
+};
+
+#define c_light (effect_system.base + effect_light)
+
+static bool
+has_light (entity_t ent)
+{
+	return Ent_HasComponent (ent.id, c_light, ent.reg);
+}
+
+static uint32_t
+get_light (entity_t ent)
+{
+	return *(uint32_t *) Ent_GetComponent (ent.id, c_light, ent.reg);
+}
+
+static void
+set_light (entity_t ent, uint32_t light)
+{
+	Ent_SetComponent (ent.id, c_light, ent.reg, &light);
+}
+
+static uint32_t
+attach_light_ent (entity_t ent)
+{
+	uint32_t light = nullent;
+	if (has_light (ent)) {
+		light = get_light (ent);
+	}
+	if (!ECS_EntValid (light, ent.reg)) {
+		light = ECS_NewEntity (ent.reg);
+		set_light (ent, light);
+	}
+	return light;
+}
+
 void
 CL_NewDlight (entity_t ent, vec4f_t org, int effects, byte glow_size,
 			  byte glow_color, double time)
@@ -103,13 +151,14 @@ CL_NewDlight (entity_t ent, vec4f_t org, int effects, byte glow_size,
 		}
 	}
 
-	Ent_SetComponent (ent.id, scene_dynlight, ent.reg, &(dlight_t) {
+	uint32_t light = attach_light_ent (ent);
+	Ent_SetComponent (light, scene_dynlight, ent.reg, &(dlight_t) {
 		.origin = org,
 		.color = color,
 		.radius = radius,
 		.die = die,
 	});
-	Light_LinkLight (cl_world.scene->lights, ent.id);
+	Light_LinkLight (cl_world.scene->lights, light);
 }
 
 void
@@ -123,14 +172,15 @@ CL_ModelEffects (entity_t ent, int glow_color, double time)
 
 	// add automatic particle trails
 	if (model->flags & EF_ROCKET) {
-		Ent_SetComponent (ent.id, scene_dynlight, ent.reg, &(dlight_t) {
+		uint32_t light = attach_light_ent (ent);
+		Ent_SetComponent (light, scene_dynlight, ent.reg, &(dlight_t) {
 			.origin = ent_origin,
 			//FIXME VectorCopy (r_firecolor, dl->color);
 			.color = { 0.9, 0.7, 0.0, 0.7 },
 			.radius = 200,
 			.die = time + 0.1,
 		});
-		Light_LinkLight (cl_world.scene->lights, ent.id);
+		Light_LinkLight (cl_world.scene->lights, light);
 		clp_funcs->RocketTrail (*old_origin, ent_origin);
 	} else if (model->flags & EF_GRENADE)
 		clp_funcs->GrenadeTrail (*old_origin, ent_origin);
@@ -148,20 +198,6 @@ CL_ModelEffects (entity_t ent, int glow_color, double time)
 		clp_funcs->GlowTrail (*old_origin, ent_origin, glow_color);
 }
 
-void
-CL_MuzzleFlash (entity_t ent, vec4f_t position, vec4f_t fv, float zoffset,
-				double time)
-{
-	Ent_SetComponent (ent.id, scene_dynlight, ent.reg, &(dlight_t) {
-		.origin = position + 18 * fv + zoffset * (vec4f_t) {0, 0, 1, 0},
-		.color = { 0.2, 0.1, 0.05, 0.7 },
-		.radius = 200 + (rand () & 31),
-		.die = time + 0.1,
-		.minlight = 32,
-	});
-	Light_LinkLight (cl_world.scene->lights, ent.id);
-}
-
 void
 CL_EntityEffects (entity_t ent, entity_state_t *state, double time)
 {
diff --git a/libs/client/cl_temp_entities.c b/libs/client/cl_temp_entities.c
index 854f5d2a2..81dcfc82d 100644
--- a/libs/client/cl_temp_entities.c
+++ b/libs/client/cl_temp_entities.c
@@ -749,3 +749,48 @@ CL_ParseProjectiles (qmsg_t *net_message, bool nail2, TEntContext_t *ctx)
 	*tail = cl_projectiles;
 	cl_projectiles = head;
 }
+
+#define c_muzzleflash (effect_system.base + effect_muzzleflash)
+
+static bool
+has_muzzleflash (entity_t ent)
+{
+	return Ent_HasComponent (ent.id, c_muzzleflash, ent.reg);
+}
+
+static uint32_t
+get_muzzleflash (entity_t ent)
+{
+	return *(uint32_t *) Ent_GetComponent (ent.id, c_muzzleflash, ent.reg);
+}
+
+static void
+set_muzzleflash (entity_t ent, uint32_t light)
+{
+	Ent_SetComponent (ent.id, c_muzzleflash, ent.reg, &light);
+}
+
+void
+CL_MuzzleFlash (entity_t ent, vec4f_t position, vec4f_t fv, float zoffset,
+				double time)
+{
+	// spawn a new entity so the light doesn't mess with the owner
+	uint32_t light = nullent;
+	if (has_muzzleflash (ent)) {
+		light = get_muzzleflash (ent);
+	}
+	if (!ECS_EntValid (light, ent.reg)) {
+		light = ECS_NewEntity (ent.reg);
+		set_muzzleflash (ent, light);
+	}
+	DARRAY_APPEND (&light_entities, ((entity_t) {.reg = ent.reg, .id = light}));
+
+	Ent_SetComponent (light, scene_dynlight, ent.reg, &(dlight_t) {
+		.origin = position + 18 * fv + zoffset * (vec4f_t) {0, 0, 1, 0},
+		.color = { 0.2, 0.1, 0.05, 0.7 },
+		.radius = 200 + (rand () & 31),
+		.die = time + 0.1,
+		.minlight = 32,
+	});
+	Light_LinkLight (cl_world.scene->lights, light);
+}
diff --git a/libs/client/cl_world.c b/libs/client/cl_world.c
index d2cfe2cee..d30fc101c 100644
--- a/libs/client/cl_world.c
+++ b/libs/client/cl_world.c
@@ -43,16 +43,12 @@
 #include "QF/idparse.h"
 #include "QF/quakefs.h"
 #include "QF/plist.h"
-#include "QF/progs.h"
-#include "QF/msg.h"
 
-#include "QF/scene/entity.h"
 #include "QF/scene/light.h"
-#include "QF/scene/scene.h"
-#include "QF/simd/vec4f.h"
 
 #include "QF/plugin/vid_render.h"	//FIXME
 
+#include "client/effects.h"
 #include "client/entities.h"
 #include "client/temp_entities.h"
 #include "client/world.h"
@@ -64,7 +60,13 @@ worldscene_t cl_world = {
 void
 CL_World_Init (void)
 {
-	cl_world.scene = Scene_NewScene (0);
+	scene_system_t extra_systems[] = {
+		{	.system = &effect_system,
+			.components = effect_components,
+			.component_count = effect_comp_count },
+		{}
+	};
+	cl_world.scene = Scene_NewScene (extra_systems);
 	cl_world.scene->lights = Light_CreateLightingData (cl_world.scene);
 }