diff --git a/qw/include/client.h b/qw/include/client.h
index 679055aa2..595460be3 100644
--- a/qw/include/client.h
+++ b/qw/include/client.h
@@ -261,6 +261,7 @@ extern int cl_netgraph_box;
 
 extern int cl_draw_locs;
 extern int cl_shownet;
+extern int cl_player_shadows;
 
 extern char *cl_name;
 
diff --git a/qw/source/cl_cam.c b/qw/source/cl_cam.c
index 4d9f1293c..d50bd5295 100644
--- a/qw/source/cl_cam.c
+++ b/qw/source/cl_cam.c
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ Cam_DrawPlayer (int playernum)
 {
 	if (playernum == cl.playernum) {						// client player
 		if (cl.viewstate.chase == 0 || chase_active == 0)
-			return false;
+			return cl_player_shadows;
 		if (!cl.spectator)
 			return true;
 	} else {
diff --git a/qw/source/cl_ents.c b/qw/source/cl_ents.c
index df2dfd830..a7aabed31 100644
--- a/qw/source/cl_ents.c
+++ b/qw/source/cl_ents.c
@@ -151,6 +151,7 @@ set_entity_model (entity_t ent, int modelindex)
 		} else {
 			animation->syncbase = 0.0;
 		}
+		renderer->noshadows = renderer->model->shadow_alpha < 0.5;
 	}
 	animation->nolerp = 1; // don't try to lerp when the model has changed
 }
@@ -487,6 +488,9 @@ CL_LinkPlayers (void)
 			&& is_dead_body (&state->pls.es))
 			continue;
 
+		renderer->onlyshadows = (cl_player_shadows && j == cl.playernum
+								 && !chase_active);
+
 		colormap_t  colormap = {
 			.top = player->topcolor,
 			.bottom = player->bottomcolor,
diff --git a/qw/source/cl_main.c b/qw/source/cl_main.c
index 4c6c45875..8cf97f40e 100644
--- a/qw/source/cl_main.c
+++ b/qw/source/cl_main.c
@@ -236,6 +236,15 @@ static cvar_t cl_shownet_cvar = {
 	.flags = CVAR_NONE,
 	.value = { .type = &cexpr_int, .value = &cl_shownet },
 };
+int cl_player_shadows;
+static cvar_t cl_player_shadows_cvar = {
+	.name = "cl_player_shadows",
+	.description =
+		"Show player shadows instead of weapon shadows",
+	.default_value = "1",
+	.flags = CVAR_ARCHIVE,
+	.value = { .type = &cexpr_int, .value = &cl_player_shadows },
+};
 int cl_autoexec;
 static cvar_t cl_autoexec_cvar = {
 	.name = "cl_autoexec",
@@ -655,6 +664,11 @@ CL_ClearState (void)
 
 	cl.viewstate.weapon_entity = Scene_CreateEntity (cl_world.scene);
 	CL_Init_Entity (cl.viewstate.weapon_entity);
+	renderer_t  *renderer = Ent_GetComponent (cl.viewstate.weapon_entity.id,
+											  cl_world.scene->base + scene_renderer,
+											  cl_world.scene->reg);
+	renderer->depthhack = 1;
+	renderer->noshadows = cl_player_shadows;
 	r_data->view_model = cl.viewstate.weapon_entity;
 
 	CL_TEnts_Precache ();
@@ -1640,6 +1654,7 @@ CL_Init_Cvars (void)
 	Cvar_Register (&cl_writecfg_cvar, 0, 0);
 	Cvar_Register (&cl_draw_locs_cvar, 0, 0);
 	Cvar_Register (&cl_shownet_cvar, 0, 0);
+	Cvar_Register (&cl_player_shadows_cvar, 0, 0);
 	Cvar_Register (&cl_maxfps_cvar, 0, 0);
 	Cvar_Register (&cl_timeout_cvar, 0, 0);
 	Cvar_Register (&host_speeds_cvar, 0, 0);