diff --git a/src/hardware/hw_glob.h b/src/hardware/hw_glob.h
index 8b30a3468..2cfb43a96 100644
--- a/src/hardware/hw_glob.h
+++ b/src/hardware/hw_glob.h
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ typedef struct gl_vissprite_s
 	float spritexscale, spriteyscale;
 	float spritexoffset, spriteyoffset;
 
+	skincolornum_t color;
+
 	UINT32 renderflags;
 	UINT8 rotateflags;
 
diff --git a/src/hardware/hw_main.c b/src/hardware/hw_main.c
index a6b08812b..4400c5476 100644
--- a/src/hardware/hw_main.c
+++ b/src/hardware/hw_main.c
@@ -5370,6 +5370,10 @@ static void HWR_ProjectSprite(mobj_t *thing)
 		vis->gpatch = (patch_t *)W_CachePatchNum(sprframe->lumppat[rot], PU_SPRITE);
 
 	vis->mobj = thing;
+	if ((thing->flags2 & MF2_LINKDRAW) && thing->tracer && thing->color == SKINCOLOR_NONE)
+		vis->color = thing->tracer->color;
+	else
+		vis->color = thing->color;
 
 	//Hurdler: 25/04/2000: now support colormap in hardware mode
 	if ((vis->mobj->flags & (MF_ENEMY|MF_BOSS)) && (vis->mobj->flags2 & MF2_FRET) && !(vis->mobj->flags & MF_GRENADEBOUNCE) && (leveltime & 1)) // Bosses "flash"
@@ -5379,13 +5383,13 @@ static void HWR_ProjectSprite(mobj_t *thing)
 		else if (vis->mobj->type == MT_METALSONIC_BATTLE)
 			vis->colormap = R_GetTranslationColormap(TC_METALSONIC, 0, GTC_CACHE);
 		else
-			vis->colormap = R_GetTranslationColormap(TC_BOSS, vis->mobj->color, GTC_CACHE);
+			vis->colormap = R_GetTranslationColormap(TC_BOSS, vis->color, GTC_CACHE);
 	}
-	else if (thing->color)
+	else if (vis->color)
 	{
 		// New colormap stuff for skins Tails 06-07-2002
 		if (thing->colorized)
-			vis->colormap = R_GetTranslationColormap(TC_RAINBOW, thing->color, GTC_CACHE);
+			vis->colormap = R_GetTranslationColormap(TC_RAINBOW, vis->color, GTC_CACHE);
 		else if (thing->player && thing->player->dashmode >= DASHMODE_THRESHOLD
 			&& (thing->player->charflags & SF_DASHMODE)
 			&& ((leveltime/2) & 1))
@@ -5393,15 +5397,15 @@ static void HWR_ProjectSprite(mobj_t *thing)
 			if (thing->player->charflags & SF_MACHINE)
 				vis->colormap = R_GetTranslationColormap(TC_DASHMODE, 0, GTC_CACHE);
 			else
-				vis->colormap = R_GetTranslationColormap(TC_RAINBOW, thing->color, GTC_CACHE);
+				vis->colormap = R_GetTranslationColormap(TC_RAINBOW, vis->color, GTC_CACHE);
 		}
 		else if (thing->skin && thing->sprite == SPR_PLAY) // This thing is a player!
 		{
 			size_t skinnum = (skin_t*)thing->skin-skins;
-			vis->colormap = R_GetTranslationColormap((INT32)skinnum, thing->color, GTC_CACHE);
+			vis->colormap = R_GetTranslationColormap((INT32)skinnum, vis->color, GTC_CACHE);
 		}
 		else
-			vis->colormap = R_GetTranslationColormap(TC_DEFAULT, vis->mobj->color ? vis->mobj->color : SKINCOLOR_CYAN, GTC_CACHE);
+			vis->colormap = R_GetTranslationColormap(TC_DEFAULT, vis->color ? vis->color : SKINCOLOR_CYAN, GTC_CACHE);
 	}
 	else
 		vis->colormap = NULL;
@@ -5511,6 +5515,7 @@ static void HWR_ProjectPrecipitationSprite(precipmobj_t *thing)
 	vis->gpatch = (patch_t *)W_CachePatchNum(sprframe->lumppat[rot], PU_SPRITE);
 	vis->flip = flip;
 	vis->mobj = (mobj_t *)thing;
+	vis->color = SKINCOLOR_NONE;
 
 	vis->colormap = NULL;
 
diff --git a/src/r_things.c b/src/r_things.c
index db4263a6a..343a80f95 100644
--- a/src/r_things.c
+++ b/src/r_things.c
@@ -754,13 +754,13 @@ UINT8 *R_GetSpriteTranslation(vissprite_t *vis)
 		else if (vis->mobj->type == MT_METALSONIC_BATTLE)
 			return R_GetTranslationColormap(TC_METALSONIC, 0, GTC_CACHE);
 		else
-			return R_GetTranslationColormap(TC_BOSS, vis->mobj->color, GTC_CACHE);
+			return R_GetTranslationColormap(TC_BOSS, vis->color, GTC_CACHE);
 	}
-	else if (vis->mobj->color)
+	else if (vis->color)
 	{
 		// New colormap stuff for skins Tails 06-07-2002
 		if (!(vis->cut & SC_PRECIP) && vis->mobj->colorized)
-			return R_GetTranslationColormap(TC_RAINBOW, vis->mobj->color, GTC_CACHE);
+			return R_GetTranslationColormap(TC_RAINBOW, vis->color, GTC_CACHE);
 		else if (!(vis->cut & SC_PRECIP)
 			&& vis->mobj->player && vis->mobj->player->dashmode >= DASHMODE_THRESHOLD
 			&& (vis->mobj->player->charflags & SF_DASHMODE)
@@ -769,15 +769,15 @@ UINT8 *R_GetSpriteTranslation(vissprite_t *vis)
 			if (vis->mobj->player->charflags & SF_MACHINE)
 				return R_GetTranslationColormap(TC_DASHMODE, 0, GTC_CACHE);
 			else
-				return R_GetTranslationColormap(TC_RAINBOW, vis->mobj->color, GTC_CACHE);
+				return R_GetTranslationColormap(TC_RAINBOW, vis->color, GTC_CACHE);
 		}
 		else if (!(vis->cut & SC_PRECIP) && vis->mobj->skin && vis->mobj->sprite == SPR_PLAY) // This thing is a player!
 		{
 			size_t skinnum = (skin_t*)vis->mobj->skin-skins;
-			return R_GetTranslationColormap((INT32)skinnum, vis->mobj->color, GTC_CACHE);
+			return R_GetTranslationColormap((INT32)skinnum, vis->color, GTC_CACHE);
 		}
 		else // Use the defaults
-			return R_GetTranslationColormap(TC_DEFAULT, vis->mobj->color, GTC_CACHE);
+			return R_GetTranslationColormap(TC_DEFAULT, vis->color, GTC_CACHE);
 	}
 	else if (vis->mobj->sprite == SPR_PLAY) // Looks like a player, but doesn't have a color? Get rid of green sonic syndrome.
 		return R_GetTranslationColormap(TC_DEFAULT, SKINCOLOR_BLUE, GTC_CACHE);
@@ -822,7 +822,7 @@ static void R_DrawVisSprite(vissprite_t *vis)
 
 	if (R_SpriteIsFlashing(vis)) // Bosses "flash"
 		colfunc = colfuncs[COLDRAWFUNC_TRANS]; // translate certain pixels to white
-	else if (vis->mobj->color && vis->transmap) // Color mapping
+	else if (vis->color && vis->transmap) // Color mapping
 	{
 		colfunc = colfuncs[COLDRAWFUNC_TRANSTRANS];
 		dc_transmap = vis->transmap;
@@ -832,7 +832,7 @@ static void R_DrawVisSprite(vissprite_t *vis)
 		colfunc = colfuncs[COLDRAWFUNC_FUZZY];
 		dc_transmap = vis->transmap;    //Fab : 29-04-98: translucency table
 	}
-	else if (vis->mobj->color) // translate green skin to another color
+	else if (vis->color) // translate green skin to another color
 		colfunc = colfuncs[COLDRAWFUNC_TRANS];
 	else if (vis->mobj->sprite == SPR_PLAY) // Looks like a player, but doesn't have a color? Get rid of green sonic syndrome.
 		colfunc = colfuncs[COLDRAWFUNC_TRANS];
@@ -1356,6 +1356,7 @@ static void R_ProjectDropShadow(mobj_t *thing, vissprite_t *vis, fixed_t scale,
 	shadow->shear.tan = shadowskew; // repurposed variable
 
 	shadow->mobj = thing; // Easy access! Tails 06-07-2002
+	shadow->color = thing->color;
 
 	shadow->x1 = x1 < portalclipstart ? portalclipstart : x1;
 	shadow->x2 = x2 >= portalclipend ? portalclipend-1 : x2;
@@ -2015,6 +2016,10 @@ static void R_ProjectSprite(mobj_t *thing)
 	vis->viewpoint.angle = viewangle;
 
 	vis->mobj = thing; // Easy access! Tails 06-07-2002
+	if ((oldthing->flags2 & MF2_LINKDRAW) && oldthing->tracer && oldthing->color == SKINCOLOR_NONE)
+		vis->color = oldthing->tracer->color;
+	else
+		vis->color = oldthing->color;
 
 	vis->x1 = x1 < portalclipstart ? portalclipstart : x1;
 	vis->x2 = x2 >= portalclipend ? portalclipend-1 : x2;
@@ -2268,6 +2273,7 @@ static void R_ProjectPrecipitationSprite(precipmobj_t *thing)
 	vis->cut = SC_PRECIP;
 	vis->extra_colormap = thing->subsector->sector->extra_colormap;
 	vis->heightsec = thing->subsector->sector->heightsec;
+	vis->color = SKINCOLOR_NONE;
 
 	// Fullbright
 	vis->colormap = colormaps;
diff --git a/src/r_things.h b/src/r_things.h
index 857b03b24..f0a5751e8 100644
--- a/src/r_things.h
+++ b/src/r_things.h
@@ -207,6 +207,8 @@ typedef struct vissprite_s
 
 	fixed_t shadowscale;
 
+	skincolornum_t color;
+
 	INT16 clipbot[MAXVIDWIDTH], cliptop[MAXVIDWIDTH];
 
 	INT32 dispoffset; // copy of info->dispoffset, affects ordering but not drawing