diff --git a/source/build/include/build.h b/source/build/include/build.h
index bdd437a53..fb04849d7 100644
--- a/source/build/include/build.h
+++ b/source/build/include/build.h
@@ -1276,8 +1276,8 @@ extern int32_t glrendmode;
 #endif
 
 void hicinit(void);
-// effect bitset: 1 = greyscale, 2 = invert
-void hicsetpalettetint(int32_t palnum, char r, char g, char b, char effect);
+typedef uint16_t polytintflags_t;
+void hicsetpalettetint(int32_t palnum, char r, char g, char b, polytintflags_t effect);
 // flags bitset: 1 = don't compress
 int32_t hicsetsubsttex(int32_t picnum, int32_t palnum, const char *filen, float alphacut,
                        float xscale, float yscale, float specpower, float specfactor, char flags);
diff --git a/source/build/include/hightile.h b/source/build/include/hightile.h
index 1375062f5..71fcfa260 100644
--- a/source/build/include/hightile.h
+++ b/source/build/include/hightile.h
@@ -18,7 +18,12 @@ typedef struct hicreplc_t {
     char palnum, flags;
 } hicreplctyp;
 
-extern palette_t hictinting[MAXPALOOKUPS];
+typedef struct {
+    polytintflags_t f;
+    uint8_t r, g, b;
+} polytint_t;
+
+extern polytint_t hictinting[MAXPALOOKUPS];
 extern hicreplctyp *hicreplc[MAXTILES];
 extern int32_t hicinitcounter;
 
diff --git a/source/build/include/polymost.h b/source/build/include/polymost.h
index f692bf796..661ad2675 100644
--- a/source/build/include/polymost.h
+++ b/source/build/include/polymost.h
@@ -224,9 +224,9 @@ typedef struct pthtyp_t
     int16_t         picnum;
 
     uint16_t        flags; // see pthtyp_flags
+    polytintflags_t effects;
     char            palnum;
     char            shade;
-    char            effects;
     char            skyface;
 } pthtyp;
 
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ EDUKE32_STATIC_ASSERT(TO_PTH_NOTRANSFIX(DAMETH_TRANS1) == 0);
 EDUKE32_STATIC_ASSERT(TO_PTH_NOTRANSFIX(DAMETH_MASKPROPS) == 0);
 
 extern void gloadtile_art(int32_t,int32_t,int32_t,int32_t,int32_t,pthtyp *,int32_t);
-extern int32_t gloadtile_hi(int32_t,int32_t,int32_t,hicreplctyp *,int32_t,pthtyp *,int32_t,char);
+extern int32_t gloadtile_hi(int32_t,int32_t,int32_t,hicreplctyp *,int32_t,pthtyp *,int32_t,polytintflags_t);
 
 extern int32_t globalnoeffect;
 extern int32_t drawingskybox;
diff --git a/source/build/src/hightile.cpp b/source/build/src/hightile.cpp
index 49f014140..cad3688ca 100644
--- a/source/build/src/hightile.cpp
+++ b/source/build/src/hightile.cpp
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 #include "baselayer.h"
 
 
-palette_t hictinting[MAXPALOOKUPS];
+polytint_t hictinting[MAXPALOOKUPS];
 
 hicreplctyp *hicreplc[MAXTILES];
 int32_t hicinitcounter = 0;
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ void hicinit(void)
 //   palette shifts on true-colour textures and only true-colour textures.
 //   effect bitset: 1 = greyscale, 2 = invert
 //
-void hicsetpalettetint(int32_t palnum, char r, char g, char b, char effect)
+void hicsetpalettetint(int32_t palnum, char r, char g, char b, polytintflags_t effect)
 {
     if ((uint32_t)palnum >= (uint32_t)MAXPALOOKUPS) return;
     if (!hicinitcounter) hicinit();
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ int32_t hicclearsubst(int32_t picnum, int32_t palnum)
 
 #include "compat.h"
 
-void hicsetpalettetint(int32_t palnum, char r, char g, char b, char effect)
+void hicsetpalettetint(int32_t palnum, char r, char g, char b, polytintflags_t effect)
 {
     UNREFERENCED_PARAMETER(palnum);
     UNREFERENCED_PARAMETER(r);
diff --git a/source/build/src/mdsprite.cpp b/source/build/src/mdsprite.cpp
index 54bee9970..631d708ce 100644
--- a/source/build/src/mdsprite.cpp
+++ b/source/build/src/mdsprite.cpp
@@ -719,7 +719,7 @@ int32_t mdloadskin(md2model_t *m, int32_t number, int32_t pal, int32_t surf)
     }
     else
     {
-        char const effect = hicfxmask(pal);
+        polytintflags_t const effect = hicfxmask(pal);
 
         // CODEDUP: gloadtile_hi
 
diff --git a/source/build/src/polymost.cpp b/source/build/src/polymost.cpp
index 9686083d7..827a6c057 100644
--- a/source/build/src/polymost.cpp
+++ b/source/build/src/polymost.cpp
@@ -1100,10 +1100,11 @@ void gloadtile_art(int32_t dapic, int32_t dapal, int32_t tintpalnum, int32_t das
 
                     if (!fullbrightloadingpass && tintpalnum >= 0)
                     {
-                        uint8_t const r = hictinting[tintpalnum].r;
-                        uint8_t const g = hictinting[tintpalnum].g;
-                        uint8_t const b = hictinting[tintpalnum].b;
-                        uint8_t const effect = hictinting[tintpalnum].f;
+                        polytint_t const & tint = hictinting[tintpalnum];
+                        polytintflags_t const effect = tint.f;
+                        uint8_t const r = tint.r;
+                        uint8_t const g = tint.g;
+                        uint8_t const b = tint.b;
 
                         if (effect & HICTINT_GRAYSCALE)
                         {
@@ -1221,7 +1222,7 @@ void gloadtile_art(int32_t dapic, int32_t dapal, int32_t tintpalnum, int32_t das
 }
 
 int32_t gloadtile_hi(int32_t dapic,int32_t dapalnum, int32_t facen, hicreplctyp *hicr,
-                            int32_t dameth, pthtyp *pth, int32_t doalloc, char effect)
+                            int32_t dameth, pthtyp *pth, int32_t doalloc, polytintflags_t effect)
 {
     if (!hicr) return -1;
 
diff --git a/source/duke3d/src/astub.cpp b/source/duke3d/src/astub.cpp
index 9a6c46e0b..8b5c861fe 100644
--- a/source/duke3d/src/astub.cpp
+++ b/source/duke3d/src/astub.cpp
@@ -8878,7 +8878,7 @@ static int32_t osdcmd_vars_pk(const osdfuncparm_t *parm)
 static int32_t osdcmd_tint(const osdfuncparm_t *parm)
 {
     int32_t i;
-    palette_t *p;
+    polytint_t *p;
 
     if (parm->numparms==1)
     {
@@ -8891,10 +8891,9 @@ static int32_t osdcmd_tint(const osdfuncparm_t *parm)
     }
     else if (parm->numparms==0)
     {
-        palette_t notint = { 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0x00 };
         OSD_Printf("Hightile tintings:\n");
         for (i=0,p=&hictinting[0]; i<=M32_MAXPALOOKUPS; i++,p++)
-            if (Bmemcmp(&hictinting[i], &notint, 4))
+            if (p->r != 255 || p->g != 255 || p->b != 255 || p->f != 0)
                 OSD_Printf("pal %d: rgb %3d %3d %3d  f %d\n", i, p->r, p->g, p->b, p->f);
     }
     else if (parm->numparms>=2)
diff --git a/source/duke3d/src/screens.cpp b/source/duke3d/src/screens.cpp
index 6b8f46edc..7919bf620 100644
--- a/source/duke3d/src/screens.cpp
+++ b/source/duke3d/src/screens.cpp
@@ -167,8 +167,11 @@ void G_SetCrosshairColor(int32_t r, int32_t g, int32_t b)
 
 #ifdef USE_OPENGL
     // XXX: this makes us also load all hightile textures tinted with the crosshair color!
-    Bmemcpy(&hictinting[CROSSHAIR_PAL], &CrosshairColors, sizeof(palette_t));
-    hictinting[CROSSHAIR_PAL].f = HICTINT_USEONART | HICTINT_GRAYSCALE;
+    polytint_t & crosshairtint = hictinting[CROSSHAIR_PAL];
+    crosshairtint.r = CrosshairColors.r;
+    crosshairtint.g = CrosshairColors.g;
+    crosshairtint.b = CrosshairColors.b;
+    crosshairtint.f = HICTINT_USEONART | HICTINT_GRAYSCALE;
 #endif
     invalidatetile(CROSSHAIR, -1, -1);
 }
@@ -856,21 +859,28 @@ void G_DisplayRest(int32_t smoothratio)
     // this takes care of fullscreen tint for OpenGL
     if (getrendermode() >= REND_POLYMOST)
     {
+        polytint_t & fstint = hictinting[MAXPALOOKUPS-1];
+
         if (pp->palette == WATERPAL)
         {
-            static const palette_t wp = { 224, 192, 255, 0 };
-            Bmemcpy(&hictinting[MAXPALOOKUPS-1], &wp, sizeof(palette_t));
+            fstint.r = 224;
+            fstint.g = 192;
+            fstint.b = 255;
+            fstint.f = 0;
         }
         else if (pp->palette == SLIMEPAL)
         {
-            static const palette_t sp = { 208, 255, 192, 0 };
-            Bmemcpy(&hictinting[MAXPALOOKUPS-1], &sp, sizeof(palette_t));
+            fstint.r = 208;
+            fstint.g = 255;
+            fstint.b = 192;
+            fstint.f = 0;
         }
         else
         {
-            hictinting[MAXPALOOKUPS-1].r = 255;
-            hictinting[MAXPALOOKUPS-1].g = 255;
-            hictinting[MAXPALOOKUPS-1].b = 255;
+            fstint.r = 255;
+            fstint.g = 255;
+            fstint.b = 255;
+            fstint.f = 0;
         }
     }
 #endif  // USE_OPENGL