diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/dukeactor.h b/source/games/duke/src/dukeactor.h
index 24e70bf43..4f4a902f6 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/dukeactor.h
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/dukeactor.h
@@ -12,12 +12,12 @@ using DukeLinearSpriteIterator = TLinearSpriteIterator<DDukeActor>;
 
 inline DDukeActor* player_struct::GetActor()
 {
-	return &hittype[i];
+	return actor;
 }
 
 inline int player_struct::GetPlayerNum()
 {
-	return GetActor()->s->yvel;
+	return actor->s->yvel;
 }
 
 inline int ActorToScriptIndex(DDukeActor* a)
diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/gameexec.cpp b/source/games/duke/src/gameexec.cpp
index 2f147b2a2..d3f6d6f80 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/gameexec.cpp
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/gameexec.cpp
@@ -591,11 +591,6 @@ void DoPlayer(bool bSet, int lVar1, int lLabelID, int lVar2, DDukeActor* sActor,
 		else SetGameVarID(lVar2, ActorToScriptIndex(ps[iPlayer].on_crane), sActor, sPlayer);
 		break;
 
-	case PLAYER_I:	// This is dangerous!!!
-		if (bSet) ps[iPlayer].i = lValue;
-		else SetGameVarID(lVar2, ps[iPlayer].i, sActor, sPlayer);
-		break;
-
 	case PLAYER_OVER_SHOULDER_ON:
 		if (bSet) ps[iPlayer].over_shoulder_on = lValue;
 		else SetGameVarID(lVar2, ps[iPlayer].over_shoulder_on, sActor, sPlayer);
diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/player.cpp b/source/games/duke/src/player.cpp
index b90b267d8..15de23a08 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/player.cpp
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/player.cpp
@@ -1113,7 +1113,7 @@ DEFINE_FIELD_X(DukePlayer, player_struct, access_wall)
 DEFINE_FIELD_X(DukePlayer, player_struct, got_access)
 DEFINE_FIELD_X(DukePlayer, player_struct, weapon_ang)
 DEFINE_FIELD_X(DukePlayer, player_struct, firstaid_amount)
-DEFINE_FIELD_X(DukePlayer, player_struct, i)
+DEFINE_FIELD_X(DukePlayer, player_struct, actor)
 DEFINE_FIELD_X(DukePlayer, player_struct, one_parallax_sectnum)
 DEFINE_FIELD_X(DukePlayer, player_struct, over_shoulder_on)
 DEFINE_FIELD_X(DukePlayer, player_struct, fist_incs)
diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/premap.cpp b/source/games/duke/src/premap.cpp
index 569862c44..ae93bfc1c 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/premap.cpp
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/premap.cpp
@@ -624,7 +624,7 @@ void resetpspritevars(int g)
 			else
 				s->pal = ps[j].palookup = ud.user_pals[j];
 
-			ps[j].i = act->GetSpriteIndex();
+			ps[j].actor = act;
 			ps[j].frag_ps = j;
 			act->SetOwner(act);
 
diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/savegame.cpp b/source/games/duke/src/savegame.cpp
index 800dd1473..24470db79 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/savegame.cpp
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/savegame.cpp
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ FSerializer& Serialize(FSerializer& arc, const char* keyname, player_struct& w,
 			("firstaid_amount", w.firstaid_amount)
 			("somethingonplayer", w.somethingonplayer)
 			("on_crane", w.on_crane)
-			("i", w.i)
+			("i", w.actor)
 			("one_parallax_sectnum", w.one_parallax_sectnum)
 			("over_shoulder_on", w.over_shoulder_on)
 			("random_club_frame", w.random_club_frame)
diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/types.h b/source/games/duke/src/types.h
index 2c864b4ad..ef483c897 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/types.h
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/types.h
@@ -216,6 +216,7 @@ struct player_struct
 	sectortype* cursector;
 	sectortype* one_parallax_sectnum; // wall + sector references. Make them pointers later?
 	walltype* access_wall;
+	DDukeActor* actor;
 
 	short last_extra, subweapon;
 	short ammo_amount[MAX_WEAPONS], frag, fraggedself;
@@ -225,7 +226,6 @@ struct player_struct
 	short jumping_counter, airleft, knee_incs, access_incs;
 	short ftq;
 	short got_access, weapon_ang, firstaid_amount;
-	short i;
 	short over_shoulder_on, fist_incs;
 	short cheat_phase;
 	short extra_extra8, quick_kick, last_quick_kick;
diff --git a/wadsrc/static/zscript/games/duke/dukegame.zs b/wadsrc/static/zscript/games/duke/dukegame.zs
index 5849a7d5c..7be15e23b 100644
--- a/wadsrc/static/zscript/games/duke/dukegame.zs
+++ b/wadsrc/static/zscript/games/duke/dukegame.zs
@@ -170,12 +170,11 @@ struct DukePlayer
 	native int16 jumping_counter, airleft, knee_incs, access_incs;
 	native int16 ftq;
 	native int16 got_access, weapon_ang, firstaid_amount;
-	native int16 i;
 	native int16 over_shoulder_on, fist_incs;
 	native int16 cheat_phase;
 	native int16 extra_extra8, quick_kick, last_quick_kick;
 	native int16 heat_amount, timebeforeexit, customexitsound;
-	//DDukeActor* actorsqu, *wackedbyactor, *on_crane, *holoduke_on, *somethingonplayer, *access_spritenum, *dummyplayersprite, *newOwner; // later
+	//DDukeActor* actor, actorsqu, *wackedbyactor, *on_crane, *holoduke_on, *somethingonplayer, *access_spritenum, *dummyplayersprite, *newOwner; // later
 	native voidptr holoduke_on; // cannot do it as a proper actor pointer yet - but the status bar needs it.
 
 	native int16 weaprecs[256], weapreccnt;