diff --git a/doc/040_cvarlist.md b/doc/040_cvarlist.md
index 2c8fefde..65c7136c 100644
--- a/doc/040_cvarlist.md
+++ b/doc/040_cvarlist.md
@@ -120,6 +120,11 @@ Set `0` by default.
 * **cl_kickangles**: If set to `0` angle kicks (weapon recoil, damage
   hits and the like) are ignored. Cheat-protected. Defaults to `1`.
 
+* **cl_laseralpha**: Controls how see-through laserbeams are.
+  The value ranges from 0.0 to 1.0, from completely invisible to
+  completely opaque. So higher value means better visibility.
+  Defaults to `0.3`.
+
 * **cl_limitsparksounds**: If set to `1` the number of sound generated
   when shooting into power screen and power shields is limited to 16.
   This works around global volume drops in some OpenAL implementations
diff --git a/src/client/cl_entities.c b/src/client/cl_entities.c
index ad315306..e951cea4 100644
--- a/src/client/cl_entities.c
+++ b/src/client/cl_entities.c
@@ -139,8 +139,17 @@ CL_AddPacketEntities(frame_t *frame)
 		/* tweak the color of beams */
 		if (renderfx & RF_BEAM)
 		{
+			ent.alpha = cl_laseralpha->value;
+			if (ent.alpha < 0.0f)
+			{
+				ent.alpha = 0.0f;
+			}
+			else if (ent.alpha > 1.0f)
+			{
+				ent.alpha = 1.0f;
+			}
+
 			/* the four beam colors are encoded in 32 bits of skinnum (hack) */
-			ent.alpha = 0.30f;
 			ent.skinnum = (s1->skinnum >> ((randk() % 4) * 8)) & 0xff;
 			ent.model = NULL;
 		}
diff --git a/src/client/cl_main.c b/src/client/cl_main.c
index 9d4ff2d0..38a41728 100644
--- a/src/client/cl_main.c
+++ b/src/client/cl_main.c
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ cvar_t *cl_add_lights;
 cvar_t *cl_add_entities;
 cvar_t *cl_add_blend;
 cvar_t *cl_kickangles;
+cvar_t *cl_laseralpha;
 
 cvar_t *cl_shownet;
 cvar_t *cl_showmiss;
@@ -517,6 +518,7 @@ CL_InitLocal(void)
 	cl_predict = Cvar_Get("cl_predict", "1", 0);
 	cl_showfps = Cvar_Get("cl_showfps", "0", CVAR_ARCHIVE);
 	cl_showspeed = Cvar_Get("cl_showspeed", "0", CVAR_ARCHIVE);
+	cl_laseralpha = Cvar_Get("cl_laseralpha", "0.3", 0);
 
 	cl_upspeed = Cvar_Get("cl_upspeed", "200", 0);
 	cl_forwardspeed = Cvar_Get("cl_forwardspeed", "200", 0);
diff --git a/src/client/cl_tempentities.c b/src/client/cl_tempentities.c
index b9ef4b35..e5ef4bbd 100644
--- a/src/client/cl_tempentities.c
+++ b/src/client/cl_tempentities.c
@@ -492,10 +492,20 @@ CL_ParseLaser(int colors)
 	{
 		if (l->endtime < cl.time)
 		{
+			float alpha = cl_laseralpha->value;
+			if (alpha < 0.0f)
+			{
+				alpha = 0.0f;
+			}
+			else if (alpha > 1.0f)
+			{
+				alpha = 1.0f;
+			}
+
 			l->ent.flags = RF_TRANSLUCENT | RF_BEAM;
 			VectorCopy(start, l->ent.origin);
 			VectorCopy(end, l->ent.oldorigin);
-			l->ent.alpha = 0.30f;
+			l->ent.alpha = alpha;
 			l->ent.skinnum = (colors >> ((randk() % 4) * 8)) & 0xff;
 			l->ent.model = NULL;
 			l->ent.frame = 4;
diff --git a/src/client/header/client.h b/src/client/header/client.h
index 9b664f65..ee7883e0 100644
--- a/src/client/header/client.h
+++ b/src/client/header/client.h
@@ -316,6 +316,7 @@ extern  cvar_t  *vid_renderer;
 extern	cvar_t	*cl_kickangles;
 extern  cvar_t  *cl_r1q2_lightstyle;
 extern  cvar_t  *cl_limitsparksounds;
+extern	cvar_t	*cl_laseralpha;
 
 typedef struct
 {
diff --git a/src/common/shared/shared.c b/src/common/shared/shared.c
index e86da819..20e4ec7a 100644
--- a/src/common/shared/shared.c
+++ b/src/common/shared/shared.c
@@ -581,19 +581,9 @@ double sqrt(double x);
 vec_t
 VectorLength(const vec3_t v)
 {
-	int i;
-	float length;
-
-	length = 0;
-
-	for (i = 0; i < 3; i++)
-	{
-		length += v[i] * v[i];
-	}
-
-	length = (float)sqrt(length);
-
-	return length;
+	return sqrtf((v[0] * v[0]) +
+               (v[1] * v[1]) +
+	       (v[2] * v[2]));
 }
 
 void