diff --git a/src/actor.h b/src/actor.h
index d3a6d94aa..90d42ccbd 100644
--- a/src/actor.h
+++ b/src/actor.h
@@ -1237,6 +1237,8 @@ public:
 
 	// When was this actor spawned?
 	int SpawnTime;
+	uint32_t SpawnOrder;
+
 
 	// ThingIDs
 	static void ClearTIDHashes ();
diff --git a/src/g_level.cpp b/src/g_level.cpp
index fdc5b1778..03bf94cc8 100644
--- a/src/g_level.cpp
+++ b/src/g_level.cpp
@@ -496,6 +496,7 @@ void G_InitNew (const char *mapname, bool bTitleLevel)
 		level.time = 0;
 		level.maptime = 0;
 		level.totaltime = 0;
+		level.spawnindex = 0;
 
 		if (!multiplayer || !deathmatch)
 		{
@@ -869,6 +870,7 @@ void G_DoCompleted (void)
 		}
 		level.time = 0;
 		level.maptime = 0;
+		level.spawnindex = 0;
 	}
 
 	finishstate = mode;
diff --git a/src/g_levellocals.h b/src/g_levellocals.h
index ee9cbbe9c..a91db47ff 100644
--- a/src/g_levellocals.h
+++ b/src/g_levellocals.h
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ struct FLevelLocals : public FLevelData
 	int			starttime;
 	int			partime;
 	int			sucktime;
+	uint32_t	spawnindex;
 
 	level_info_t *info;
 	int			cluster;
diff --git a/src/hwrenderer/scene/hw_drawlist.cpp b/src/hwrenderer/scene/hw_drawlist.cpp
index 0cf6a8010..5b19288c1 100644
--- a/src/hwrenderer/scene/hw_drawlist.cpp
+++ b/src/hwrenderer/scene/hw_drawlist.cpp
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@ inline int HWDrawList::CompareSprites(SortNode * a,SortNode * b)
 	int res = s1->depth - s2->depth;
 
 	if (res != 0) return -res;
-	else return (i_compatflags & COMPATF_SPRITESORT)? s1->index-s2->index : s2->index-s1->index;
+	else return (i_compatflags & COMPATF_SPRITESORT)? s2->index-s1->index : s1->index-s2->index;
 }
 
 //==========================================================================
diff --git a/src/hwrenderer/scene/hw_sprites.cpp b/src/hwrenderer/scene/hw_sprites.cpp
index f8c716686..17e794892 100644
--- a/src/hwrenderer/scene/hw_sprites.cpp
+++ b/src/hwrenderer/scene/hw_sprites.cpp
@@ -1062,7 +1062,7 @@ void GLSprite::Process(HWDrawInfo *di, AActor* thing, sector_t * sector, area_t
 	// end of light calculation
 
 	actor = thing;
-	index = di->spriteindex++;	// this assumes that sprites from the same sector are added sequentially, i.e. by the same thread.
+	index = thing->SpawnOrder;
 	particle = nullptr;
 
 	const bool drawWithXYBillboard = (!(actor->renderflags & RF_FORCEYBILLBOARD)
diff --git a/src/p_mobj.cpp b/src/p_mobj.cpp
index 992a9134f..2b7a69382 100644
--- a/src/p_mobj.cpp
+++ b/src/p_mobj.cpp
@@ -362,6 +362,7 @@ void AActor::Serialize(FSerializer &arc)
 		A("renderrequired", RenderRequired)
 		A("friendlyseeblocks", friendlyseeblocks)
 		A("spawntime", SpawnTime)
+		A("spawnorder", SpawnOrder)
 		A("friction", Friction);
 }
 
@@ -4409,6 +4410,7 @@ AActor *AActor::StaticSpawn (PClassActor *type, const DVector3 &pos, replace_t a
 	
 	actor = static_cast<AActor *>(const_cast<PClassActor *>(type)->CreateNew ());
 	actor->SpawnTime = level.totaltime;
+	actor->SpawnOrder = level.spawnindex++;
 
 	// Set default dialogue
 	actor->ConversationRoot = GetConversation(actor->GetClass()->TypeName);
diff --git a/src/p_saveg.cpp b/src/p_saveg.cpp
index f9078dea5..adfbdfda6 100644
--- a/src/p_saveg.cpp
+++ b/src/p_saveg.cpp
@@ -971,6 +971,7 @@ void G_SerializeLevel(FSerializer &arc, bool hubload)
 		("level.skyfog", level.skyfog)
 		("level.deathsequence", level.deathsequence)
 		("level.bodyqueslot", level.bodyqueslot)
+		("level.spawnindex", level.spawnindex)
 		.Array("level.bodyque", level.bodyque, level.BODYQUESIZE);
 
 	// Hub transitions must keep the current total time