diff --git a/src/g_hexen/a_flechette.cpp b/src/g_hexen/a_flechette.cpp
index 780b6d1ea0..779b9424ca 100644
--- a/src/g_hexen/a_flechette.cpp
+++ b/src/g_hexen/a_flechette.cpp
@@ -196,11 +196,6 @@ bool AArtiPoisonBagShooter::Use (bool pickup)
 			{
 				mo->tracer = Owner->target;
 			}
-			// set the health value so that the missile works properly
-			if (mo->flags4 & MF4_SPECTRAL)
-			{
-				mo->health = -2;
-			}
 			return true;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/g_strife/a_alienspectres.cpp b/src/g_strife/a_alienspectres.cpp
index 169889b2e1..4626891bbe 100644
--- a/src/g_strife/a_alienspectres.cpp
+++ b/src/g_strife/a_alienspectres.cpp
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ DEFINE_ACTION_FUNCTION(AActor, A_Spectre3Attack)
 
 	foo->velz = -12*FRACUNIT;
 	foo->target = self;
-	foo->health = -2;
+	foo->FriendPlayer = 0;
 	foo->tracer = self->target;
 
 	self->angle -= ANGLE_180 / 20 * 10;
diff --git a/src/g_strife/a_entityboss.cpp b/src/g_strife/a_entityboss.cpp
index f69d43fc6f..3dfeb3b5a7 100644
--- a/src/g_strife/a_entityboss.cpp
+++ b/src/g_strife/a_entityboss.cpp
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ void A_SpectralMissile (AActor *self, const char *missilename)
 		if (missile != NULL)
 		{
 			missile->tracer = self->target;
-			missile->health = -2;
 			P_CheckMissileSpawn(missile);
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/g_strife/a_programmer.cpp b/src/g_strife/a_programmer.cpp
index 6a65ef9e37..0f843c55c1 100644
--- a/src/g_strife/a_programmer.cpp
+++ b/src/g_strife/a_programmer.cpp
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ DEFINE_ACTION_FUNCTION(AActor, A_SpotLightning)
 	{
 		spot->threshold = 25;
 		spot->target = self;
-		spot->health = -2;
+		spot->FriendPlayer = 0;
 		spot->tracer = self->target;
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/g_strife/a_spectral.cpp b/src/g_strife/a_spectral.cpp
index 1272d35f87..6e2e6488e1 100644
--- a/src/g_strife/a_spectral.cpp
+++ b/src/g_strife/a_spectral.cpp
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ DEFINE_ACTION_FUNCTION(AActor, A_SpectralLightningTail)
 	AActor *foo = Spawn("SpectralLightningHTail", self->x - self->velx, self->y - self->vely, self->z, ALLOW_REPLACE);
 
 	foo->angle = self->angle;
-	foo->health = self->health;
+	foo->FriendPlayer = self->FriendPlayer;
 }
 
 DEFINE_ACTION_FUNCTION(AActor, A_SpectralBigBallLightning)
@@ -69,13 +69,13 @@ DEFINE_ACTION_FUNCTION(AActor, A_SpectralLightning)
 
 	flash->target = self->target;
 	flash->velz = -18*FRACUNIT;
-	flash->health = self->health;
+	flash->FriendPlayer = self->FriendPlayer;
 
 	flash = Spawn(NAME_SpectralLightningV2, self->x, self->y, ONCEILINGZ, ALLOW_REPLACE);
 
 	flash->target = self->target;
 	flash->velz = -18*FRACUNIT;
-	flash->health = self->health;
+	flash->FriendPlayer = self->FriendPlayer;
 }
 
 // In Strife, this number is stored in the data segment, but it doesn't seem to be
diff --git a/src/g_strife/a_strifeweapons.cpp b/src/g_strife/a_strifeweapons.cpp
index 957a5371af..1194f92375 100644
--- a/src/g_strife/a_strifeweapons.cpp
+++ b/src/g_strife/a_strifeweapons.cpp
@@ -530,15 +530,15 @@ AActor *P_SpawnSubMissile (AActor *source, const PClass *type, AActor *target)
 	{
 		if (source->flags & MF_MISSILE && source->flags4 & MF4_SPECTRAL)
 		{
-			other->health = source->health;
+			other->FriendPlayer = source->FriendPlayer;
 		}
 		else if (target->player != NULL)
 		{
-			other->health = -1;
+			other->FriendPlayer = int(target->player - players) + 1;
 		}
 		else
 		{
-			other->health = -2;
+			other->FriendPlayer = 0;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -925,7 +925,7 @@ DEFINE_ACTION_FUNCTION(AActor, A_FireSigil1)
 	}
 	if (spot != NULL)
 	{
-		spot->health = -1;
+		spot->FriendPlayer = int(player-players)+1;
 		spot->target = self;
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/p_interaction.cpp b/src/p_interaction.cpp
index de77f27124..955f1eec3d 100644
--- a/src/p_interaction.cpp
+++ b/src/p_interaction.cpp
@@ -981,12 +981,12 @@ void P_DamageMobj (AActor *target, AActor *inflictor, AActor *source, int damage
 			{
 				if (player != NULL)
 				{
-					if (!deathmatch && inflictor->health == -1)
+					if (!deathmatch && inflictor->FriendPlayer > 0)
 						return;
 				}
 				else if (target->flags4 & MF4_SPECTRAL)
 				{
-					if (inflictor->health == -2 && !target->IsHostile(inflictor))
+					if (inflictor->FriendPlayer == 0 && !target->IsHostile(inflictor))
 						return;
 				}
 			}
diff --git a/src/p_mobj.cpp b/src/p_mobj.cpp
index 8ba0a94411..b48ef97326 100644
--- a/src/p_mobj.cpp
+++ b/src/p_mobj.cpp
@@ -5295,6 +5295,18 @@ AActor *P_SpawnMissileXYZ (fixed_t x, fixed_t y, fixed_t z,
 
 	th->angle = R_PointToAngle2 (0, 0, th->velx, th->vely);
 
+	if (th->flags4 & MF4_SPECTRAL)
+	{
+		if (owner->player != NULL)
+		{
+			th->FriendPlayer = int(owner->player - players) + 1;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			th->FriendPlayer = 0;
+		}
+	}
+
 	return (!checkspawn || P_CheckMissileSpawn (th)) ? th : NULL;
 }
 
@@ -5319,6 +5331,19 @@ AActor * P_OldSpawnMissile(AActor * source, AActor * owner, AActor * dest, const
 		dist = 1;
 
 	th->velz = (dest->z - source->z) / dist;
+
+	if (th->flags4 & MF4_SPECTRAL)
+	{
+		if (owner->player != NULL)
+		{
+			th->FriendPlayer = int(owner->player - players) + 1;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			th->FriendPlayer = 0;
+		}
+	}
+
 	P_CheckMissileSpawn(th);
 	return th;
 }
@@ -5401,6 +5426,19 @@ AActor *P_SpawnMissileAngleZSpeed (AActor *source, fixed_t z,
 	mo->velx = FixedMul (speed, finecosine[angle]);
 	mo->vely = FixedMul (speed, finesine[angle]);
 	mo->velz = velz;
+
+	if (mo->flags4 & MF4_SPECTRAL)
+	{
+		if (owner->player != NULL)
+		{
+			mo->FriendPlayer = int(owner->player - players) + 1;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			mo->FriendPlayer = 0;
+		}
+	}
+
 	return (!checkspawn || P_CheckMissileSpawn(mo)) ? mo : NULL;
 }
 
@@ -5512,8 +5550,16 @@ AActor *P_SpawnPlayerMissile (AActor *source, fixed_t x, fixed_t y, fixed_t z,
 	MissileActor->velz = (fixed_t)vec.Z;
 
 	if (MissileActor->flags4 & MF4_SPECTRAL)
-		MissileActor->health = -1;
-
+	{
+		if (source->player != NULL)
+		{
+			MissileActor->FriendPlayer = int(source->player - players) + 1;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			MissileActor->FriendPlayer = 0;
+		}
+	}
 	if (P_CheckMissileSpawn (MissileActor))
 	{
 		return MissileActor;
diff --git a/src/thingdef/thingdef_codeptr.cpp b/src/thingdef/thingdef_codeptr.cpp
index 71e1661163..4d31f869a3 100644
--- a/src/thingdef/thingdef_codeptr.cpp
+++ b/src/thingdef/thingdef_codeptr.cpp
@@ -333,11 +333,6 @@ static void DoAttack (AActor *self, bool domelee, bool domissile,
 			{
 				missile->tracer=self->target;
 			}
-			// set the health value so that the missile works properly
-			if (missile->flags4&MF4_SPECTRAL)
-			{
-				missile->health=-2;
-			}
 			P_CheckMissileSpawn(missile);
 		}
 	}
@@ -967,10 +962,17 @@ DEFINE_ACTION_FUNCTION_PARAMS(AActor, A_CustomMissile)
 					// automatic handling of seeker missiles
 					missile->tracer=self->target;
 				}
-				// set the health value so that the missile works properly
+				// we must redo the spectral check here because the owner is set after spawning so the FriendPlayer value may be wrong
 				if (missile->flags4&MF4_SPECTRAL)
 				{
-					missile->health=-2;
+					if (missile->target != NULL && missile->target->player != NULL)
+					{
+						missile->FriendPlayer = int(missile->target->player - players) + 1;
+					}
+					else
+					{
+						missile->FriendPlayer = 0;
+					}
 				}
 				P_CheckMissileSpawn(missile);
 			}
@@ -1121,11 +1123,6 @@ DEFINE_ACTION_FUNCTION_PARAMS(AActor, A_CustomComboAttack)
 			{
 				missile->tracer=self->target;
 			}
-			// set the health value so that the missile works properly
-			if (missile->flags4&MF4_SPECTRAL)
-			{
-				missile->health=-2;
-			}
 			P_CheckMissileSpawn(missile);
 		}
 	}