diff --git a/src/namedef.h b/src/namedef.h
index 9735578744..3587643e8a 100644
--- a/src/namedef.h
+++ b/src/namedef.h
@@ -727,3 +727,5 @@ xx(__decorate_internal_int__)
 xx(__decorate_internal_bool__)
 xx(__decorate_internal_state__)
 xx(__decorate_internal_float__)
+
+xx(DamageFunction)
diff --git a/src/scripting/codegeneration/codegen.h b/src/scripting/codegeneration/codegen.h
index d099daa22c..f6468e61f0 100644
--- a/src/scripting/codegeneration/codegen.h
+++ b/src/scripting/codegeneration/codegen.h
@@ -1531,25 +1531,6 @@ public:
 //
 //==========================================================================
 
-class FxDamageValue : public FxExpression
-{
-	FxExpression *val;
-
-public:
-
-	FxDamageValue(FxExpression *v);
-	~FxDamageValue();
-	FxExpression *Resolve(FCompileContext&);
-
-	ExpEmit Emit(VMFunctionBuilder *build);
-};
-
-//==========================================================================
-//
-//
-//
-//==========================================================================
-
 class FxNop : public FxExpression
 {
 public:
diff --git a/src/scripting/decorate/thingdef_parse.cpp b/src/scripting/decorate/thingdef_parse.cpp
index bd4885c87b..b344a12283 100644
--- a/src/scripting/decorate/thingdef_parse.cpp
+++ b/src/scripting/decorate/thingdef_parse.cpp
@@ -664,7 +664,7 @@ static bool ParsePropertyParams(FScanner &sc, FPropertyInfo *prop, AActor *defau
 					{
 						conv.i = -1;
 						params.Push(conv);
-						x = new FxDamageValue(new FxIntCast(ParseExpression(sc, bag.Info), true));
+						x = ParseExpression(sc, bag.Info);
 						sc.MustGetStringName(")");
 						conv.exp = x;
 						params.Push(conv);
diff --git a/src/scripting/thingdef.cpp b/src/scripting/thingdef.cpp
index 183c3f69ee..8c42e8987d 100644
--- a/src/scripting/thingdef.cpp
+++ b/src/scripting/thingdef.cpp
@@ -184,6 +184,28 @@ PFunction *FindClassMemberFunction(PClass *selfcls, PClass *funccls, FName name,
 	return funcsym;
 }
 
+//==========================================================================
+//
+// CreateDamageFunction
+//
+// creates a damage function from the given expression
+//
+//==========================================================================
+
+void CreateDamageFunction(PClassActor *info, AActor *defaults, FxExpression *id, bool fromDecorate)
+{
+	if (id == nullptr)
+	{
+		defaults->DamageFunc = nullptr;
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		auto dmg = new FxReturnStatement(new FxIntCast(id, true), id->ScriptPosition);
+		auto funcsym = CreateAnonymousFunction(info, TypeSInt32, VARF_Method);
+		defaults->DamageFunc = FunctionBuildList.AddFunction(funcsym, dmg, FStringf("%s.DamageFunction", info->TypeName.GetChars()), fromDecorate);
+	}
+}
+
 //==========================================================================
 //
 // LoadActors
diff --git a/src/scripting/thingdef.h b/src/scripting/thingdef.h
index 44a441bee9..b2d34231de 100644
--- a/src/scripting/thingdef.h
+++ b/src/scripting/thingdef.h
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ FName CheckCastKludges(FName in);
 void SetImplicitArgs(TArray<PType *> *args, TArray<DWORD> *argflags, TArray<FName> *argnames, PClass *cls, DWORD funcflags);
 PFunction *CreateAnonymousFunction(PClass *containingclass, PType *returntype, int flags);
 PFunction *FindClassMemberFunction(PClass *cls, PClass *funccls, FName name, FScriptPosition &sc, bool *error);
+void CreateDamageFunction(PClassActor *info, AActor *defaults, FxExpression *id, bool fromDecorate);
 
 //==========================================================================
 //
diff --git a/src/scripting/thingdef_properties.cpp b/src/scripting/thingdef_properties.cpp
index d3fb452cbf..6f1455e435 100644
--- a/src/scripting/thingdef_properties.cpp
+++ b/src/scripting/thingdef_properties.cpp
@@ -647,19 +647,9 @@ DEFINE_PROPERTY(damage, X, Actor)
 	// compatibility reasons, expressions must be enclosed within
 	// parentheses.
 
-	// Store this expression here for now. It will be converted to a function
-	// later once all actors have been processed.
 	defaults->DamageVal = dmgval;
-
-	if (id == nullptr)
-	{
-		defaults->DamageFunc = nullptr;
-	}
-	else
-	{
-		auto funcsym = CreateAnonymousFunction(bag.Info, TypeSInt32, VARF_Method);
-		defaults->DamageFunc = FunctionBuildList.AddFunction(funcsym, id, FStringf("%s.DamageFunction", bag.Info->TypeName.GetChars()), !bag.fromZScript);
-	}
+	// Only DECORATE can get here with a valid expression.
+	CreateDamageFunction(bag.Info, defaults, id, true);
 }
 
 //==========================================================================
diff --git a/src/scripting/vm/vmbuilder.cpp b/src/scripting/vm/vmbuilder.cpp
index c72c2b5670..7f8a643c68 100644
--- a/src/scripting/vm/vmbuilder.cpp
+++ b/src/scripting/vm/vmbuilder.cpp
@@ -684,10 +684,6 @@ void FFunctionBuildList::Build()
 
 	for (auto &item : mItems)
 	{
-		if (item.PrintableName.CompareNoCase("Middle.StateFunction.3") == 0)
-		{
-			int a = 0;
-		}
 		assert(item.Code != NULL);
 
 		// We don't know the return type in advance for anonymous functions.
diff --git a/src/scripting/zscript/zcc_compile.cpp b/src/scripting/zscript/zcc_compile.cpp
index afc74e75e5..f0f884f68e 100644
--- a/src/scripting/zscript/zcc_compile.cpp
+++ b/src/scripting/zscript/zcc_compile.cpp
@@ -1773,8 +1773,16 @@ void ZCCCompiler::ProcessDefaultProperty(PClassActor *cls, ZCC_PropertyStmt *pro
 
 	if (namenode->SiblingNext == namenode)
 	{
+		if (namenode->Id == NAME_DamageFunction)
+		{
+			auto x = ConvertNode(prop->Values);
+			CreateDamageFunction(cls, (AActor *)bag.Info->Defaults, x, false);
+			return;
+		}
+
 		// a one-name property
 		propname = FName(namenode->Id);
+
 	}
 	else if (namenode->SiblingNext->SiblingNext == namenode)
 	{
@@ -1787,6 +1795,7 @@ void ZCCCompiler::ProcessDefaultProperty(PClassActor *cls, ZCC_PropertyStmt *pro
 		return;
 	}
 
+
 	FPropertyInfo *property = FindProperty(propname);
 
 	if (property != nullptr && property->category != CAT_INFO)