diff --git a/src/d_main.cpp b/src/d_main.cpp
index 7a36d0c86..8ebca4382 100644
--- a/src/d_main.cpp
+++ b/src/d_main.cpp
@@ -2709,6 +2709,7 @@ void D_DoomMain (void)
 		// clean up game state
 		ST_Clear();
 		D_ErrorCleanup ();
+		DThinker::DestroyThinkersInList(STAT_STATIC);
 		P_FreeLevelData();
 		P_FreeExtraLevelData();
 
diff --git a/src/dthinker.cpp b/src/dthinker.cpp
index da68d8388..fddc28317 100644
--- a/src/dthinker.cpp
+++ b/src/dthinker.cpp
@@ -422,7 +422,7 @@ void DThinker::DestroyAllThinkers ()
 
 	for (i = 0; i <= MAX_STATNUM; i++)
 	{
-		if (i != STAT_TRAVELLING)
+		if (i != STAT_TRAVELLING && i != STAT_STATIC)
 		{
 			DestroyThinkersInList (Thinkers[i]);
 			DestroyThinkersInList (FreshThinkers[i]);
diff --git a/src/g_level.cpp b/src/g_level.cpp
index b811c1215..01911f742 100644
--- a/src/g_level.cpp
+++ b/src/g_level.cpp
@@ -427,6 +427,7 @@ void G_InitNew (const char *mapname, bool bTitleLevel)
 	UnlatchCVars ();
 	G_VerifySkill();
 	UnlatchCVars ();
+	DThinker::DestroyThinkersInList(STAT_STATIC);
 
 	if (paused)
 	{
diff --git a/src/p_actionfunctions.cpp b/src/p_actionfunctions.cpp
index 8f916614b..16c8c3267 100644
--- a/src/p_actionfunctions.cpp
+++ b/src/p_actionfunctions.cpp
@@ -1124,7 +1124,7 @@ DEFINE_ACTION_FUNCTION(AActor, A_SeekerMissile)
 	PARAM_INT_DEF(chance);
 	PARAM_INT_DEF(distance);
 
-	if ((flags & SMF_LOOK) && (self->tracer == 0) && (pr_seekermissile()<chance))
+	if ((flags & SMF_LOOK) && (self->tracer == nullptr) && (pr_seekermissile()<chance))
 	{
 		self->tracer = P_RoughMonsterSearch (self, distance, true);
 	}
diff --git a/src/p_setup.cpp b/src/p_setup.cpp
index 14540b8a6..dcf1bd512 100644
--- a/src/p_setup.cpp
+++ b/src/p_setup.cpp
@@ -4203,6 +4203,7 @@ void P_Init ()
 static void P_Shutdown ()
 {
 	// [ZZ] delete global event handlers
+	DThinker::DestroyThinkersInList(STAT_STATIC);
 	E_Shutdown(false);
 	P_DeinitKeyMessages ();
 	P_FreeLevelData ();
diff --git a/src/statnums.h b/src/statnums.h
index 7f691e232..dd868bbe1 100644
--- a/src/statnums.h
+++ b/src/statnums.h
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ enum
 	STAT_AUTODECAL,							// A decal that can be automatically deleted
 	STAT_CORPSEPOINTER,						// An entry in Hexen's corpse queue
 	STAT_TRAVELLING,						// An actor temporarily travelling to a new map
+	STAT_STATIC,							// persistent across maps.
 
   // Thinkers that do think
 	STAT_FIRST_THINKING=32,
diff --git a/src/wi_stuff.cpp b/src/wi_stuff.cpp
index faf7c6c20..40658f317 100644
--- a/src/wi_stuff.cpp
+++ b/src/wi_stuff.cpp
@@ -1091,8 +1091,6 @@ public:
 
 	void WI_updateNoState ()
 	{
-		WI_updateAnimatedBack();
-
 		if (acceleratestage)
 		{
 			cnt = 0;
@@ -1141,8 +1139,6 @@ public:
 
 	void WI_updateShowNextLoc ()
 	{
-		WI_updateAnimatedBack();
-
 		if (!--cnt || acceleratestage)
 			WI_initNoState();
 		else
@@ -1240,8 +1236,6 @@ public:
 		bool stillticking;
 		bool autoskip = WI_autoSkip();
 
-		WI_updateAnimatedBack();
-
 		if ((acceleratestage || autoskip) && ng_state != 6)
 		{
 			acceleratestage = 0;
@@ -1492,8 +1486,6 @@ public:
 		bool stillticking;
 		bool autoskip = WI_autoSkip();
 
-		WI_updateAnimatedBack ();
-
 		if ((acceleratestage || autoskip) && ng_state != 10)
 		{
 			acceleratestage = 0;
@@ -1787,8 +1779,6 @@ public:
 
 	void WI_updateStats ()
 	{
-		WI_updateAnimatedBack ();
-
 		if (acceleratestage && sp_state != 10)
 		{
 			acceleratestage = 0;
@@ -2166,6 +2156,7 @@ static FIntermissionScreen WI_Screen;
 
 void WI_Ticker()
 {
+	WI_Screen.WI_updateAnimatedBack();
 	WI_Screen.WI_Ticker();
 }
 
diff --git a/wadsrc/static/zscript/base.txt b/wadsrc/static/zscript/base.txt
index 0aba717cb..d8fed2f28 100644
--- a/wadsrc/static/zscript/base.txt
+++ b/wadsrc/static/zscript/base.txt
@@ -353,6 +353,7 @@ class Thinker : Object native
 		STAT_AUTODECAL,							// A decal that can be automatically deleted
 		STAT_CORPSEPOINTER,						// An entry in Hexen's corpse queue
 		STAT_TRAVELLING,						// An actor temporarily travelling to a new map
+		STAT_STATIC,
 
 		// Thinkers that do think
 		STAT_FIRST_THINKING=32,