diff --git a/src/actor.h b/src/actor.h
index ab04b176d..7ec653447 100644
--- a/src/actor.h
+++ b/src/actor.h
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ enum
 	
 // --- mobj.flags5 ---
 
-	/*					= 0x00000001,	*/
+	MF5_DONTDRAIN		= 0x00000001,	// cannot be drained health from.
 	/*					= 0x00000002,	*/
 	MF5_NODROPOFF		= 0x00000004,	// cannot drop off under any circumstances.
 	/*					= 0x00000008,	*/
diff --git a/src/g_doom/a_doomweaps.cpp b/src/g_doom/a_doomweaps.cpp
index 07b7c0f56..5c5bb7eba 100644
--- a/src/g_doom/a_doomweaps.cpp
+++ b/src/g_doom/a_doomweaps.cpp
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ DEFINE_ACTION_FUNCTION_PARAMS(AActor, A_Saw)
 	angle_t slope;
 	player_t *player;
 	AActor *linetarget;
+	int actualdamage;
 
 	ACTION_PARAM_START(9);
 	ACTION_PARAM_SOUND(fullsound, 0);
@@ -151,7 +152,7 @@ DEFINE_ACTION_FUNCTION_PARAMS(AActor, A_Saw)
 			return;
 	}
 
-	P_LineAttack (self, angle, Range, slope, damage, NAME_Melee, pufftype, false, &linetarget);
+	P_LineAttack (self, angle, Range, slope, damage, NAME_Melee, pufftype, false, &linetarget, &actualdamage);
 
 	if (!linetarget)
 	{
@@ -180,8 +181,8 @@ DEFINE_ACTION_FUNCTION_PARAMS(AActor, A_Saw)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (LifeSteal)
-		P_GiveBody (self, (damage * LifeSteal) >> FRACBITS);
+	if (LifeSteal && !(linetarget->flags5 & MF5_DONTDRAIN))
+		P_GiveBody (self, (actualdamage * LifeSteal) >> FRACBITS);
 
 	S_Sound (self, CHAN_WEAPON, hitsound, 1, ATTN_NORM);
 		
diff --git a/src/g_heretic/a_hereticweaps.cpp b/src/g_heretic/a_hereticweaps.cpp
index 5e1f0647c..23ecf1ae5 100644
--- a/src/g_heretic/a_hereticweaps.cpp
+++ b/src/g_heretic/a_hereticweaps.cpp
@@ -240,6 +240,7 @@ DEFINE_ACTION_FUNCTION_PARAMS(AActor, A_GauntletAttack)
 	player_t *player;
 	const PClass *pufftype;
 	AActor *linetarget;
+	int actualdamage = 0;
 
 	if (NULL == (player = self->player))
 	{
@@ -273,7 +274,7 @@ DEFINE_ACTION_FUNCTION_PARAMS(AActor, A_GauntletAttack)
 		pufftype = PClass::FindClass("GauntletPuff1");
 	}
 	slope = P_AimLineAttack (self, angle, dist, &linetarget);
-	P_LineAttack (self, angle, dist, slope, damage, NAME_Melee, pufftype, false, &linetarget);
+	P_LineAttack (self, angle, dist, slope, damage, NAME_Melee, pufftype, false, &linetarget, &actualdamage);
 	if (!linetarget)
 	{
 		if (pr_gatk() > 64)
@@ -298,7 +299,7 @@ DEFINE_ACTION_FUNCTION_PARAMS(AActor, A_GauntletAttack)
 	}
 	if (power)
 	{
-		P_GiveBody (self, damage>>1);
+		if (!(linetarget->flags5 & MF5_DONTDRAIN)) P_GiveBody (self, actualdamage>>1);
 		S_Sound (self, CHAN_AUTO, "weapons/gauntletspowhit", 1, ATTN_NORM);
 	}
 	else
diff --git a/src/p_interaction.cpp b/src/p_interaction.cpp
index 4ac5fceb9..c46cb40f7 100644
--- a/src/p_interaction.cpp
+++ b/src/p_interaction.cpp
@@ -1262,7 +1262,7 @@ int P_DamageMobj (AActor *target, AActor *inflictor, AActor *source, int damage,
 
 	// If the damaging player has the power of drain, give the player 50% of the damage
 	// done in health.
-	if ( source && source->player && source->player->cheats & CF_DRAIN)
+	if ( source && source->player && source->player->cheats & CF_DRAIN && !(target->flags5 & MF5_DONTDRAIN))
 	{
 		if (!target->player || target->player != source->player)
 		{
diff --git a/src/p_local.h b/src/p_local.h
index f5e1f44a0..a4da0a04b 100644
--- a/src/p_local.h
+++ b/src/p_local.h
@@ -460,8 +460,8 @@ enum	// P_LineAttack flags
 	LAF_NORANDOMPUFFZ = 2
 };
 
-AActor *P_LineAttack (AActor *t1, angle_t angle, fixed_t distance, int pitch, int damage, FName damageType, const PClass *pufftype, int flags = 0, AActor **victim = NULL);
-AActor *P_LineAttack (AActor *t1, angle_t angle, fixed_t distance, int pitch, int damage, FName damageType, FName pufftype, int flags = 0, AActor **victim = NULL);
+AActor *P_LineAttack (AActor *t1, angle_t angle, fixed_t distance, int pitch, int damage, FName damageType, const PClass *pufftype, int flags = 0, AActor **victim = NULL, int *actualdamage = NULL);
+AActor *P_LineAttack (AActor *t1, angle_t angle, fixed_t distance, int pitch, int damage, FName damageType, FName pufftype, int flags = 0, AActor **victim = NULL, int *actualdamage = NULL);
 void	P_TraceBleed (int damage, fixed_t x, fixed_t y, fixed_t z, AActor *target, angle_t angle, int pitch);
 void	P_TraceBleed (int damage, AActor *target, angle_t angle, int pitch);
 void	P_TraceBleed (int damage, AActor *target, AActor *missile);		// missile version
diff --git a/src/p_map.cpp b/src/p_map.cpp
index 1b85961c2..17bb3e135 100644
--- a/src/p_map.cpp
+++ b/src/p_map.cpp
@@ -3496,7 +3496,7 @@ static ETraceStatus CheckForSpectral (FTraceResults &res, void *userdata)
 //==========================================================================
 
 AActor *P_LineAttack (AActor *t1, angle_t angle, fixed_t distance,
-				   int pitch, int damage, FName damageType, const PClass *pufftype, int flags, AActor **victim)
+				   int pitch, int damage, FName damageType, const PClass *pufftype, int flags, AActor **victim, int *actualdamage)
 {
 	fixed_t vx, vy, vz, shootz;
 	FTraceResults trace;
@@ -3514,6 +3514,10 @@ AActor *P_LineAttack (AActor *t1, angle_t angle, fixed_t distance,
 	{
 		*victim = NULL;
 	}
+	if (actualdamage != NULL)
+	{
+		*actualdamage = 0;
+	}
 
 	angle >>= ANGLETOFINESHIFT;
 	pitch = (angle_t)(pitch) >> ANGLETOFINESHIFT;
@@ -3684,6 +3688,10 @@ AActor *P_LineAttack (AActor *t1, angle_t angle, fixed_t distance,
 					killPuff = true;
 				}
 				newdam = P_DamageMobj (trace.Actor, puff ? puff : t1, t1, damage, damageType, dmgflags);
+				if (actualdamage != NULL)
+				{
+					*actualdamage = newdam;
+				}
 			}
 			if (!(puffDefaults != NULL && puffDefaults->flags3&MF3_BLOODLESSIMPACT))
 			{
@@ -3741,7 +3749,7 @@ AActor *P_LineAttack (AActor *t1, angle_t angle, fixed_t distance,
 }
 
 AActor *P_LineAttack (AActor *t1, angle_t angle, fixed_t distance,
-				   int pitch, int damage, FName damageType, FName pufftype, int flags, AActor **victim)
+				   int pitch, int damage, FName damageType, FName pufftype, int flags, AActor **victim, int *actualdamage)
 {
 	const PClass * type = PClass::FindClass(pufftype);
 	if (victim != NULL)
@@ -3754,7 +3762,7 @@ AActor *P_LineAttack (AActor *t1, angle_t angle, fixed_t distance,
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		return P_LineAttack(t1, angle, distance, pitch, damage, damageType, type, flags, victim);
+		return P_LineAttack(t1, angle, distance, pitch, damage, damageType, type, flags, victim, actualdamage);
 	}
 	return NULL;
 }
diff --git a/src/thingdef/thingdef_codeptr.cpp b/src/thingdef/thingdef_codeptr.cpp
index e7b26cb49..d2b64c718 100644
--- a/src/thingdef/thingdef_codeptr.cpp
+++ b/src/thingdef/thingdef_codeptr.cpp
@@ -1388,6 +1388,7 @@ DEFINE_ACTION_FUNCTION_PARAMS(AActor, A_CustomPunch)
 	angle_t 	angle;
 	int 		pitch;
 	AActor *	linetarget;
+	int			actualdamage;
 
 	if (!norandom) Damage *= (pr_cwpunch()%8+1);
 
@@ -1404,13 +1405,13 @@ DEFINE_ACTION_FUNCTION_PARAMS(AActor, A_CustomPunch)
 	if (!PuffType) PuffType = PClass::FindClass(NAME_BulletPuff);
 	int puffFlags = LAF_ISMELEEATTACK | (flags & CPF_NORANDOMPUFFZ)? LAF_NORANDOMPUFFZ : 0;
 
-	P_LineAttack (self, angle, Range, pitch, Damage, NAME_Melee, PuffType, puffFlags, &linetarget);
+	P_LineAttack (self, angle, Range, pitch, Damage, NAME_Melee, PuffType, puffFlags, &linetarget, &actualdamage);
 
 	// turn to face target
 	if (linetarget)
 	{
-		if (LifeSteal)
-			P_GiveBody (self, (Damage * LifeSteal) >> FRACBITS);
+		if (LifeSteal && !(linetarget->flags5 & MF5_DONTDRAIN))
+			P_GiveBody (self, (actualdamage * LifeSteal) >> FRACBITS);
 
 		if (weapon != NULL)
 		{
diff --git a/src/thingdef/thingdef_data.cpp b/src/thingdef/thingdef_data.cpp
index 3dbbacac0..795bcb5cc 100644
--- a/src/thingdef/thingdef_data.cpp
+++ b/src/thingdef/thingdef_data.cpp
@@ -182,6 +182,7 @@ static FFlagDef ActorFlags[]=
 	DEFINE_FLAG(MF4, NOSKIN, AActor, flags4),
 	DEFINE_FLAG(MF4, BOSSDEATH, AActor, flags4),
 
+	DEFINE_FLAG(MF5, DONTDRAIN, AActor, flags5),
 	DEFINE_FLAG(MF5, NODROPOFF, AActor, flags5),
 	DEFINE_FLAG(MF5, COUNTSECRET, AActor, flags5),
 	DEFINE_FLAG(MF5, NODAMAGE, AActor, flags5),