diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/actors.cpp b/source/games/duke/src/actors.cpp
index 41bb35b40..9e6f9eeb2 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/actors.cpp
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/actors.cpp
@@ -483,9 +483,9 @@ void moveplayers(void) //Players
 
 					p->newowner = -1;
 
-					if (p->wackedbyactor >= 0 && sprite[p->wackedbyactor].statnum < MAXSTATUS)
+					if (p->wackedbyactor != nullptr && p->wackedbyactor->s.statnum < MAXSTATUS)
 					{
-						p->angle.addadjustment(FixedToFloat(getincangleq16(p->angle.ang.asq16(), gethiq16angle(sprite[p->wackedbyactor].x - p->posx, sprite[p->wackedbyactor].y - p->posy)) >> 1));
+						p->angle.addadjustment(FixedToFloat(getincangleq16(p->angle.ang.asq16(), gethiq16angle(p->wackedbyactor->s.x - p->posx, p->wackedbyactor->s.y - p->posy)) >> 1));
 					}
 				}
 				s->ang = p->angle.ang.asbuild();
diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/actors_d.cpp b/source/games/duke/src/actors_d.cpp
index 2fa7d36a0..6f0a366c4 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/actors_d.cpp
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/actors_d.cpp
@@ -891,7 +891,7 @@ int ifhitbyweapon_d(int sn)
 					{
 						spr->extra = 0;
 
-						ps[p].wackedbyactor = j;
+						ps[p].wackedbyactor = &hittype[j];
 
 						if (htowner->picnum == APLAYER && p != htowner->yvel)
 						{
@@ -963,7 +963,7 @@ int ifhitbyweapon_d(int sn)
 	{
 		p = spr->yvel;
 		spr->extra = 0;
-		ps[p].wackedbyactor = (short)ht->owner;
+		ps[p].wackedbyactor = ht->GetHitOwner();
 
 		if (htowner->picnum == APLAYER && p != ht->owner)
 			ps[p].frag_ps = (short)ht->owner;
diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/actors_r.cpp b/source/games/duke/src/actors_r.cpp
index c8b7c3634..14fdfd867 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/actors_r.cpp
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/actors_r.cpp
@@ -717,7 +717,7 @@ int ifhitbyweapon_r(int sn)
 					{
 						npc->extra = 0;
 
-						ps[p].wackedbyactor = j;
+						ps[p].wackedbyactor = &hittype[j];
 
 						if (sprite[hittype[sn].owner].picnum == APLAYER && p != sprite[hittype[sn].owner].yvel)
 						{
diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/gameexec.cpp b/source/games/duke/src/gameexec.cpp
index 5c6a5f5e1..d3d9e585a 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/gameexec.cpp
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/gameexec.cpp
@@ -497,8 +497,8 @@ void DoPlayer(bool bSet, int lVar1, int lLabelID, int lVar2, int sActor, int sPl
 		break;
 
 	case PLAYER_WACKEDBYACTOR:
-		if (bSet) ps[iPlayer].wackedbyactor = lValue;
-		else SetGameVarID((int)lVar2, ps[iPlayer].wackedbyactor, sActor, sPlayer);
+		if (bSet) ps[iPlayer].wackedbyactor = ScriptIndexToActor(lValue);
+		else SetGameVarID((int)lVar2, ActorToScriptIndex(ps[iPlayer].wackedbyactor), sActor, sPlayer);
 		break;
 
 	case PLAYER_FRAG:
@@ -2263,7 +2263,7 @@ int ParseState::parse(void)
 			ps[g_p].frag_ps = g_p;
 			ps[g_p].horizon.ohorizoff = ps[g_p].horizon.horizoff = q16horiz(0);
 			ps[g_p].opyoff = 0;
-			ps[g_p].wackedbyactor = -1;
+			ps[g_p].wackedbyactor = nullptr;
 			ps[g_p].shield_amount = max_armour_amount;
 			ps[g_p].dead_flag = 0;
 			ps[g_p].pals.a = 0;
diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/premap.cpp b/source/games/duke/src/premap.cpp
index 0396a1da8..59208de7b 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/premap.cpp
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/premap.cpp
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ void resetplayerstats(int snum)
 
     gFullMap = 0; 
     p->dead_flag        = 0;
-    p->wackedbyactor    = -1;
+    p->wackedbyactor    = nullptr;
     p->falling_counter  = 0;
     p->quick_kick       = 0;
     p->subweapon        = 0;
diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/types.h b/source/games/duke/src/types.h
index ec2d3d108..cbe70a078 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/types.h
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/types.h
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ struct player_struct
 	int aim_mode, auto_aim, ftt;
 
 	short cursectnum, last_extra, subweapon;
-	short ammo_amount[MAX_WEAPONS], wackedbyactor, frag, fraggedself;
+	short ammo_amount[MAX_WEAPONS], frag, fraggedself;
 
 	short curr_weapon, last_weapon, tipincs, wantweaponfire;
 	short holoduke_amount, newowner, hurt_delay, hbomb_hold_delay;
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ struct player_struct
 	short cheat_phase;
 	short dummyplayersprite, extra_extra8, quick_kick, last_quick_kick;
 	short heat_amount, timebeforeexit, customexitsound;
-	DDukeActor* actorsqu, *on_crane, *holoduke_on;//, *wackedbyactor, *somethingonplayer;
+	DDukeActor* actorsqu, *wackedbyactor, *on_crane, *holoduke_on;//, *somethingonplayer;
 
 	short weaprecs[256], weapreccnt;
 	unsigned int interface_toggle_flag;