diff --git a/source/core/animlib.cpp b/source/core/animlib.cpp
index 730057f2b..d9cdccc7d 100644
--- a/source/core/animlib.cpp
+++ b/source/core/animlib.cpp
@@ -35,8 +35,6 @@ Modifications for JonoF's port by Jonathon Fowler (jf@jonof.id.au)
 //
 //****************************************************************************
 
-static anim_t * anim = NULL;
-
 //****************************************************************************
 //
 //      findpage ()
@@ -44,7 +42,7 @@ static anim_t * anim = NULL;
 //
 //****************************************************************************
 
-static inline uint16_t findpage(uint16_t framenumber)
+static inline uint16_t findpage(anim_t *anim, uint16_t framenumber)
 {
     // curlpnum is initialized to 0xffff, obviously
     size_t i = anim->curlpnum & ~0xffff;
@@ -88,7 +86,7 @@ static inline uint16_t findpage(uint16_t framenumber)
 //
 //****************************************************************************
 
-static inline void loadpage(uint16_t pagenumber, uint16_t **pagepointer)
+static inline void loadpage(anim_t *anim, uint16_t pagenumber, uint16_t **pagepointer)
 {
     if (anim->curlpnum == pagenumber)
         return;
@@ -183,7 +181,7 @@ static void decodeframe(uint8_t * srcP, uint8_t * dstP)
 //
 //****************************************************************************
 
-static void renderframe(uint16_t framenumber, uint16_t *pagepointer)
+static void renderframe(anim_t *anim, uint16_t framenumber, uint16_t *pagepointer)
 {
     uint16_t offset = 0;
     uint16_t frame = framenumber - anim->curlp->baseRecord;
@@ -209,21 +207,21 @@ static void renderframe(uint16_t framenumber, uint16_t *pagepointer)
 //
 //****************************************************************************
 
-static inline void drawframe(uint16_t framenumber)
+static inline void drawframe(anim_t *anim, uint16_t framenumber)
 {
-    loadpage(findpage(framenumber), &anim->thepage);
-    renderframe(framenumber, anim->thepage);
+    loadpage(anim, findpage(anim, framenumber), &anim->thepage);
+    renderframe(anim, framenumber, anim->thepage);
 }
 
 // <length> is the file size, for consistency checking.
-int32_t ANIM_LoadAnim(uint8_t *buffer, int32_t length)
+int32_t ANIM_LoadAnim(anim_t *anim, uint8_t *buffer, int32_t length)
 {
+    if (memcmp(buffer, "LPF ", 4)) return -1;
+
     length -= sizeof(lpfileheader)+128+768;
     if (length < 0)
         return -1;
 
-    anim = (anim_t *)M_Realloc(anim, sizeof(anim_t));
-
     anim->curlpnum = 0xffff;
     anim->currentframe = -1;
 
@@ -267,25 +265,11 @@ int32_t ANIM_LoadAnim(uint8_t *buffer, int32_t length)
         lp->nRecords   = LittleShort(lp->nRecords);
         lp->nBytes     = LittleShort(lp->nBytes);
     }
-
-    return 0;
+    return ANIM_NumFrames(anim) <= 0 ? -1 : 0;
 }
 
 
-void ANIM_FreeAnim(void)
-{
-    M_Free(anim);
-    anim = nullptr;
-}
-
-
-int32_t ANIM_NumFrames(void)
-{
-    return anim->lpheader->nRecords;
-}
-
-
-uint8_t * ANIM_DrawFrame(int32_t framenumber)
+uint8_t * ANIM_DrawFrame(anim_t *anim, int32_t framenumber)
 {
     uint32_t cnt = anim->currentframe;
 
@@ -293,7 +277,7 @@ uint8_t * ANIM_DrawFrame(int32_t framenumber)
     if (cnt > (uint32_t)framenumber)
         cnt = 0;
 
-    do drawframe(cnt++);
+    do drawframe(anim, cnt++);
     while (cnt < (uint32_t)framenumber);
 
     anim->currentframe = framenumber;
@@ -301,7 +285,3 @@ uint8_t * ANIM_DrawFrame(int32_t framenumber)
 }
 
 
-uint8_t * ANIM_GetPalette(void)
-{
-    return anim->pal;
-}
diff --git a/source/core/animlib.h b/source/core/animlib.h
index f14298260..dd9415aa4 100644
--- a/source/core/animlib.h
+++ b/source/core/animlib.h
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ Modifications for JonoF's port by Jonathon Fowler (jf@jonof.id.au)
    need to be in the header because there are no exposed functions
    that use any of this directly */
 
-typedef struct lpfileheaderstruct
+struct lpfileheader
 {
     uint32_t id;              /* 4 uint8_tacter ID == "LPF " */
     uint16_t maxLps;          /* max # largePages allowed. 256 FOR NOW.   */
@@ -66,24 +66,23 @@ typedef struct lpfileheaderstruct
     uint32_t nFrames;         /* Number of actual frames in the file, includes ring frame. */
     uint16_t framesPerSecond; /* Number of frames to play per second. */
     uint16_t pad2[29];        /* 58 bytes of filler to round up to 128 bytes total. */
-}
-lpfileheader;                 /* (comments from original source) */
+};
 
 // this is the format of a large page structure
-typedef struct
+struct lp_descriptor
 {
     uint16_t baseRecord;   // Number of first record in this large page.
     uint16_t nRecords;        // Number of records in lp.
     // bit 15 of "nRecords" == "has continuation from previous lp".
     // bit 14 of "nRecords" == "final record continues on next lp".
     uint16_t nBytes;                  // Total number of bytes of contents, excluding header.
-} lp_descriptor;
+};
 
 #pragma pack(pop)
 
 #define IMAGEBUFFERSIZE 0x10000
 
-typedef struct
+struct anim_t
 {
     uint16_t framecount;          // current frame of anim
     lpfileheader * lpheader;           // file header will be loaded into this structure
@@ -95,7 +94,7 @@ typedef struct
     uint8_t * buffer;
     uint8_t pal[768];
     int32_t currentframe;
-} anim_t;
+};
 
 //****************************************************************************
 //
@@ -105,17 +104,7 @@ typedef struct
 //
 //****************************************************************************
 
-int32_t ANIM_LoadAnim(uint8_t *buffer, int32_t length);
-
-//****************************************************************************
-//
-//      ANIM_FreeAnim ()
-//
-// Free up internal anim data structure
-//
-//****************************************************************************
-
-void ANIM_FreeAnim(void);
+int32_t ANIM_LoadAnim(anim_t *anim, uint8_t *buffer, int32_t length);
 
 //****************************************************************************
 //
@@ -125,7 +114,10 @@ void ANIM_FreeAnim(void);
 //
 //****************************************************************************
 
-int32_t ANIM_NumFrames(void);
+inline int32_t ANIM_NumFrames(anim_t* anim)
+{
+    return anim->lpheader->nRecords;
+}
 
 //****************************************************************************
 //
@@ -135,7 +127,7 @@ int32_t ANIM_NumFrames(void);
 //
 //****************************************************************************
 
-uint8_t * ANIM_DrawFrame(int32_t framenumber);
+uint8_t * ANIM_DrawFrame(anim_t* anim, int32_t framenumber);
 
 //****************************************************************************
 //
@@ -144,6 +136,9 @@ uint8_t * ANIM_DrawFrame(int32_t framenumber);
 // return the palette of the anim
 //****************************************************************************
 
-uint8_t * ANIM_GetPalette(void);
+inline uint8_t* ANIM_GetPalette(anim_t* anim)
+{
+    return anim->pal;
+}
 
 #endif
diff --git a/source/duke3d/src/anim.cpp b/source/duke3d/src/anim.cpp
index 76b69c6a9..49723cec2 100644
--- a/source/duke3d/src/anim.cpp
+++ b/source/duke3d/src/anim.cpp
@@ -405,6 +405,7 @@ int32_t Anim_Play(const char *fn)
     int32_t ogltexfiltermode = gl_texture_filter;
 	TArray<uint8_t> buffer;
 	auto fr = fileSystem.OpenFileReader(fn);
+    anim_t anm;
 
 	if (!fr.isOpen())
 		goto end_anim;
@@ -423,16 +424,12 @@ int32_t Anim_Play(const char *fn)
 
     int32_t numframes;
 
-    // "LPF " (.anm)
-    if (firstfour != B_LITTLE32(0x2046504Cu) ||
-        ANIM_LoadAnim(anim->animbuf, buffer.Size()-1) < 0 ||
-        (numframes = ANIM_NumFrames()) <= 0)
+    if (ANIM_LoadAnim(&anm, anim->animbuf, buffer.Size()-1) < 0)
     {
-        // XXX: ANM_LoadAnim() still checks less than the bare minimum,
-        // e.g. ANM file could still be too small and not contain any frames.
         Printf("Error: malformed ANM file \"%s\".\n", fn);
         goto end_anim;
     }
+    numframes = ANIM_NumFrames(&anm);
 
     if ((anim->frameflags & CUTSCENE_TEXTUREFILTER && gl_texture_filter == TEXFILTER_ON) || anim->frameflags & CUTSCENE_FORCEFILTER)
         gl_texture_filter = TEXFILTER_ON;
@@ -461,7 +458,7 @@ int32_t Anim_Play(const char *fn)
 
             i = VM_OnEventWithReturn(EVENT_PRECUTSCENE, g_player[screenpeek].ps->i, screenpeek, i);
 
-            animtex.SetFrame(ANIM_GetPalette(), ANIM_DrawFrame(i));
+            animtex.SetFrame(ANIM_GetPalette(&anm), ANIM_DrawFrame(&anm, i));
 
             if (VM_OnEventWithReturn(EVENT_SKIPCUTSCENE, g_player[screenpeek].ps->i, screenpeek, inputState.CheckAllInput()))
             {
@@ -526,7 +523,6 @@ end_anim_restore_gl:
 end_anim:
     inputState.ClearAllInput();
 	anim->animbuf = nullptr;
-    ANIM_FreeAnim();
 
 	tileDelete(TILE_ANIM);
 
diff --git a/source/rr/src/anim.cpp b/source/rr/src/anim.cpp
index c35654d77..1d0e6ba95 100644
--- a/source/rr/src/anim.cpp
+++ b/source/rr/src/anim.cpp
@@ -461,17 +461,14 @@ int32_t Anim_Play(const char *fn)
         goto end_anim;
 
     int32_t numframes;
+    anim_t anm;
 
-    // "LPF " (.anm)
-    if (firstfour != B_LITTLE32(0x2046504C) ||
-        ANIM_LoadAnim(anim->animbuf, buffer.Size()-1) < 0 ||
-        (numframes = ANIM_NumFrames()) <= 0)
+    if (ANIM_LoadAnim(&anm, anim->animbuf, buffer.Size() - 1) < 0)
     {
-        // XXX: ANM_LoadAnim() still checks less than the bare minimum,
-        // e.g. ANM file could still be too small and not contain any frames.
         Printf("Error: malformed ANM file \"%s\".\n", fn);
         goto end_anim;
     }
+    numframes = ANIM_NumFrames(&anm);
 
     ototalclock = totalclock;
 
@@ -495,7 +492,7 @@ int32_t Anim_Play(const char *fn)
             if (totalclock < ototalclock - 1)
                 continue;
 
-            animtex.SetFrame(ANIM_GetPalette(), ANIM_DrawFrame(i));
+            animtex.SetFrame(ANIM_GetPalette(&anm), ANIM_DrawFrame(&anm, i));
 
             if (inputState.CheckAllInput())
             {
@@ -566,7 +563,6 @@ end_anim_restore_gl:
 end_anim:
     inputState.ClearAllInput();
 	anim->animbuf = nullptr;
-    ANIM_FreeAnim();
 	tileDelete(TILE_ANIM);
 
     return !running;
diff --git a/source/sw/src/anim.cpp b/source/sw/src/anim.cpp
index b14955f8f..928166b65 100644
--- a/source/sw/src/anim.cpp
+++ b/source/sw/src/anim.cpp
@@ -252,9 +252,16 @@ playanm(short anim_num)
 
     DSPRINTF(ds,"PlayAnm - Palette Stuff");
     MONO_PRINT(ds);
+    anim_t anm;
 
-    ANIM_LoadAnim(buffer.Data(), buffer.Size()-1);
-    ANIMnumframes = ANIM_NumFrames();
+    if (ANIM_LoadAnim(&anm, buffer.Data(), buffer.Size() - 1) < 0)
+    {
+        Printf("Error: malformed ANM file \"%s\".\n", ANIMname[ANIMnum]);
+        goto ENDOFANIMLOOP;
+    }
+
+    ANIM_LoadAnim(&anm, buffer.Data(), buffer.Size()-1);
+    ANIMnumframes = ANIM_NumFrames(&anm);
     numframes = ANIMnumframes;
 
 
@@ -266,7 +273,7 @@ playanm(short anim_num)
         if (ANIMnum == 1)
         {
             // draw the first frame
-            animtex.SetFrame(ANIM_GetPalette(), ANIM_DrawFrame(1));
+            animtex.SetFrame(ANIM_GetPalette(&anm), ANIM_DrawFrame(&anm, 1));
             rotatesprite_fs(160 << 16, 100 << 16, 65536, 0, -1, 0, 0, 2 | 8 | 64, animtex.GetFrame());
         }
 
@@ -310,7 +317,7 @@ playanm(short anim_num)
             }
 
 	        videoClearViewableArea(0L);
-            animtex.SetFrame(ANIM_GetPalette(), ANIM_DrawFrame(i));
+            animtex.SetFrame(ANIM_GetPalette(&anm), ANIM_DrawFrame(&anm, i));
             rotatesprite_fs(160 << 16, 100 << 16, 65536, 0, -1, 0, 0, 2 | 8 | 64, animtex.GetFrame());
             videoNextPage();
             handleevents();
@@ -332,6 +339,5 @@ ENDOFANIMLOOP:
     videoNextPage();
 
     inputState.ClearAllInput();
-    ANIM_FreeAnim();
 }
 END_SW_NS