diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/build/include/build.h b/polymer/eduke32/build/include/build.h
index 4dd11aea4..c6f07ef72 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/build/include/build.h
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/build/include/build.h
@@ -770,8 +770,8 @@ void   drawmasks(void);
 void   clearview(int32_t dacol);
 void   clearallviews(int32_t dacol);
 void   drawmapview(int32_t dax, int32_t day, int32_t zoome, int16_t ang);
-void   rotatesprite(int32_t sx, int32_t sy, int32_t z, int16_t a, int16_t picnum,
-                    int8_t dashade, char dapalnum, int32_t dastat,
+void   rotatesprite_(int32_t sx, int32_t sy, int32_t z, int16_t a, int16_t picnum,
+                    int8_t dashade, char dapalnum, int32_t dastat, uint8_t daalpha,
                     int32_t cx1, int32_t cy1, int32_t cx2, int32_t cy2);
 void   drawline256(int32_t x1, int32_t y1, int32_t x2, int32_t y2, char col);
 int32_t    printext16(int32_t xpos, int32_t ypos, int16_t col, int16_t backcol,
@@ -781,16 +781,22 @@ void   printext256(int32_t xpos, int32_t ypos, int16_t col, int16_t backcol,
 
 ////////// specialized rotatesprite wrappers for (very) often used cases //////////
 // don't clip at all, i.e. the whole screen real estate is available
+static inline void rotatesprite(int32_t sx, int32_t sy, int32_t z, int16_t a, int16_t picnum,
+                                int8_t dashade, char dapalnum, int32_t dastat,
+                                int32_t cx1, int32_t cy1, int32_t cx2, int32_t cy2)
+{
+    rotatesprite_(sx, sy, z, a, picnum, dashade, dapalnum, dastat, 0, cx1, cy1, cx2, cy2);
+}
 static inline void rotatesprite_fs(int32_t sx, int32_t sy, int32_t z, int16_t a, int16_t picnum,
                                    int8_t dashade, char dapalnum, int32_t dastat)
 {
-    rotatesprite(sx, sy, z, a, picnum, dashade, dapalnum, dastat, 0,0,xdim-1,ydim-1);
+    rotatesprite_(sx, sy, z, a, picnum, dashade, dapalnum, dastat, 0, 0,0,xdim-1,ydim-1);
 }
 
 static inline void rotatesprite_win(int32_t sx, int32_t sy, int32_t z, int16_t a, int16_t picnum,
                                     int8_t dashade, char dapalnum, int32_t dastat)
 {
-    rotatesprite(sx, sy, z, a, picnum, dashade, dapalnum, dastat, windowx1,windowy1,windowx2,windowy2);
+    rotatesprite_(sx, sy, z, a, picnum, dashade, dapalnum, dastat, 0, windowx1,windowy1,windowx2,windowy2);
 }
 
 void bfirst_search_init(int16_t *list, uint8_t *bitmap, int32_t *eltnumptr, int32_t maxnum, int16_t firstelt);
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/build/include/polymost.h b/polymer/eduke32/build/include/polymost.h
index d61a24a4d..e03c2c723 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/build/include/polymost.h
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/build/include/polymost.h
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ void uploadtexture(int32_t doalloc, int32_t xsiz, int32_t ysiz, int32_t intexfmt
 void polymost_drawsprite(int32_t snum);
 void polymost_drawmaskwall(int32_t damaskwallcnt);
 void polymost_dorotatesprite(int32_t sx, int32_t sy, int32_t z, int16_t a, int16_t picnum,
-                             int8_t dashade, char dapalnum, int32_t dastat, int32_t cx1, int32_t cy1, int32_t cx2, int32_t cy2, int32_t uniqid);
+                             int8_t dashade, char dapalnum, int32_t dastat, uint8_t daalpha, int32_t cx1, int32_t cy1, int32_t cx2, int32_t cy2, int32_t uniqid);
 void polymost_fillpolygon(int32_t npoints);
 void polymost_initosdfuncs(void);
 void polymost_drawrooms(void);
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/build/src/engine.c b/polymer/eduke32/build/src/engine.c
index 9ddb5a39e..9c05689b1 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/build/src/engine.c
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/build/src/engine.c
@@ -2311,7 +2311,9 @@ typedef struct
     int32_t sx, sy, z;
     int16_t a, picnum;
     int8_t dashade;
-    char dapalnum, dastat, pagesleft;
+    char dapalnum, dastat;
+    uint8_t daalpha;
+    char pagesleft;
     int32_t cx1, cy1, cx2, cy2;
     int32_t uniqid;    //JF extension
 } permfifotype;
@@ -7128,7 +7130,7 @@ void dorotspr_handle_bit2(int32_t *sxptr, int32_t *syptr, int32_t *z, int32_t da
 //
 //JBF 20031206: Thanks to Ken's hunting, s/(rx1|ry1|rx2|ry2)/n\1/ in this function
 static void dorotatesprite(int32_t sx, int32_t sy, int32_t z, int16_t a, int16_t picnum,
-                           int8_t dashade, char dapalnum, int32_t dastat,
+                           int8_t dashade, char dapalnum, int32_t dastat, uint8_t daalpha,
                            int32_t cx1, int32_t cy1, int32_t cx2, int32_t cy2,
                            int32_t uniqid)
 {
@@ -7152,7 +7154,7 @@ static void dorotatesprite(int32_t sx, int32_t sy, int32_t z, int16_t a, int16_t
 #ifdef USE_OPENGL
     if (rendmode >= 3 && qsetmode == 200)
     {
-        polymost_dorotatesprite(sx,sy,z,a,picnum,dashade,dapalnum,dastat,cx1,cy1,cx2,cy2,uniqid);
+        polymost_dorotatesprite(sx,sy,z,a,picnum,dashade,dapalnum,dastat,daalpha,cx1,cy1,cx2,cy2,uniqid);
         return;
     }
 #endif
@@ -7255,6 +7257,24 @@ static void dorotatesprite(int32_t sx, int32_t sy, int32_t z, int16_t a, int16_t
     if (palookup[dapalnum] == NULL) dapalnum = 0;
     palookupoffs = FP_OFF(palookup[dapalnum]) + (getpalookup(0, dashade)<<8);
 
+    // hack pending proper alpha implentation
+    // TODO: a real implementation
+    if (daalpha > 84) // if alpha is 0 (which is the default) this structure should only necessitate one comparison
+    {
+        if ((dastat&1) && daalpha > 127) // this covers the multiplicative aspect used in the Polymodes
+            dastat |= 32;
+
+        dastat |= 1;
+
+        if (daalpha > 168)
+        {
+            dastat |= 32;
+
+            if (daalpha == 255)
+                return;
+        }
+    }
+
     i = divscale32(1L,z);
     xv = mulscale14(sinang,i);
     yv = mulscale14(cosang,i);
@@ -10567,7 +10587,7 @@ void nextpage(void)
             per = &permfifo[i];
             if ((per->pagesleft > 0) && (per->pagesleft <= numpages))
                 dorotatesprite(per->sx,per->sy,per->z,per->a,per->picnum,
-                               per->dashade,per->dapalnum,per->dastat,
+                               per->dashade,per->dapalnum,per->dastat,per->daalpha,
                                per->cx1,per->cy1,per->cx2,per->cy2,per->uniqid);
         }
         enddrawing();   //}}}
@@ -10581,7 +10601,7 @@ void nextpage(void)
             per = &permfifo[i];
             if (per->pagesleft >= 130)
                 dorotatesprite(per->sx,per->sy,per->z,per->a,per->picnum,
-                               per->dashade,per->dapalnum,per->dastat,
+                               per->dashade,per->dapalnum,per->dastat,per->daalpha,
                                per->cx1,per->cy1,per->cx2,per->cy2,per->uniqid);
 
             if (per->pagesleft&127) per->pagesleft--;
@@ -13734,8 +13754,8 @@ void flushperms(void)
 //
 // rotatesprite
 //
-void rotatesprite(int32_t sx, int32_t sy, int32_t z, int16_t a, int16_t picnum,
-                  int8_t dashade, char dapalnum, int32_t dastat,
+void rotatesprite_(int32_t sx, int32_t sy, int32_t z, int16_t a, int16_t picnum,
+                  int8_t dashade, char dapalnum, int32_t dastat, uint8_t daalpha,
                   int32_t cx1, int32_t cy1, int32_t cx2, int32_t cy2)
 {
     int32_t i;
@@ -13756,7 +13776,7 @@ void rotatesprite(int32_t sx, int32_t sy, int32_t z, int16_t a, int16_t picnum,
     if (((dastat&128) == 0) || (numpages < 2) || (beforedrawrooms != 0))
     {
         begindrawing(); //{{{
-        dorotatesprite(sx,sy,z,a,picnum,dashade,dapalnum,dastat,cx1,cy1,cx2,cy2,guniqhudid);
+        dorotatesprite(sx,sy,z,a,picnum,dashade,dapalnum,dastat,daalpha,cx1,cy1,cx2,cy2,guniqhudid);
         enddrawing();   //}}}
     }
 
@@ -13772,6 +13792,7 @@ void rotatesprite(int32_t sx, int32_t sy, int32_t z, int16_t a, int16_t picnum,
         per->picnum = picnum;
         per->dashade = dashade; per->dapalnum = dapalnum;
         per->dastat = dastat;
+        per->daalpha = daalpha;
         per->pagesleft = numpages+((beforedrawrooms&1)<<7);
         per->cx1 = cx1; per->cy1 = cy1; per->cx2 = cx2; per->cy2 = cy2;
         per->uniqid = guniqhudid;   //JF extension
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/build/src/polymost.c b/polymer/eduke32/build/src/polymost.c
index e8929e6ba..3f3902389 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/build/src/polymost.c
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/build/src/polymost.c
@@ -5371,7 +5371,7 @@ void polymost_drawsprite(int32_t snum)
 //dastat&128  1:draw all pages (permanent)
 //cx1,...     clip window (actual screen coords)
 void polymost_dorotatesprite(int32_t sx, int32_t sy, int32_t z, int16_t a, int16_t picnum,
-                             int8_t dashade, char dapalnum, int32_t dastat,
+                             int8_t dashade, char dapalnum, int32_t dastat, uint8_t daalpha,
                              int32_t cx1, int32_t cy1, int32_t cx2, int32_t cy2, int32_t uniqid)
 {
     static int32_t onumframes = 0;
@@ -5537,6 +5537,8 @@ void polymost_dorotatesprite(int32_t sx, int32_t sy, int32_t z, int16_t a, int16
             }
 
 #ifdef USE_OPENGL
+            spriteext[tspr.owner].alpha = daalpha / 255.0f;
+
             if (!nofog) bglDisable(GL_FOG);
             if (rendmode < 4)
                 mddraw(&tspr);
@@ -5579,6 +5581,8 @@ void polymost_dorotatesprite(int32_t sx, int32_t sy, int32_t z, int16_t a, int16
             if (!nofog) bglEnable(GL_FOG);
 #else
             mddraw(&tspr);
+
+            spriteext[tspr.owner].alpha = 0.f;
 #endif
             viewingrange = oldviewingrange;
             gxyaspect = ogxyaspect;
@@ -5641,6 +5645,8 @@ void polymost_dorotatesprite(int32_t sx, int32_t sy, int32_t z, int16_t a, int16
     }
     method |= 4; //Use OpenGL clamping - dorotatesprite never repeats
 
+    alpha = daalpha / 255.0f;
+
     xsiz = tilesizx[globalpicnum];
     ysiz = tilesizy[globalpicnum];
 
@@ -5743,7 +5749,6 @@ void polymost_dorotatesprite(int32_t sx, int32_t sy, int32_t z, int16_t a, int16
         }
         while (z);
 
-        alpha = 0.f;
 #ifdef USE_OPENGL
         if (!nofog) bglDisable(GL_FOG);
         pow2xsplit = 0; drawpoly(px,py,n,method);