diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/spawn.cpp b/source/games/duke/src/spawn.cpp
index 991be8fa7..eb2f5eeb3 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/spawn.cpp
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/spawn.cpp
@@ -846,6 +846,11 @@ DDukeActor* spawninit(DDukeActor* actj, DDukeActor* act, TArray<DDukeActor*>* ac
 			}
 			commonEnemySetup(act, actj);
 		}
+		else if (!(act->flags3 & SFLAG3_SIMPLEINIT))
+		{
+			act->ownerActor = actj;
+		}
+
 		CallInitialize(act);
 	}
 	else
diff --git a/wadsrc/static/zscript/games/duke/dukeactor.zs b/wadsrc/static/zscript/games/duke/dukeactor.zs
index a4c9b30e2..8ffadff70 100644
--- a/wadsrc/static/zscript/games/duke/dukeactor.zs
+++ b/wadsrc/static/zscript/games/duke/dukeactor.zs
@@ -422,7 +422,8 @@ class DukeActor : CoreActor native
 			}
 
 			self.clipdist = 10;
-			self.ownerActor = self;
+			if (self.ownerActor == null) self.ownerActor = self;
+			else self.angle = self.ownerActor.angle;
 			self.ChangeStat(STAT_ACTOR);
 		}
 	}