diff --git a/Source/msg.cpp b/Source/msg.cpp
index 0f4b04c90..88263bc9a 100644
--- a/Source/msg.cpp
+++ b/Source/msg.cpp
@@ -1670,7 +1670,7 @@ DWORD OnPlayerJoinLevel(const TCmd *pCmd, int pnum)
 			if ((player._pHitPoints >> 6) > 0) {
 				StartStand(pnum, Direction::South);
 			} else {
-				player._pgfxnum = 0;
+				player._pgfxnum &= ~0xF;
 				player._pmode = PM_DEATH;
 				NewPlrAnim(player, player_graphic::Death, Direction::South, player._pDFrames, 1);
 				player.AnimInfo.CurrentFrame = player.AnimInfo.NumberOfFrames - 1;
diff --git a/Source/multi.cpp b/Source/multi.cpp
index 87aa36c3c..ba0550814 100644
--- a/Source/multi.cpp
+++ b/Source/multi.cpp
@@ -823,7 +823,7 @@ void recv_plrinfo(int pnum, const TCmdPlrInfoHdr &header, bool recv)
 		return;
 	}
 
-	player._pgfxnum = 0;
+	player._pgfxnum &= ~0xF;
 	player._pmode = PM_DEATH;
 	NewPlrAnim(player, player_graphic::Death, Direction::South, player._pDFrames, 1);
 	player.AnimInfo.CurrentFrame = player.AnimInfo.NumberOfFrames - 1;
diff --git a/Source/player.cpp b/Source/player.cpp
index dfe62943e..4cc3730a8 100644
--- a/Source/player.cpp
+++ b/Source/player.cpp
@@ -2377,7 +2377,7 @@ void InitPlayerGFX(Player &player)
 	ResetPlayerGFX(player);
 
 	if (player._pHitPoints >> 6 == 0) {
-		player._pgfxnum = 0;
+		player._pgfxnum &= ~0xF;
 		LoadPlrGFX(player, player_graphic::Death);
 		return;
 	}
@@ -3108,7 +3108,10 @@ StartPlayerKill(int pnum, int earflag)
 	player.Say(HeroSpeech::AuughUh);
 
 	if (player._pgfxnum != 0) {
-		player._pgfxnum = 0;
+		if (diablolevel || earflag != 0)
+			player._pgfxnum &= ~0xF;
+		else
+			player._pgfxnum = 0;
 		ResetPlayerGFX(player);
 		SetPlrAnims(player);
 	}