diff --git a/code/controllers/subsystems/initialization/misc_early.dm b/code/controllers/subsystems/initialization/misc_early.dm
index 22886a48f16..1785f3e33b4 100644
--- a/code/controllers/subsystems/initialization/misc_early.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/subsystems/initialization/misc_early.dm
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// This is the first subsystem initialized by the MC.
+// This is one of the first subsystems initialized by the MC.
 // Stuff that should be loaded before everything else that isn't significant enough to get its own SS goes here.
 
 /datum/controller/subsystem/misc_early
diff --git a/code/game/dna/dna2.dm b/code/game/dna/dna2.dm
index 421da3b6b60..506426c76a1 100644
--- a/code/game/dna/dna2.dm
+++ b/code/game/dna/dna2.dm
@@ -156,8 +156,8 @@ var/global/list/datum/dna/gene/dna_genes[0]
 
 	body_markings.Cut()
 	for(var/obj/item/organ/external/E in character.organs)
-		if(E.markings.len)
-			body_markings[E.limb_name] = E.markings.Copy()
+		if(LAZYLEN(E.genetic_markings))
+			body_markings[E.limb_name] = E.genetic_markings.Copy()
 
 	UpdateUI()
 
diff --git a/code/game/dna/dna2_helpers.dm b/code/game/dna/dna2_helpers.dm
index cee13661d66..2c89dc11d42 100644
--- a/code/game/dna/dna2_helpers.dm
+++ b/code/game/dna/dna2_helpers.dm
@@ -168,7 +168,8 @@
 			var/obj/item/organ/external/E = H.organs_by_name[tag]
 			if(E)
 				var/list/marklist = dna.body_markings[tag]
-				E.markings = marklist.Copy()
+				E.genetic_markings = marklist.Copy()
+				E.invalidate_marking_cache()
 
 		//Hair
 		var/hair = dna.GetUIValueRange(DNA_UI_HAIR_STYLE,hair_styles_list.len)
diff --git a/code/modules/client/preference_setup/general/03_body.dm b/code/modules/client/preference_setup/general/03_body.dm
index 4f664ebd288..ebc9a3302ae 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/preference_setup/general/03_body.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/preference_setup/general/03_body.dm
@@ -475,11 +475,13 @@ var/global/list/valid_bloodtypes = list("A+", "A-", "B+", "B-", "AB+", "AB-", "O
 
 	else if(href_list["marking_style"])
 		var/list/usable_markings = pref.body_markings ^ body_marking_styles_list
+		var/datum/species/species = global.all_species[pref.species]
+		var/btype = species.get_bodytype()
 		for(var/M in usable_markings)
 			var/datum/sprite_accessory/S = usable_markings[M]
 			if(!S.species_allowed.len)
 				continue
-			else if(!(pref.species in S.species_allowed))
+			else if(!(btype in S.species_allowed))
 				usable_markings -= M
 
 		if (!usable_markings.len)
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/human_helpers.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/human_helpers.dm
index 017d8a91593..d2926789dec 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/human_helpers.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/human_helpers.dm
@@ -115,7 +115,9 @@
 		for(var/N in organs_by_name)
 			var/obj/item/organ/external/O = organs_by_name[N]
 			if (O)
-				O.markings.Cut()
+				O.genetic_markings = null
+				O.temporary_markings = null
+				O.invalidate_marking_cache()
 
 		var/list/body_markings = prefs.body_markings
 		for(var/M in body_markings)
@@ -125,7 +127,13 @@
 			for(var/BP in mark_datum.body_parts)
 				var/obj/item/organ/external/O = organs_by_name[BP]
 				if(O)
-					O.markings[M] = list("color" = mark_color, "datum" = mark_datum)
+					var/list/attr = list("color" = mark_color, "datum" = mark_datum)
+					if (mark_datum.is_genetic)
+						LAZYINITLIST(O.genetic_markings)
+						O.genetic_markings[M] = attr
+					else
+						LAZYINITLIST(O.temporary_markings)
+						O.temporary_markings[M] = attr
 
 // Helper proc that grabs whatever organ this humantype uses to see.
 // Usually eyes, but can be something else.
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/new_player/sprite_accessories.dm b/code/modules/mob/new_player/sprite_accessories.dm
index 0b26dff8803..d25959e0d1f 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/new_player/sprite_accessories.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/new_player/sprite_accessories.dm
@@ -1146,6 +1146,7 @@
 	species_allowed = list()
 
 	var/body_parts = list() //A list of bodyparts this covers, TODO: port defines for organs someday
+	var/is_genetic = TRUE	// If TRUE, the marking is considered genetic and is embedded into DNA.
 
 	tiger_stripes
 		name = "Tiger Stripes (Tajara)"
diff --git a/code/modules/organs/organ_external.dm b/code/modules/organs/organ_external.dm
index 1bedd501f7a..50636099049 100644
--- a/code/modules/organs/organ_external.dm
+++ b/code/modules/organs/organ_external.dm
@@ -60,7 +60,12 @@
 	var/can_stand
 	var/body_hair
 	var/painted = 0
-	var/list/markings = list()         // Markings (body_markings) to apply to the icon
+	var/list/genetic_markings         // Markings (body_markings) to apply to the icon
+	var/list/temporary_markings	// Same as above, but not preserved when cloning
+	var/list/cached_markings	// The two above lists cached for perf. reasons.
+
+/obj/item/organ/external/proc/invalidate_marking_cache()
+	cached_markings = null
 
 /obj/item/organ/external/Destroy()
 	if(parent && parent.children)
diff --git a/code/modules/organs/organ_icon.dm b/code/modules/organs/organ_icon.dm
index ad22de28a23..1aeba77c5c0 100644
--- a/code/modules/organs/organ_icon.dm
+++ b/code/modules/organs/organ_icon.dm
@@ -2,14 +2,14 @@
 	return
 
 /obj/item/organ/external/proc/compile_icon()
-	overlays.Cut()
+	cut_overlays()
 	 // This is a kludge, only one icon has more than one generation of children though.
 	for(var/obj/item/organ/external/organ in contents)
 		if(organ.children && organ.children.len)
 			for(var/obj/item/organ/external/child in organ.children)
 				add_overlay(child.mob_icon)
 
-		overlays |= organ.mob_icon
+		add_overlay(organ.mob_icon)
 
 /obj/item/organ/external/proc/sync_colour_to_human(var/mob/living/carbon/human/human)
 	s_tone = null
@@ -83,9 +83,12 @@
 		add_overlay(lip_icon)
 		mob_icon.Blend(lip_icon, ICON_OVERLAY)
 
-	for(var/M in markings)
-		var/datum/sprite_accessory/marking/mark_style = markings[M]["datum"]
-		var/m_color = markings[M]["color"]
+	if (!cached_markings)
+		update_marking_cache()
+
+	for(var/M in cached_markings)
+		var/datum/sprite_accessory/marking/mark_style = cached_markings[M]["datum"]
+		var/m_color = cached_markings[M]["color"]
 		var/cache_key = "[mark_style.icon]-[mark_style.icon_state]-[limb_name]-[m_color]"
 
 		var/icon/finished_icon = SSicon_cache.markings_cache[cache_key]
@@ -148,9 +151,12 @@
 					mob_icon.Blend(skin_color, ICON_ADD)
 
 			//Body markings, does not include head, duplicated (sadly) above.
-			for(var/M in markings)
-				var/datum/sprite_accessory/marking/mark_style = markings[M]["datum"]
-				var/m_color = markings[M]["color"]
+			if (!cached_markings)
+				update_marking_cache()
+
+			for(var/M in cached_markings)
+				var/datum/sprite_accessory/marking/mark_style = cached_markings[M]["datum"]
+				var/m_color = cached_markings[M]["color"]
 				var/cache_key = "[mark_style.icon]-[mark_style.icon_state]-[limb_name]-[m_color]"
 
 				var/icon/finished_icon = SSicon_cache.markings_cache[cache_key]
@@ -205,7 +211,16 @@
 	if (body_hair && hair_color)
 		keyparts += "[hair_color]"
 
-	for (var/marking in markings)
-		keyparts += "[marking][markings[marking]["color"]]"
+	if (!cached_markings)
+		update_marking_cache()
+
+	for (var/marking in cached_markings)
+		keyparts += "[marking][cached_markings[marking]["color"]]"
 
 	. = keyparts.Join("_")
+
+/obj/item/organ/external/proc/update_marking_cache()
+	if (LAZYLEN(genetic_markings))
+		LAZYADD(cached_markings, genetic_markings)
+	if (LAZYLEN(temporary_markings))
+		LAZYADD(cached_markings, temporary_markings)