diff --git a/code/__HELPERS/icons.dm b/code/__HELPERS/icons.dm
index 7b71eea0204..e711f2cf372 100644
--- a/code/__HELPERS/icons.dm
+++ b/code/__HELPERS/icons.dm
@@ -1200,3 +1200,32 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_INIT(freon_color_matrix, list("#2E5E69", "#60A2A8", "#A1AFB1", rgb(0
 
 	var/icon/I = getFlatIcon(thing)
 	return icon2html(I, target)
+
+//If you are using icons, consider using /icon/UseAlphaMask instead
+/proc/apply_alpha_mask(image/target, image/mask)
+	var/target_old_color = target.color
+	var/target_old_blend_mode = target.blend_mode
+	var/target_old_appearance_flags = target.appearance_flags
+	var/mask_old_color = mask.color
+	var/mask_old_appearance_flags = mask.appearance_flags
+
+	target.color = list(0,0,0,0, 0,0,0,0, 0,0,0,0, 1,0,0,0, 0,0,0,1)
+	target.blend_mode = BLEND_MULTIPLY
+	target.appearance_flags |= KEEP_TOGETHER
+	mask.color = list(0,0,0,1, 0,0,0,0, 0,0,0,0, 0,0,0,0, 1,1,1,0)
+	mask.appearance_flags |= KEEP_TOGETHER
+
+	var/image/together = new()
+	together.appearance_flags |= KEEP_TOGETHER
+
+	mask.add_overlay(target)
+	target.color = target_old_color
+	together.overlays = list(mask, target)
+
+	target.blend_mode = target_old_blend_mode
+	target.appearance_flags = target_old_appearance_flags
+	mask.color = mask_old_color
+	mask.appearance_flags = mask_old_appearance_flags
+	mask.cut_overlay(target)
+
+	return together
diff --git a/code/modules/atmospherics/machinery/components/unary_devices/cryo.dm b/code/modules/atmospherics/machinery/components/unary_devices/cryo.dm
index d1fcb504fdf..acc52c338e7 100644
--- a/code/modules/atmospherics/machinery/components/unary_devices/cryo.dm
+++ b/code/modules/atmospherics/machinery/components/unary_devices/cryo.dm
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#define CRYOMOBS 'icons/obj/cryo_mobs.dmi'
-
 /obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/unary/cryo_cell
 	name = "cryo cell"
 	icon = 'icons/obj/cryogenics.dmi'
@@ -37,11 +35,19 @@
 	fair_market_price = 10
 	payment_department = ACCOUNT_MED
 
+	// for alpha masking
+	var/image/alpha_overlay
+	var/image/alpha_overlay_32x32
+	var/overlay_pixel_y = 0
+
 
 /obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/unary/cryo_cell/Initialize()
 	. = ..()
 	initialize_directions = dir
 
+	alpha_overlay = image('icons/obj/cryogenics.dmi', "pod-alpha")
+	alpha_overlay_32x32 = image('icons/obj/cryogenics32x32.dmi', "pod-alpha")
+
 	radio = new(src)
 	radio.keyslot = new radio_key
 	radio.subspace_transmission = TRUE
@@ -106,37 +112,21 @@
 		return
 
 	if(occupant)
-		var/image/occupant_overlay
+		var/image/occupant_overlay = image(occupant.icon, occupant.icon_state, dir = SOUTH)
+		occupant_overlay.appearance_flags |= KEEP_TOGETHER
+		occupant_overlay.copy_overlays(occupant)
+		occupant_overlay.pixel_x = occupant.pixel_x
+		overlay_pixel_y = 0
 
-		if(ismonkey(occupant)) // Monkey
-			occupant_overlay = image(CRYOMOBS, "monkey")
-		else if(isalienadult(occupant))
-			if(isalienroyal(occupant)) // Queen and prae
-				occupant_overlay = image(CRYOMOBS, "alienq")
-			else if(isalienhunter(occupant)) // Hunter
-				occupant_overlay = image(CRYOMOBS, "alienh")
-			else if(isaliensentinel(occupant)) // Sentinel
-				occupant_overlay = image(CRYOMOBS, "aliens")
-			else // Drone or other
-				occupant_overlay = image(CRYOMOBS, "aliend")
-
-		else if(ishuman(occupant) || islarva(occupant) || (isanimal(occupant) && !ismegafauna(occupant))) // Mobs that are smaller than cryotube
-			occupant_overlay = image(occupant.icon, occupant.icon_state)
-			occupant_overlay.copy_overlays(occupant)
-
-		else
-			occupant_overlay = image(CRYOMOBS, "generic")
-
-		occupant_overlay.dir = SOUTH
-		occupant_overlay.pixel_y = 22
+		var/is_32x32 = icon(occupant.icon, occupant.icon_state).Height() < 64 // anything less than 64 should get the 32 overlay
 
 		if(on && !running_anim && is_operational())
 			icon_state = "pod-on"
 			running_anim = TRUE
-			run_anim(TRUE, occupant_overlay)
+			run_anim(is_32x32, occupant_overlay)
 		else
 			icon_state = "pod-off"
-			add_overlay(occupant_overlay)
+			add_masked_overlay(is_32x32, occupant_overlay)
 			add_overlay("cover-off")
 
 	else if(on && is_operational())
@@ -146,20 +136,30 @@
 		icon_state = "pod-off"
 		add_overlay("cover-off")
 
-/obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/unary/cryo_cell/proc/run_anim(anim_up, image/occupant_overlay)
+/obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/unary/cryo_cell/proc/run_anim(is32x32, image/occupant_overlay, anim_up = TRUE)
 	if(!on || !occupant || !is_operational())
 		running_anim = FALSE
 		return
 	cut_overlays()
-	if(occupant_overlay.pixel_y != 23) // Same effect as occupant_overlay.pixel_y == 22 || occupant_overlay.pixel_y == 24
-		anim_up = occupant_overlay.pixel_y == 22 // Same effect as if(occupant_overlay.pixel_y == 22) anim_up = TRUE ; if(occupant_overlay.pixel_y == 24) anim_up = FALSE
+	if(overlay_pixel_y != 1) // Same effect as overlay_pixel_y == 0 || occupant_overlay.pixel_y == 2
+		anim_up = overlay_pixel_y == 0 // Same effect as if(overlay_pixel_y == 0) anim_up = TRUE ; if(overlay_pixel_y == 2) anim_up = FALSE
 	if(anim_up)
-		occupant_overlay.pixel_y++
+		overlay_pixel_y++
 	else
-		occupant_overlay.pixel_y--
-	add_overlay(occupant_overlay)
+		overlay_pixel_y--
+	add_masked_overlay(is32x32, occupant_overlay)
 	add_overlay("cover-on")
-	addtimer(CALLBACK(src, .proc/run_anim, anim_up, occupant_overlay), 7, TIMER_UNIQUE)
+	addtimer(CALLBACK(src, .proc/run_anim, is32x32, occupant_overlay, anim_up), 7, TIMER_UNIQUE)
+
+/obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/unary/cryo_cell/proc/add_masked_overlay(is32x32, image/overlay) // overlay blend mode needs to be multiply
+	var/image/masked
+	if(is32x32)
+		masked = apply_alpha_mask(overlay, alpha_overlay_32x32)
+		masked.pixel_y = 22 + overlay_pixel_y
+	else
+		overlay.pixel_y = overlay_pixel_y
+		masked = apply_alpha_mask(overlay, alpha_overlay)
+	add_overlay(masked)
 
 /obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/unary/cryo_cell/nap_violation(mob/violator)
 	open_machine()
@@ -450,5 +450,3 @@
 			node.atmosinit()
 			node.addMember(src)
 		build_network()
-
-#undef CRYOMOBS
diff --git a/icons/obj/cryo_mobs.dmi b/icons/obj/cryo_mobs.dmi
deleted file mode 100644
index 0707110de46..00000000000
Binary files a/icons/obj/cryo_mobs.dmi and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/icons/obj/cryogenics.dmi b/icons/obj/cryogenics.dmi
index 18a823a224b..3e05d79c48f 100644
Binary files a/icons/obj/cryogenics.dmi and b/icons/obj/cryogenics.dmi differ
diff --git a/icons/obj/cryogenics32x32.dmi b/icons/obj/cryogenics32x32.dmi
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6fab77d5fce
Binary files /dev/null and b/icons/obj/cryogenics32x32.dmi differ