diff --git a/code/__DEFINES/_tick.dm b/code/__DEFINES/_tick.dm
index fc6147c4304..46676a9f527 100644
--- a/code/__DEFINES/_tick.dm
+++ b/code/__DEFINES/_tick.dm
@@ -1,14 +1,19 @@
 /// Percentage of tick to leave for master controller to run
-#define MAPTICK_MC_MIN_RESERVE 70
+#define MAPTICK_MC_MIN_RESERVE 60
 /// internal_tick_usage is updated every tick by extools
-#define MAPTICK_LAST_INTERNAL_TICK_USAGE ((GLOB.internal_tick_usage / world.tick_lag) * 100)
-/// Tick limit while running normally
+#define MAPTICK_LAST_INTERNAL_TICK_USAGE ((Master.normalized_internal_tick_usage / world.tick_lag) * 100)
+/// Amount of a tick to reserve for byond regardless of its reported internal_tick_usage
 #define TICK_BYOND_RESERVE 2
-#define TICK_LIMIT_RUNNING (max(100 - TICK_BYOND_RESERVE - MAPTICK_LAST_INTERNAL_TICK_USAGE, MAPTICK_MC_MIN_RESERVE))
+/// Tick limit while running normally
+#define TICK_LIMIT_RUNNING (max(TICK_LIMIT_RUNNING_BACKGROUND, MAPTICK_MC_MIN_RESERVE))
+/// Tick limit for background things, strictly obeys the internal_tick_usage metric
+#define TICK_LIMIT_RUNNING_BACKGROUND (100 - TICK_BYOND_RESERVE - MAPTICK_LAST_INTERNAL_TICK_USAGE)
+/// Precent of a tick to require to even bother running anything. (10 percent of the tick_limit_running by default)
+#define TICK_MIN_RUNTIME (TICK_LIMIT_RUNNING * 0.1)
 /// Tick limit used to resume things in stoplag
-#define TICK_LIMIT_TO_RUN 70
+#define TICK_LIMIT_TO_RUN (Master.current_ticklimit - TICK_MIN_RUNTIME)
 /// Tick limit for MC while running
-#define TICK_LIMIT_MC 70
+#define TICK_LIMIT_MC (TICK_LIMIT_RUNNING - TICK_MIN_RUNTIME)
 /// Tick limit while initializing
 #define TICK_LIMIT_MC_INIT_DEFAULT (100 - TICK_BYOND_RESERVE)
 
diff --git a/code/controllers/master.dm b/code/controllers/master.dm
index 59ac68960cb..ed8e0c83409 100644
--- a/code/controllers/master.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/master.dm
@@ -61,9 +61,10 @@ GLOBAL_REAL(Master, /datum/controller/master) = new
 
 	var/static/random_seed
 
-	//current tick limit, assigned before running a subsystem.
-	//used by CHECK_TICK as well so that the procs subsystems call can obey that SS's tick limits
+	///current tick limit, assigned before running a subsystem. used by CHECK_TICK as well so that the procs subsystems call can obey that SS's tick limits
 	var/static/current_ticklimit = TICK_LIMIT_RUNNING
+	/// normalized version of the byond internal tick usage metric to smooth out peaks.
+	var/normalized_internal_tick_usage = 0
 
 /datum/controller/master/New()
 	if(!config)
@@ -173,7 +174,7 @@ GLOBAL_REAL(Master, /datum/controller/master) = new
 // Please don't stuff random bullshit here,
 // 	Make a subsystem, give it the SS_NO_FIRE flag, and do your work in it's Initialize()
 /datum/controller/master/Initialize(delay, init_sss, tgs_prime)
-	set waitfor = 0
+	set waitfor = FALSE
 
 	if(delay)
 		sleep(delay)
@@ -235,7 +236,7 @@ GLOBAL_REAL(Master, /datum/controller/master) = new
 
 // Starts the mc, and sticks around to restart it if the loop ever ends.
 /datum/controller/master/proc/StartProcessing(delay)
-	set waitfor = 0
+	set waitfor = FALSE
 	if(delay)
 		sleep(delay)
 	testing("Master starting processing")
@@ -309,12 +310,15 @@ GLOBAL_REAL(Master, /datum/controller/master) = new
 
 	while (1)
 		tickdrift = max(0, MC_AVERAGE_FAST(tickdrift, (((REALTIMEOFDAY - init_timeofday) - (world.time - init_time)) / world.tick_lag)))
+		normalized_internal_tick_usage = max(0, MC_AVG_FAST_UP_SLOW_DOWN(normalized_internal_tick_usage, GLOB.internal_tick_usage))
 		var/starting_tick_usage = TICK_USAGE
 		if (processing <= 0)
 			current_ticklimit = TICK_LIMIT_RUNNING
 			sleep(10)
 			continue
 
+		sleep_delta = MC_AVERAGE_FAST(sleep_delta, 1) //decay sleep_delta
+
 		//Anti-tick-contention heuristics:
 		//if there are mutiple sleeping procs running before us hogging the cpu, we have to run later.
 		//	(because sleeps are processed in the order received, longer sleeps are more likely to run first)
@@ -328,15 +332,13 @@ GLOBAL_REAL(Master, /datum/controller/master) = new
 		if (last_run + CEILING(world.tick_lag * (processing * sleep_delta), world.tick_lag) < world.time)
 			sleep_delta += 1
 
-		sleep_delta = MC_AVERAGE_FAST(sleep_delta, 1) //decay sleep_delta
-
 		if (starting_tick_usage > (TICK_LIMIT_MC*0.75)) //we ran 3/4 of the way into the tick
 			sleep_delta += 1
 
 		//debug
 		if (make_runtime)
 			var/datum/controller/subsystem/SS
-			SS.can_fire = 0
+			SS.can_fire = FALSE
 
 		if (!Failsafe || (Failsafe.processing_interval > 0 && (Failsafe.lasttick+(Failsafe.processing_interval*5)) < world.time))
 			new/datum/controller/failsafe() // (re)Start the failsafe.
@@ -359,7 +361,7 @@ GLOBAL_REAL(Master, /datum/controller/master) = new
 		else
 			subsystems_to_check = tickersubsystems
 
-		if (CheckQueue(subsystems_to_check) <= 0)
+		if (!CheckQueue(subsystems_to_check))
 			if (!SoftReset(tickersubsystems, runlevel_sorted_subsystems))
 				log_world("MC: SoftReset() failed, crashing")
 				return
@@ -371,7 +373,7 @@ GLOBAL_REAL(Master, /datum/controller/master) = new
 			continue
 
 		if (queue_head)
-			if (RunQueue() <= 0)
+			if (!RunQueue())
 				if (!SoftReset(tickersubsystems, runlevel_sorted_subsystems))
 					log_world("MC: SoftReset() failed, crashing")
 					return
@@ -392,8 +394,6 @@ GLOBAL_REAL(Master, /datum/controller/master) = new
 			skip_ticks--
 		src.sleep_delta = MC_AVERAGE_FAST(src.sleep_delta, sleep_delta)
 		current_ticklimit = TICK_LIMIT_RUNNING
-		if (processing * sleep_delta <= world.tick_lag)
-			current_ticklimit -= (TICK_LIMIT_RUNNING * 0.25) //reserve the tail 1/4 of the next tick for the mc if we plan on running next tick
 		sleep(world.tick_lag * (processing * sleep_delta))
 
 
@@ -401,8 +401,6 @@ GLOBAL_REAL(Master, /datum/controller/master) = new
 
 // This is what decides if something should run.
 /datum/controller/master/proc/CheckQueue(list/subsystemstocheck)
-	. = 0 //so the mc knows if we runtimed
-
 	//we create our variables outside of the loops to save on overhead
 	var/datum/controller/subsystem/SS
 	var/SS_flags
@@ -424,139 +422,139 @@ GLOBAL_REAL(Master, /datum/controller/master) = new
 		if ((SS_flags & (SS_TICKER|SS_KEEP_TIMING)) == SS_KEEP_TIMING && SS.last_fire + (SS.wait * 0.75) > world.time)
 			continue
 		SS.enqueue()
-	. = 1
+	return TRUE // so MC knows if we runtime
 
 
 // Run thru the queue of subsystems to run, running them while balancing out their allocated tick precentage
 /datum/controller/master/proc/RunQueue()
-	. = 0
-	var/datum/controller/subsystem/queue_node
-	var/queue_node_flags
-	var/queue_node_priority
+	var/datum/controller/subsystem/queue_node = queue_head //The subsystem we're running right now
+	var/queue_node_flags //Cache of queue node flags
+	var/queue_node_priority //Cache of queue node priority
 	var/queue_node_paused
 
-	var/current_tick_budget
-	var/tick_precentage
-	var/tick_remaining
-	var/ran = TRUE //this is right
-	var/ran_non_ticker = FALSE
-	var/bg_calc //have we swtiched current_tick_budget to background mode yet?
-	var/tick_usage
+	var/current_tick_budget = queue_priority_count
+	var/tick_precentage //tick % used, used for calculating tick remaining
+	var/tick_remaining //How much of the tick we've got left over to do stuff
+	var/ran_non_ticker = FALSE //Whether we've started running non-ticker subsystems yet
+	var/bg_calc = FALSE //have we swtiched current_tick_budget to background mode yet?
+	var/tick_usage //How much of a tick we're using in this queue node
 
 	//keep running while we have stuff to run and we haven't gone over a tick
-	//	this is so subsystems paused eariler can use tick time that later subsystems never used
-	while (ran && queue_head && TICK_USAGE < TICK_LIMIT_MC)
-		ran = FALSE
-		bg_calc = FALSE
-		current_tick_budget = queue_priority_count
-		queue_node = queue_head
-		while (queue_node)
-			if (ran && TICK_USAGE > TICK_LIMIT_RUNNING)
-				break
-			queue_node_flags = queue_node.flags
-			queue_node_priority = queue_node.queued_priority
-
-			if (!(queue_node_flags & SS_TICKER) && skip_ticks)
-				queue_node = queue_node.queue_next
-				continue
-			//super special case, subsystems where we can't make them pause mid way through
-			//if we can't run them this tick (without going over a tick)
-			//we bump up their priority and attempt to run them next tick
-			//(unless we haven't even ran anything this tick, since its unlikely they will ever be able run
-			//	in those cases, so we just let them run)
-			if (queue_node_flags & SS_NO_TICK_CHECK)
-				if (queue_node.tick_usage > TICK_LIMIT_RUNNING - TICK_USAGE && ran_non_ticker)
-					if (!(queue_node_flags & SS_BACKGROUND))
-						queue_node.queued_priority += queue_priority_count * 0.1
-						queue_priority_count -= queue_node_priority
-						queue_priority_count += queue_node.queued_priority
-						current_tick_budget -= queue_node_priority
-						queue_node = queue_node.queue_next
-					continue
-
-			if (!bg_calc && (queue_node_flags & SS_BACKGROUND))
-				current_tick_budget = queue_priority_count_bg
-				bg_calc = TRUE
-
-			tick_remaining = TICK_LIMIT_RUNNING - TICK_USAGE
-
-			if (current_tick_budget > 0 && queue_node_priority > 0)
-				tick_precentage = tick_remaining / (current_tick_budget / queue_node_priority)
-			else
-				tick_precentage = tick_remaining
-
-			tick_precentage = max(tick_precentage*0.5, tick_precentage-queue_node.tick_overrun)
-
-			current_ticklimit = round(TICK_USAGE + tick_precentage)
-
-			if (!(queue_node_flags & SS_TICKER))
-				ran_non_ticker = TRUE
-			ran = TRUE
-
-			queue_node_paused = (queue_node.state == SS_PAUSED || queue_node.state == SS_PAUSING)
-			last_type_processed = queue_node
-
-			queue_node.state = SS_RUNNING
-
-			tick_usage = TICK_USAGE
-			var/state = queue_node.ignite(queue_node_paused)
-			tick_usage = TICK_USAGE - tick_usage
-
-			if (state == SS_RUNNING)
-				state = SS_IDLE
-			current_tick_budget -= queue_node_priority
+	//this is so subsystems paused eariler can use tick time that later subsystems never used
+	while (queue_head && queue_node && TICK_USAGE < TICK_LIMIT_MC)
+		queue_node_flags = queue_node.flags
+		queue_node_priority = queue_node.queued_priority
 
 
-			if (tick_usage < 0)
-				tick_usage = 0
-			queue_node.tick_overrun = max(0, MC_AVG_FAST_UP_SLOW_DOWN(queue_node.tick_overrun, tick_usage-tick_precentage))
-			queue_node.state = state
-
-			if (state == SS_PAUSED)
-				queue_node.paused_ticks++
-				queue_node.paused_tick_usage += tick_usage
-				queue_node = queue_node.queue_next
-				continue
-
-			queue_node.ticks = MC_AVERAGE(queue_node.ticks, queue_node.paused_ticks)
-			tick_usage += queue_node.paused_tick_usage
-
-			queue_node.tick_usage = MC_AVERAGE_FAST(queue_node.tick_usage, tick_usage)
-
-			queue_node.cost = MC_AVERAGE_FAST(queue_node.cost, TICK_DELTA_TO_MS(tick_usage))
-			queue_node.paused_ticks = 0
-			queue_node.paused_tick_usage = 0
-
-			if (bg_calc) //update our running total
-				queue_priority_count_bg -= queue_node_priority
-			else
-				queue_priority_count -= queue_node_priority
-
-			queue_node.last_fire = world.time
-			queue_node.times_fired++
-
-			if (queue_node_flags & SS_TICKER)
-				queue_node.next_fire = world.time + (world.tick_lag * queue_node.wait)
-			else if (queue_node_flags & SS_POST_FIRE_TIMING)
-				queue_node.next_fire = world.time + queue_node.wait + (world.tick_lag * (queue_node.tick_overrun/100))
-			else if (queue_node_flags & SS_KEEP_TIMING)
-				queue_node.next_fire += queue_node.wait
-			else
-				queue_node.next_fire = queue_node.queued_time + queue_node.wait + (world.tick_lag * (queue_node.tick_overrun/100))
-
-			queue_node.queued_time = 0
-
-			//remove from queue
-			queue_node.dequeue()
-
+		if(!(queue_node_flags & SS_TICKER) && skip_ticks)
 			queue_node = queue_node.queue_next
+			continue
 
-	. = 1
+		//super special case, subsystems where we can't make them pause mid way through
+		//if we can't run them this tick (without going over a tick)
+		//we bump up their priority and attempt to run them next tick
+		//(unless we haven't even ran anything this tick, since its unlikely they will ever be able run
+		//	in those cases, so we just let them run)
+
+
+		if (queue_node_flags & SS_NO_TICK_CHECK)
+			if (queue_node.tick_usage > TICK_LIMIT_RUNNING - TICK_USAGE && ran_non_ticker)
+				if (!(queue_node_flags & SS_BACKGROUND))
+					queue_node.queued_priority += queue_priority_count * 0.1
+					queue_priority_count -= queue_node_priority
+					queue_priority_count += queue_node.queued_priority
+				current_tick_budget -= queue_node_priority
+				queue_node = queue_node.queue_next
+				continue
+
+		//Checks if we're in background calculation mode yet and sets us to it if we are
+		if (!bg_calc && (queue_node_flags & SS_BACKGROUND))
+			current_tick_budget = queue_priority_count_bg
+			bg_calc = TRUE
+
+		tick_remaining = ((bg_calc) ? (TICK_LIMIT_RUNNING_BACKGROUND) : (TICK_LIMIT_RUNNING)) - TICK_USAGE
+
+		if (tick_remaining < TICK_MIN_RUNTIME)
+			current_tick_budget -= queue_node_priority
+			queue_node = queue_node.queue_next
+			continue
+
+		if (current_tick_budget > 0 && queue_node_priority > 0)
+			tick_precentage = tick_remaining / (current_tick_budget / queue_node_priority)
+		else
+			tick_precentage = tick_remaining
+
+		tick_precentage = max(TICK_MIN_RUNTIME, tick_precentage*0.5, tick_precentage-queue_node.tick_overrun)
+
+		current_ticklimit = round(TICK_USAGE + tick_precentage)
+
+		//Check for if we ran a non-ticker ss, used for check if we can start processing SS_NO_TICK_CHECK stuff yet
+		if(!(queue_node_flags & SS_TICKER))
+			ran_non_ticker = TRUE
+
+		queue_node_paused = (queue_node.state == SS_PAUSED || queue_node.state == SS_PAUSING)
+		last_type_processed = queue_node
+
+		queue_node.state = SS_RUNNING
+
+		tick_usage = TICK_USAGE
+		var/state = queue_node.ignite(queue_node_paused)
+		tick_usage = TICK_USAGE - tick_usage
+
+		if(state == SS_RUNNING)
+			state = SS_IDLE
+		current_tick_budget -= queue_node_priority
+
+		if(tick_usage < 0)
+			tick_usage = 0
+		queue_node.tick_overrun = max(0, MC_AVG_FAST_UP_SLOW_DOWN(queue_node.tick_overrun, tick_usage-tick_precentage))
+		queue_node.state = state
+
+		if(state == SS_PAUSED)
+			queue_node.paused_ticks++
+			queue_node.paused_tick_usage += tick_usage
+			queue_node = queue_node.queue_next
+			continue
+
+		queue_node.ticks = MC_AVERAGE(queue_node.ticks, queue_node.paused_ticks)
+		tick_usage += queue_node.paused_tick_usage
+
+		queue_node.tick_usage = MC_AVERAGE_FAST(queue_node.tick_usage, tick_usage)
+
+		queue_node.cost = MC_AVERAGE_FAST(queue_node.cost, TICK_DELTA_TO_MS(tick_usage))
+		queue_node.paused_ticks = 0
+		queue_node.paused_tick_usage = 0
+
+		if (bg_calc) //update our running total
+			queue_priority_count_bg -= queue_node_priority
+		else
+			queue_priority_count -= queue_node_priority
+
+		queue_node.last_fire = world.time
+		queue_node.times_fired++
+
+		//Calculate next fire
+		if (queue_node_flags & SS_TICKER)
+			queue_node.next_fire = world.time + (world.tick_lag * queue_node.wait)
+		else if (queue_node_flags & SS_POST_FIRE_TIMING)
+			queue_node.next_fire = world.time + queue_node.wait + (world.tick_lag * (queue_node.tick_overrun/100))
+		else if (queue_node_flags & SS_KEEP_TIMING)
+			queue_node.next_fire += queue_node.wait
+		else
+			queue_node.next_fire = queue_node.queued_time + queue_node.wait + (world.tick_lag * (queue_node.tick_overrun/100))
+
+		queue_node.queued_time = 0
+
+		//remove from queue
+		queue_node.dequeue()
+
+		queue_node = queue_node.queue_next
+
+	return TRUE // so MC knows if we runtime
 
 //resets the queue, and all subsystems, while filtering out the subsystem lists
 //	called if any mc's queue procs runtime or exit improperly.
 /datum/controller/master/proc/SoftReset(list/ticker_SS, list/runlevel_SS)
-	. = 0
 	log_world("MC: SoftReset called, resetting MC queue state.")
 	if (!istype(subsystems) || !istype(ticker_SS) || !istype(runlevel_SS))
 		log_world("MC: SoftReset: Bad list contents: '[subsystems]' '[ticker_SS]' '[runlevel_SS]'")
@@ -593,7 +591,7 @@ GLOBAL_REAL(Master, /datum/controller/master) = new
 	queue_priority_count = 0
 	queue_priority_count_bg = 0
 	log_world("MC: SoftReset: Finished.")
-	. = 1
+	return TRUE // so MC knows if we runtime
 
 /// Warns us that the end of tick byond map_update will be laggier then normal, so that we can just skip running subsystems this tick.
 /datum/controller/master/proc/laggy_byond_map_update_incoming()
diff --git a/code/controllers/subsystem/adjacent_air.dm b/code/controllers/subsystem/adjacent_air.dm
index df0a5cab4e6..253c3fc1ed6 100644
--- a/code/controllers/subsystem/adjacent_air.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/subsystem/adjacent_air.dm
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 SUBSYSTEM_DEF(adjacent_air)
 	name = "Atmos Adjacency"
-	flags = SS_BACKGROUND
 	runlevels = RUNLEVEL_GAME | RUNLEVEL_POSTGAME
 	wait = 10
 	priority = FIRE_PRIORITY_ATMOS_ADJACENCY
diff --git a/code/controllers/subsystem/air.dm b/code/controllers/subsystem/air.dm
index c9cf98be5f6..da411204096 100644
--- a/code/controllers/subsystem/air.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/subsystem/air.dm
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ SUBSYSTEM_DEF(air)
 	init_order = INIT_ORDER_AIR
 	priority = FIRE_PRIORITY_AIR
 	wait = 0.5 SECONDS
-	flags = SS_BACKGROUND
 	runlevels = RUNLEVEL_GAME | RUNLEVEL_POSTGAME
 
 	var/cached_cost = 0
diff --git a/code/controllers/subsystem/augury.dm b/code/controllers/subsystem/augury.dm
index 53c86004a6a..6dab6a46cfa 100644
--- a/code/controllers/subsystem/augury.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/subsystem/augury.dm
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 SUBSYSTEM_DEF(augury)
 	name = "Augury"
-	flags = SS_NO_INIT
+	flags = SS_NO_INIT|SS_BACKGROUND
 	runlevels = RUNLEVEL_GAME | RUNLEVEL_POSTGAME
 
 	var/list/watchers = list()
diff --git a/code/controllers/subsystem/dcs.dm b/code/controllers/subsystem/dcs.dm
index 104c3eef31d..67231a0955c 100644
--- a/code/controllers/subsystem/dcs.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/subsystem/dcs.dm
@@ -23,12 +23,12 @@ PROCESSING_SUBSYSTEM_DEF(dcs)
 		return
 	. = elements_by_type[element_id] = new eletype
 
-/****
-	* Generates an id for bespoke elements when given the argument list
-	* Generating the id here is a bit complex because we need to support named arguments
-	* Named arguments can appear in any order and we need them to appear after ordered arguments
-	* We assume that no one will pass in a named argument with a value of null
-	**/
+/**
+ * Generates an id for bespoke elements when given the argument list
+ * Generating the id here is a bit complex because we need to support named arguments
+ * Named arguments can appear in any order and we need them to appear after ordered arguments
+ * We assume that no one will pass in a named argument with a value of null
+ **/
 /datum/controller/subsystem/processing/dcs/proc/GetIdFromArguments(list/arguments)
 	var/datum/element/eletype = arguments[1]
 	var/list/fullid = list("[eletype]")
diff --git a/code/controllers/subsystem/disease.dm b/code/controllers/subsystem/disease.dm
index 4fe5533e161..332a518b848 100644
--- a/code/controllers/subsystem/disease.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/subsystem/disease.dm
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 SUBSYSTEM_DEF(disease)
 	name = "Disease"
-	flags = SS_NO_FIRE
+	flags = SS_NO_FIRE | SS_BACKGROUND
 
 	var/list/active_diseases = list() //List of Active disease in all mobs; purely for quick referencing.
 	var/list/diseases
diff --git a/code/controllers/subsystem/fire_burning.dm b/code/controllers/subsystem/fire_burning.dm
index a5e903221a8..efaff62630c 100644
--- a/code/controllers/subsystem/fire_burning.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/subsystem/fire_burning.dm
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 SUBSYSTEM_DEF(fire_burning)
 	name = "Fire Burning"
 	priority = FIRE_PRIOTITY_BURNING
-	flags = SS_NO_INIT|SS_BACKGROUND
+	flags = SS_NO_INIT
 	runlevels = RUNLEVEL_GAME | RUNLEVEL_POSTGAME
 
 	var/list/currentrun = list()
diff --git a/code/controllers/subsystem/pai.dm b/code/controllers/subsystem/pai.dm
index c563e2a7452..552ea48d3aa 100644
--- a/code/controllers/subsystem/pai.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/subsystem/pai.dm
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 SUBSYSTEM_DEF(pai)
 	name = "pAI"
 
-	flags = SS_NO_INIT|SS_NO_FIRE
+	flags = SS_NO_INIT|SS_NO_FIRE|SS_BACKGROUND
 
 	var/list/candidates = list()
 	var/ghost_spam = FALSE
diff --git a/code/controllers/subsystem/processing/fields.dm b/code/controllers/subsystem/processing/fields.dm
index a4c58b883a8..10fb4da0f73 100644
--- a/code/controllers/subsystem/processing/fields.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/subsystem/processing/fields.dm
@@ -2,5 +2,5 @@ PROCESSING_SUBSYSTEM_DEF(fields)
 	name = "Fields"
 	wait = 2
 	priority = FIRE_PRIORITY_FIELDS
-	flags = SS_KEEP_TIMING | SS_NO_INIT
+	flags = SS_KEEP_TIMING | SS_NO_INIT | SS_BACKGROUND
 	runlevels = RUNLEVEL_GAME | RUNLEVEL_POSTGAME
diff --git a/code/controllers/subsystem/processing/processing.dm b/code/controllers/subsystem/processing/processing.dm
index 058645da495..dc1c3a317f3 100644
--- a/code/controllers/subsystem/processing/processing.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/subsystem/processing/processing.dm
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 SUBSYSTEM_DEF(processing)
 	name = "Processing"
 	priority = FIRE_PRIORITY_PROCESS
-	flags = SS_BACKGROUND|SS_POST_FIRE_TIMING|SS_NO_INIT
+	flags = SS_POST_FIRE_TIMING|SS_NO_INIT
 	wait = 1 SECONDS
 
 	var/stat_tag = "P" //Used for logging
diff --git a/code/controllers/subsystem/processing/wet_floors.dm b/code/controllers/subsystem/processing/wet_floors.dm
index 4bda8b54536..fbabdb830aa 100644
--- a/code/controllers/subsystem/processing/wet_floors.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/subsystem/processing/wet_floors.dm
@@ -3,5 +3,6 @@ PROCESSING_SUBSYSTEM_DEF(wet_floors)
 	priority = FIRE_PRIORITY_WET_FLOORS
 	wait = 10
 	stat_tag = "WFP" //Used for logging
+	flags = SS_BACKGROUND
 	var/temperature_coeff = 2
 	var/time_ratio = 1.5 SECONDS