diff --git a/code/__DEFINES/particles.dm b/code/__DEFINES/particles.dm
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5657566a63b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/code/__DEFINES/particles.dm
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+// /obj/effect/abstract/particle_holder/var/particle_flags
+// Flags that effect how a particle holder displays something
+
+/// If we're inside something inside a mob, display off that mob too
+#define PARTICLE_ATTACH_MOB (1<<0)
diff --git a/code/datums/components/smooth_tunes.dm b/code/datums/components/smooth_tunes.dm
index f05401b523a..c3025dbb54c 100644
--- a/code/datums/components/smooth_tunes.dm
+++ b/code/datums/components/smooth_tunes.dm
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@
 
 	//barticles
 	if(particles_path && ismovable(linked_song.parent))
-		particle_holder = new(linked_song.parent, particles_path)
+		particle_holder = new(linked_song.parent, particles_path, PARTICLE_ATTACH_MOB)
 	//filters
 	linked_song.parent?.add_filter("smooth_tunes_outline", 9, list("type" = "outline", "color" = glow_color))
 
diff --git a/code/datums/status_effects/debuffs/choke.dm b/code/datums/status_effects/debuffs/choke.dm
index 3a4a7fa3019..c14e6c010f0 100644
--- a/code/datums/status_effects/debuffs/choke.dm
+++ b/code/datums/status_effects/debuffs/choke.dm
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
 
 	//barticles
 	if(flaming)
-		ash = new(owner, /particles/smoke/ash)
+		ash = new(owner, /particles/smoke/ash, PARTICLE_ATTACH_MOB)
 		var/clear_in = rand(15 SECONDS, 25 SECONDS)
 		if(duration != -1)
 			clear_in = min(duration, clear_in)
diff --git a/code/game/objects/effects/particle_holder.dm b/code/game/objects/effects/particle_holder.dm
index 99de07740ed..56b99904a01 100644
--- a/code/game/objects/effects/particle_holder.dm
+++ b/code/game/objects/effects/particle_holder.dm
@@ -5,66 +5,55 @@
 	mouse_opacity = MOUSE_OPACITY_TRANSPARENT
 	layer = ABOVE_ALL_MOB_LAYER
 	vis_flags = VIS_INHERIT_PLANE
-	///typepath of the last location we're in, if it's different when moved then we need to update vis contents
-	var/last_attached_location_type
-	///the main item we're attached to at the moment, particle holders hold particles for something
-	var/datum/weakref/weak_attached
-	///besides the item we're also sometimes attached to other stuff! (items held emitting particles on a mob)
-	var/datum/weakref/weak_additional
+	/// Holds info about how this particle emitter works
+	/// See \code\__DEFINES\particles.dm
+	var/particle_flags = NONE
 
-/obj/effect/abstract/particle_holder/Initialize(mapload, particle_path = /particles/smoke)
+/obj/effect/abstract/particle_holder/Initialize(mapload, particle_path = /particles/smoke, particle_flags = NONE)
 	. = ..()
 	if(!loc)
 		stack_trace("particle holder was created with no loc!")
 		return INITIALIZE_HINT_QDEL
-	if(ismovable(loc))
-		RegisterSignal(loc, COMSIG_MOVABLE_MOVED, PROC_REF(on_move))
-	RegisterSignal(loc, COMSIG_PARENT_QDELETING, PROC_REF(on_qdel))
-	weak_attached = WEAKREF(loc)
+	// We assert this isn't an /area
+
+	src.particle_flags = particle_flags
 	particles = new particle_path
-	update_visual_contents(loc)
+	// /atom doesn't have vis_contents, /turf and /atom/movable do
+	var/atom/movable/lie_about_areas = loc
+	lie_about_areas.vis_contents += src
+	if(!ismovable(loc))
+		RegisterSignal(loc, COMSIG_PARENT_QDELETING, PROC_REF(immovable_deleted))
+
+	if(particle_flags & PARTICLE_ATTACH_MOB)
+		RegisterSignal(loc, COMSIG_MOVABLE_MOVED, PROC_REF(on_move))
+	on_move(loc, null, NORTH)
 
 /obj/effect/abstract/particle_holder/Destroy(force)
-	var/atom/movable/attached = weak_attached.resolve()
-	var/atom/movable/additional_attached
-	if(weak_additional)
-		additional_attached = weak_additional.resolve()
-	if(attached)
-		attached.vis_contents -= src
-		UnregisterSignal(loc, list(COMSIG_MOVABLE_MOVED, COMSIG_PARENT_QDELETING))
-	if(additional_attached)
-		additional_attached.vis_contents -= src
 	QDEL_NULL(particles)
 	return ..()
 
-///signal called when parent is moved
+/// Non movables don't delete contents on destroy, so we gotta do this
+/obj/effect/abstract/particle_holder/proc/immovable_deleted(datum/source)
+	SIGNAL_HANDLER
+	qdel(src)
+
+/// signal called when a parent that's been hooked into this moves
+/// does a variety of checks to ensure overrides work out properly
 /obj/effect/abstract/particle_holder/proc/on_move(atom/movable/attached, atom/oldloc, direction)
 	SIGNAL_HANDLER
-	if(attached.loc.type != last_attached_location_type)
-		update_visual_contents(attached)
 
-///signal called when parent is deleted
-/obj/effect/abstract/particle_holder/proc/on_qdel(atom/movable/attached, force)
-	SIGNAL_HANDLER
-	qdel(src)//our parent is gone and we need to be as well
+	if(!(particle_flags & PARTICLE_ATTACH_MOB))
+		return
 
-///logic proc for particle holders, aka where they move.
-///subtypes of particle holders can override this for particles that should always be turf level or do special things when repositioning.
-///this base subtype has some logic for items, as the loc of items becomes mobs very often hiding the particles
-/obj/effect/abstract/particle_holder/proc/update_visual_contents(atom/movable/attached_to)
 	//remove old
-	if(weak_additional)
-		var/atom/movable/resolved_location = weak_additional.resolve()
-		if(resolved_location)
-			resolved_location.vis_contents -= src
-	//add to new
-	if(isitem(attached_to) && ismob(attached_to.loc)) //special case we want to also be emitting from the mob
-		var/mob/particle_mob = attached_to.loc
-		last_attached_location_type = attached_to.loc
-		weak_additional = WEAKREF(particle_mob)
+	if(ismob(oldloc))
+		var/mob/particle_mob = oldloc
+		particle_mob.vis_contents -= src
+
+	// If we're sitting in a mob, we want to emit from it too, for vibes and shit
+	if(ismob(attached.loc))
+		var/mob/particle_mob = attached.loc
 		particle_mob.vis_contents += src
-	//readd to ourselves
-	attached_to.vis_contents |= src
 
 /// Sets the particles position to the passed coordinate list (X, Y, Z)
 /// See [https://www.byond.com/docs/ref/#/{notes}/particles] for position documentation
diff --git a/tgstation.dme b/tgstation.dme
index ab51fc35e54..2ba66d702bb 100644
--- a/tgstation.dme
+++ b/tgstation.dme
@@ -161,6 +161,7 @@
 #include "code\__DEFINES\pai.dm"
 #include "code\__DEFINES\paintings.dm"
 #include "code\__DEFINES\paper.dm"
+#include "code\__DEFINES\particles.dm"
 #include "code\__DEFINES\path.dm"
 #include "code\__DEFINES\perf_test.dm"
 #include "code\__DEFINES\pinpointers.dm"