diff --git a/code/game/objects/effects/decals/decal.dm b/code/game/objects/effects/decals/decal.dm
index 2c4e3fc164d..40e622b5225 100644
--- a/code/game/objects/effects/decals/decal.dm
+++ b/code/game/objects/effects/decals/decal.dm
@@ -62,5 +62,8 @@
 		var/turf/T = loc
 		T.RemoveElement(/datum/element/decal, icon, icon_state, dir, null, null, alpha, color, null, FALSE, null)
 #endif
-	moveToNullspace()
+	// Intentionally used over moveToNullspace(), which calls doMove(), which fires
+	// off an enormous amount of procs, signals, etc, that this temporary effect object
+	// never needs or affects.
+	loc = null
 	return QDEL_HINT_QUEUE