diff --git a/code/__HELPERS/icon_smoothing.dm b/code/__HELPERS/icon_smoothing.dm
index b4b9e8e8f42..3e1550f2ed1 100644
--- a/code/__HELPERS/icon_smoothing.dm
+++ b/code/__HELPERS/icon_smoothing.dm
@@ -341,15 +341,17 @@ DEFINE_BITFIELD(smoothing_junction, list(
 	set_smoothed_icon_state(new_junction)
 
 
-///Changes the icon state based on the new junction bitmask.
+///Changes the icon state based on the new junction bitmask. Returns the old junction value.
 /atom/proc/set_smoothed_icon_state(new_junction)
+	. = smoothing_junction
 	smoothing_junction = new_junction
 	icon_state = "[base_icon_state]-[smoothing_junction]"
 
 
 /turf/closed/set_smoothed_icon_state(new_junction)
-	if(smoothing_flags & SMOOTH_DIAGONAL_CORNERS && new_junction != smoothing_junction)
-		switch(smoothing_junction)
+	. = ..()
+	if(smoothing_flags & SMOOTH_DIAGONAL_CORNERS)
+		switch(new_junction)
 			if(
 				NORTH_JUNCTION|WEST_JUNCTION,
 				NORTH_JUNCTION|EAST_JUNCTION,
@@ -361,7 +363,7 @@ DEFINE_BITFIELD(smoothing_junction, list(
 				SOUTH_JUNCTION|EAST_JUNCTION|SOUTHEAST_JUNCTION
 				)
 				icon_state = "[base_icon_state]-[smoothing_junction]-d"
-				if(!fixed_underlay) // Mutable underlays?
+				if(!fixed_underlay && new_junction != .) // Mutable underlays?
 					var/junction_dir = reverse_ndir(smoothing_junction)
 					var/turned_adjacency = REVERSE_DIR(junction_dir)
 					var/turf/neighbor_turf = get_step(src, turned_adjacency & (NORTH|SOUTH))
@@ -375,7 +377,6 @@ DEFINE_BITFIELD(smoothing_junction, list(
 									underlay_appearance.icon = DEFAULT_UNDERLAY_ICON
 									underlay_appearance.icon_state = DEFAULT_UNDERLAY_ICON_STATE
 					underlays = list(underlay_appearance)
-	return ..()
 
 
 /turf/open/floor/set_smoothed_icon_state(new_junction)
diff --git a/code/game/atoms.dm b/code/game/atoms.dm
index b304a4a5972..11114a3d1c0 100644
--- a/code/game/atoms.dm
+++ b/code/game/atoms.dm
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@
 	///Icon-smoothing behavior.
 	var/smoothing_flags = NONE
 	///What directions this is currently smoothing with. IMPORTANT: This uses the smoothing direction flags as defined in icon_smoothing.dm, instead of the BYOND flags.
-	var/smoothing_junction = NONE
+	var/smoothing_junction = null //This starts as null for us to know when it's first set, but after that it will hold a 8-bit mask ranging from 0 to 255.
 	///Smoothing variable
 	var/top_left_corner
 	///Smoothing variable