diff --git a/code/defines/procs/hud.dm b/code/defines/procs/hud.dm
index 78fdb6dc7b..4f0aed0d35 100644
--- a/code/defines/procs/hud.dm
+++ b/code/defines/procs/hud.dm
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 Use the regular_hud_updates() proc before process_med_hud(mob) or process_sec_hud(mob) so
 the HUD updates properly! */
 
+// hud overlay image type, used for clearing client.images precisely
+/image/hud_overlay
+
 //Medical HUD outputs. Called by the Life() proc of the mob using it, usually.
 proc/process_med_hud(var/mob/M, var/local_scanner, var/mob/Alt)
 	if(!can_process_hud(M))
@@ -63,9 +66,8 @@ proc/can_process_hud(var/mob/M)
 //Deletes the current HUD images so they can be refreshed with new ones.
 mob/proc/handle_regular_hud_updates() //Used in the life.dm of mobs that can use HUDs.
 	if(client)
-		for(var/image/hud in client.images)
-			if(copytext(hud.icon_state,1,4) == "hud")
-				client.images -= hud
+		for(var/image/hud_overlay/hud in client.images)
+			client.images -= hud
 	med_hud_users -= src
 	sec_hud_users -= src
 
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/dead/observer/observer.dm b/code/modules/mob/dead/observer/observer.dm
index 2119896c3f..d4a967dc7b 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/dead/observer/observer.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/dead/observer/observer.dm
@@ -159,11 +159,7 @@ Works together with spawning an observer, noted above.
 	if(!loc) return
 	if(!client) return 0
 
-
-	if(client.images.len)
-		for(var/image/hud in client.images)
-			if(copytext(hud.icon_state,1,4) == "hud")
-				client.images.Remove(hud)
+	handle_regular_hud_updates()
 
 	if(antagHUD)
 		var/list/target_list = list()
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/human.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/human.dm
index 922d2bf6e0..ccf700a278 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/human.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/human.dm
@@ -27,16 +27,16 @@
 		if(mind)
 			mind.name = real_name
 
-	hud_list[HEALTH_HUD]      = image('icons/mob/hud_med.dmi', src, "100")
-	hud_list[STATUS_HUD]      = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudhealthy")
-	hud_list[LIFE_HUD]	      = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudhealthy")
-	hud_list[ID_HUD]          = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudunknown")
-	hud_list[WANTED_HUD]      = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
-	hud_list[IMPLOYAL_HUD]    = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
-	hud_list[IMPCHEM_HUD]     = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
-	hud_list[IMPTRACK_HUD]    = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
-	hud_list[SPECIALROLE_HUD] = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
-	hud_list[STATUS_HUD_OOC]  = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudhealthy")
+	hud_list[HEALTH_HUD]      = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud_med.dmi', src, "100")
+	hud_list[STATUS_HUD]      = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudhealthy")
+	hud_list[LIFE_HUD]	      = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudhealthy")
+	hud_list[ID_HUD]          = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudunknown")
+	hud_list[WANTED_HUD]      = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
+	hud_list[IMPLOYAL_HUD]    = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
+	hud_list[IMPCHEM_HUD]     = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
+	hud_list[IMPTRACK_HUD]    = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
+	hud_list[SPECIALROLE_HUD] = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
+	hud_list[STATUS_HUD_OOC]  = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudhealthy")
 
 	human_mob_list |= src
 	..()
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/life.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/life.dm
index c2906783ec..27b0fcfac1 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/life.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/life.dm
@@ -1022,9 +1022,7 @@
 	if(!client)
 		return 0
 
-	for(var/image/hud in client.images)
-		if(copytext(hud.icon_state,1,4) == "hud") //ugly, but icon comparison is worse, I believe
-			client.images.Remove(hud)
+	..()
 
 	client.screen.Remove(global_hud.blurry, global_hud.druggy, global_hud.vimpaired, global_hud.darkMask, global_hud.nvg, global_hud.thermal, global_hud.meson, global_hud.science, global_hud.whitense)
 
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/silicon/ai/ai.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/silicon/ai/ai.dm
index 5a5f9f3ec4..d84dfe28a8 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/silicon/ai/ai.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/silicon/ai/ai.dm
@@ -173,15 +173,15 @@ var/list/ai_verbs_hidden = list( // For why this exists, refer to https://xkcd.c
 	spawn(5)
 		new /obj/machinery/ai_powersupply(src)
 
-	hud_list[HEALTH_HUD]      = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
-	hud_list[STATUS_HUD]      = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
-	hud_list[LIFE_HUD] 		  = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
-	hud_list[ID_HUD]          = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
-	hud_list[WANTED_HUD]      = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
-	hud_list[IMPLOYAL_HUD]    = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
-	hud_list[IMPCHEM_HUD]     = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
-	hud_list[IMPTRACK_HUD]    = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
-	hud_list[SPECIALROLE_HUD] = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
+	hud_list[HEALTH_HUD]      = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
+	hud_list[STATUS_HUD]      = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
+	hud_list[LIFE_HUD] 		  = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
+	hud_list[ID_HUD]          = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
+	hud_list[WANTED_HUD]      = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
+	hud_list[IMPLOYAL_HUD]    = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
+	hud_list[IMPCHEM_HUD]     = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
+	hud_list[IMPTRACK_HUD]    = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
+	hud_list[SPECIALROLE_HUD] = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
 
 	ai_list += src
 	..()
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/silicon/robot/robot.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/silicon/robot/robot.dm
index ad3445483d..5350ba68c0 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/silicon/robot/robot.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/silicon/robot/robot.dm
@@ -147,15 +147,15 @@
 
 	add_robot_verbs()
 
-	hud_list[HEALTH_HUD]      = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
-	hud_list[STATUS_HUD]      = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudhealth100")
-	hud_list[LIFE_HUD]        = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudhealth100")
-	hud_list[ID_HUD]          = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
-	hud_list[WANTED_HUD]      = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
-	hud_list[IMPLOYAL_HUD]    = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
-	hud_list[IMPCHEM_HUD]     = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
-	hud_list[IMPTRACK_HUD]    = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
-	hud_list[SPECIALROLE_HUD] = image('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
+	hud_list[HEALTH_HUD]      = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
+	hud_list[STATUS_HUD]      = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudhealth100")
+	hud_list[LIFE_HUD]        = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudhealth100")
+	hud_list[ID_HUD]          = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
+	hud_list[WANTED_HUD]      = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
+	hud_list[IMPLOYAL_HUD]    = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
+	hud_list[IMPCHEM_HUD]     = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
+	hud_list[IMPTRACK_HUD]    = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
+	hud_list[SPECIALROLE_HUD] = new /image/hud_overlay('icons/mob/hud.dmi', src, "hudblank")
 
 /mob/living/silicon/robot/proc/init()
 	aiCamera = new/obj/item/device/camera/siliconcam/robot_camera(src)