diff --git a/code/game/atoms.dm b/code/game/atoms.dm
index e46086d9b2b..ff82aa63003 100644
--- a/code/game/atoms.dm
+++ b/code/game/atoms.dm
@@ -789,15 +789,15 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_EMPTY(blood_splatter_icons)
 		var/index = blood_splatter_index()
 		var/icon/blood_splatter_icon = GLOB.blood_splatter_icons[index]
 		if(!blood_splatter_icon)
-			blood_splatter_icon = icon(initial(icon), initial(icon_state), , 1)		//we only want to apply blood-splatters to the initial icon_state for each object
-			blood_splatter_icon.Blend("#fff", ICON_ADD) 			//fills the icon_state with white (except where it's transparent)
+			blood_splatter_icon = icon(initial(icon), initial(icon_state), frame = 1)		//we only want to apply blood-splatters to the initial icon_state for each object
+			blood_splatter_icon.Blend("#ffffff", ICON_ADD) 			//fills the icon_state with white (except where it's transparent)
 			blood_splatter_icon.Blend(icon('icons/effects/blood.dmi', "itemblood"), ICON_MULTIPLY) //adds blood and the remaining white areas become transparant
 			blood_splatter_icon = fcopy_rsc(blood_splatter_icon)
 			GLOB.blood_splatter_icons[index] = blood_splatter_icon
 
 		blood_overlay = image(blood_splatter_icon)
 		blood_overlay.color = color
-		overlays += blood_overlay
+		add_overlay(blood_overlay)
 
 /atom/proc/clean_blood(radiation_clean = FALSE)
 	germ_level = 0
@@ -827,9 +827,9 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_EMPTY(blood_splatter_icons)
 
 /obj/item/clean_blood(radiation_clean = FALSE)
 	. = ..()
-	if(.)
-		if(blood_overlay)
-			overlays -= blood_overlay
+	if(. && blood_overlay)
+		cut_overlay(blood_overlay)
+		QDEL_NULL(blood_overlay)
 
 /obj/item/clothing/gloves/clean_blood(radiation_clean = FALSE)
 	. = ..()
diff --git a/code/game/objects/items.dm b/code/game/objects/items.dm
index 1a6edd1dd45..3b929c869ba 100644
--- a/code/game/objects/items.dm
+++ b/code/game/objects/items.dm
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ GLOBAL_DATUM_INIT(fire_overlay, /image, image("icon" = 'icons/goonstation/effect
 	move_resist = null // Set in the Initialise depending on the item size. Unless it's overriden by a specific item
 	var/discrete = 0 // used in item_attack.dm to make an item not show an attack message to viewers
 	var/image/blood_overlay = null //this saves our blood splatter overlay, which will be processed not to go over the edges of the sprite
-	var/blood_overlay_color = null
 	var/item_state = null
 	var/lefthand_file = 'icons/mob/inhands/items_lefthand.dmi'
 	var/righthand_file = 'icons/mob/inhands/items_righthand.dmi'
diff --git a/code/game/objects/items/weapons/batons.dm b/code/game/objects/items/weapons/batons.dm
index 47ec7da88e9..6e45ebaf5f1 100644
--- a/code/game/objects/items/weapons/batons.dm
+++ b/code/game/objects/items/weapons/batons.dm
@@ -189,9 +189,10 @@
 		H.update_inv_r_hand()
 	// Update blood splatter
 	if(blood_overlay)
+		var/blood_color = blood_overlay.color
 		cut_overlay(blood_overlay)
 		qdel(blood_overlay)
-		add_blood_overlay(blood_overlay_color)
+		add_blood_overlay(blood_color)
 	playsound(loc, extend_sound, 50, TRUE)
 	add_fingerprint(user)
 
@@ -210,5 +211,4 @@
 
 	blood_overlay = image(blood_splatter_icon)
 	blood_overlay.color = color
-	blood_overlay_color = color
 	add_overlay(blood_overlay)
diff --git a/code/modules/hydroponics/hydroitemdefines.dm b/code/modules/hydroponics/hydroitemdefines.dm
index 154f0aacbfd..9a1c8c968ab 100644
--- a/code/modules/hydroponics/hydroitemdefines.dm
+++ b/code/modules/hydroponics/hydroitemdefines.dm
@@ -206,16 +206,28 @@
 		H.update_inv_l_hand()
 		H.update_inv_r_hand()
 	add_fingerprint(user)
-	if(!blood_DNA)
-		return
-	if(blood_overlay && (blood_DNA.len >= 1))	//updated blood overlay, if any
-		overlays.Cut()	//this might delete other item overlays as well but eeeeeh
+	if(blood_overlay)	//updated blood overlay, if any
+		var/blood_color = blood_overlay.color
+		cut_overlay(blood_overlay)
+		qdel(blood_overlay)
+		add_blood_overlay(blood_color)
 
-		var/icon/I = new /icon(icon, icon_state)
-		I.Blend(new /icon('icons/effects/blood.dmi', rgb(255,255,255)), ICON_ADD)
-		I.Blend(new /icon('icons/effects/blood.dmi', "itemblood"), ICON_MULTIPLY)
-		blood_overlay = I
-		overlays += blood_overlay
+/obj/item/scythe/tele/blood_splatter_index()
+	return "\ref[icon]-[icon_state]"
+
+/obj/item/scythe/tele/add_blood_overlay(color)
+	var/index = blood_splatter_index()
+	var/icon/blood_splatter_icon = GLOB.blood_splatter_icons[index]
+	if(!blood_splatter_icon)
+		blood_splatter_icon = icon(icon, icon_state)
+		blood_splatter_icon.Blend("#ffffff", ICON_ADD)
+		blood_splatter_icon.Blend(icon('icons/effects/blood.dmi', "itemblood"), ICON_MULTIPLY)
+		blood_splatter_icon = fcopy_rsc(blood_splatter_icon)
+		GLOB.blood_splatter_icons[index] = blood_splatter_icon
+
+	blood_overlay = image(blood_splatter_icon)
+	blood_overlay.color = color
+	add_overlay(blood_overlay)
 
 
 // *************************************