diff --git a/code/datums/mutable_appearance.dm b/code/datums/mutable_appearance.dm
index 038471ec365..8b0306c1608 100644
--- a/code/datums/mutable_appearance.dm
+++ b/code/datums/mutable_appearance.dm
@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@
 // Basically use them instead of images for overlays/underlays and when changing an object's appearance if you're doing so with any regularity.
 // Unless you need the overlay/underlay to have a different direction than the base object. Then you have to use an image due to a bug.
 
-// Mutable appearances are children of images, just so you know.
-
-/mutable_appearance/New()
+// Mutable appearances erase template vars on new, because they accept an appearance to copy as an arg
+// If we have nothin to copy, we set the float plane
+/mutable_appearance/New(mutable_appearance/to_copy)
 	..()
-	plane = FLOAT_PLANE // No clue why this is 0 by default yet images are on FLOAT_PLANE
-						// And yes this does have to be in the constructor, BYOND ignores it if you set it as a normal var
+	if(!to_copy)
+		plane = FLOAT_PLANE
 
 // Helper similar to image()
 /proc/mutable_appearance(icon, icon_state = "", layer = FLOAT_LAYER, plane = FLOAT_PLANE, alpha = 255, appearance_flags = NONE, color)