diff --git a/code/modules/mob/death.dm b/code/modules/mob/death.dm
index d906b331e2b..49355a1ce57 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/death.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/death.dm
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 //This is the proc for gibbing a mob. Cannot gib ghosts.
 //added different sort of gibs and animations. N
-/mob/proc/gib(anim="gibbed-m",do_gibs)
+/mob/proc/gib(anim="gibbed-m", do_gibs, gib_file = 'icons/mob/mob.dmi')
 	death(1)
 	transforming = 1
 	canmove = 0
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 	var/atom/movable/overlay/animation = null
 	animation = new(loc)
 	animation.icon_state = "blank"
-	animation.icon = 'icons/mob/mob.dmi'
+	animation.icon = gib_file
 	animation.master = src
 
 	flick(anim, animation)
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/death.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/death.dm
index 13be7e6c1bb..c573f6c2477 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/death.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/death.dm
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 		drop_from_inventory(I)
 		I.throw_at(get_edge_target_turf(src,pick(alldirs)), rand(1,3), round(30/I.w_class))
 
-	..(species.gibbed_anim)
+	..(species.gibbed_anim) // uses the default mob.dmi file for these, so we only need to specify the first argument
 	gibs(loc, dna, null, species.get_flesh_colour(src), species.get_blood_colour(src))
 
 /mob/living/carbon/human/dust()
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/animals/goose.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/animals/goose.dm
index 3b3e3bfa219..a2ac8515b87 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/animals/goose.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/animals/goose.dm
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 	icon_state = "goose"
 	icon_living = "goose"
 	icon_dead = "goose_dead"
-	icon_gib = "generic_gib"
 
 	faction = "geese"
 	intelligence_level = SA_ANIMAL
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/animals/penguin.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/animals/penguin.dm
index 09adf4ed412..13ecb0d0cad 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/animals/penguin.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/animals/penguin.dm
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 	icon_state = "penguin"
 	icon_living = "penguin"
 	icon_dead = "penguin_dead"
-	icon_gib = "generic_gib"
 	intelligence_level = SA_ANIMAL
 
 	maxHealth = 20
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/simple_animal.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/simple_animal.dm
index 0379c5d056b..6aae5d1767e 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/simple_animal.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/simple_animal.dm
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 	//Mob icon/appearance settings
 	var/icon_living = ""			// The iconstate if we're alive, required
 	var/icon_dead = ""				// The iconstate if we're dead, required
-	var/icon_gib = null				// The iconstate for being gibbed, optional
+	var/icon_gib = "generic_gib"	// The iconstate for being gibbed, optional. Defaults to a generic gib animation.
 	var/icon_rest = null			// The iconstate for resting, optional
 	var/image/modifier_overlay = null // Holds overlays from modifiers.
 
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@
 		purge -= 1
 
 /mob/living/simple_animal/gib()
-	..(icon_gib,1)
+	..(icon_gib,1,icon) // we need to specify where the gib animation is stored
 
 /mob/living/simple_animal/emote(var/act, var/type, var/desc)
 	if(act)