diff --git a/code/__DEFINES/components.dm b/code/__DEFINES/components.dm
index ddf3deb4a3..72b12ab988 100644
--- a/code/__DEFINES/components.dm
+++ b/code/__DEFINES/components.dm
@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@
 #define COMPONENT_DUPE_ALLOWED 1    //duplicates allowed
 #define COMPONENT_DUPE_UNIQUE 2     //new component is deleted
 
+// Signal return value flags
+// The other defines are under the signal they're used in
+
+#define COMPONENT_ACTIVATED 1 // call parent.ComponentActivated(comp) and component.AfterComponentActivated()
+
 // All signals. Format:
 // When the signal is called: (signal arguments)
 
@@ -23,6 +28,7 @@
 
 // /atom signals
 #define COMSIG_PARENT_ATTACKBY "atom_attackby"			        //from base of atom/attackby(): (/obj/item, /mob/living, params)
+	#define COMPONENT_NO_AFTERATTACK 2								//Return this in response if you don't want afterattack to be called
 #define COMSIG_ATOM_HULK_ATTACK "hulk_attack"					//from base of atom/attack_hulk(): (/mob/living/carbon/human)
 #define COMSIG_PARENT_EXAMINE "atom_examine"                    //from base of atom/examine(): (/mob)
 #define COMSIG_ATOM_ENTERED "atom_entered"                      //from base of atom/Entered(): (/atom/movable, /atom)
diff --git a/code/_onclick/item_attack.dm b/code/_onclick/item_attack.dm
index acdccba3df..56cd1d8e4c 100644
--- a/code/_onclick/item_attack.dm
+++ b/code/_onclick/item_attack.dm
@@ -34,7 +34,9 @@
 
 // No comment
 /atom/proc/attackby(obj/item/W, mob/user, params)
-	return SendSignal(COMSIG_PARENT_ATTACKBY, W, user, params)
+	if(SendSignal(COMSIG_PARENT_ATTACKBY, W, user, params) & COMPONENT_NO_AFTERATTACK)
+		return TRUE
+	return FALSE
 
 /obj/attackby(obj/item/I, mob/living/user, params)
 	return ..() || (can_be_hit && I.attack_obj(src, user))
diff --git a/code/datums/components/README.md b/code/datums/components/README.md
index 11cbf1858d..476d820bc2 100644
--- a/code/datums/components/README.md
+++ b/code/datums/components/README.md
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ Stands have a lot of procs which mimic mob procs. Rather than inserting hooks fo
 1. `/datum/proc/SendSignal(signal, ...)` (public, final)
     * Call to send a signal to the components of the target datum
     * Extra arguments are to be specified in the signal definition
+    * Returns a bitflag with signal specific information assembled from all activated components
 1. `/datum/component/New(datum/parent, ...)` (private, final)
     * Runs internal setup for the component
     * Extra arguments are passed to `Initialize()`
diff --git a/code/datums/components/_component.dm b/code/datums/components/_component.dm
index 4fb71acf84..39980b4f9d 100644
--- a/code/datums/components/_component.dm
+++ b/code/datums/components/_component.dm
@@ -164,24 +164,24 @@
 /datum/proc/SendSignal(sigtype, ...)
 	var/list/comps = datum_components
 	if(!comps)
-		return FALSE
+		return NONE
 	var/list/arguments = args.Copy()
 	arguments.Cut(1, 2)
 	var/target = comps[/datum/component]
 	if(!length(target))
 		var/datum/component/C = target
 		if(!C.enabled)
-			return FALSE
+			return NONE
 		var/list/sps = C.signal_procs
 		var/datum/callback/CB = LAZYACCESS(sps, sigtype)
 		if(!CB)
-			return FALSE
+			return NONE
 		. = CB.InvokeAsync(arglist(arguments))
-		if(.)
+		if(. & COMPONENT_ACTIVATED)
 			ComponentActivated(C)
 			C.AfterComponentActivated()
 	else
-		. = FALSE
+		. = NONE
 		for(var/I in target)
 			var/datum/component/C = I
 			if(!C.enabled)
@@ -190,10 +190,11 @@
 			var/datum/callback/CB = LAZYACCESS(sps, sigtype)
 			if(!CB)
 				continue
-			if(CB.InvokeAsync(arglist(arguments)))
+			var/retval = CB.InvokeAsync(arglist(arguments))
+			. |= retval
+			if(retval & COMPONENT_ACTIVATED)
 				ComponentActivated(C)
 				C.AfterComponentActivated()
-				. = TRUE
 
 /datum/proc/ComponentActivated(datum/component/C)
 	set waitfor = FALSE
diff --git a/code/datums/components/archaeology.dm b/code/datums/components/archaeology.dm
index ac4e3c107c..05a56952b6 100644
--- a/code/datums/components/archaeology.dm
+++ b/code/datums/components/archaeology.dm
@@ -20,27 +20,26 @@
 /datum/component/archaeology/proc/Dig(obj/item/W, mob/living/user)
 	if(dug)
 		to_chat(user, "<span class='notice'>Looks like someone has dug here already.</span>")
-		return FALSE
-	else
-		var/digging_speed
-		if (istype(W, /obj/item/shovel))
-			var/obj/item/shovel/S = W
-			digging_speed = S.digspeed
-		else if (istype(W, /obj/item/pickaxe))
-			var/obj/item/pickaxe/P = W
-			digging_speed = P.digspeed
+		return
+		
+	var/digging_speed
+	if (istype(W, /obj/item/shovel))
+		var/obj/item/shovel/S = W
+		digging_speed = S.digspeed
+	else if (istype(W, /obj/item/pickaxe))
+		var/obj/item/pickaxe/P = W
+		digging_speed = P.digspeed
+	
+	if (digging_speed && isturf(user.loc))
+		to_chat(user, "<span class='notice'>You start digging...</span>")
+		playsound(parent, 'sound/effects/shovel_dig.ogg', 50, 1)
 
-		if (digging_speed && isturf(user.loc))
-			to_chat(user, "<span class='notice'>You start digging...</span>")
-			playsound(parent, 'sound/effects/shovel_dig.ogg', 50, 1)
-
-			if(do_after(user, digging_speed, target = parent))
-				to_chat(user, "<span class='notice'>You dig a hole.</span>")
-				gets_dug()
-				dug = TRUE
-				SSblackbox.record_feedback("tally", "pick_used_mining", 1, W.type)
-				return TRUE
-		return FALSE
+		if(do_after(user, digging_speed, target = parent))
+			to_chat(user, "<span class='notice'>You dig a hole.</span>")
+			gets_dug()
+			dug = TRUE
+			SSblackbox.record_feedback("tally", "pick_used_mining", 1, W.type)
+			return COMPONENT_NO_AFTERATTACK
 
 /datum/component/archaeology/proc/gets_dug()
 	if(dug)
diff --git a/code/datums/components/infective.dm b/code/datums/components/infective.dm
index cedede6b04..5b2232b8a9 100644
--- a/code/datums/components/infective.dm
+++ b/code/datums/components/infective.dm
@@ -10,4 +10,4 @@
 	if(istype(victim))
 		for(var/datum/disease/D in diseases)
 			victim.ContactContractDisease(D, "feet")
-		return TRUE
\ No newline at end of file
+		return COMPONENT_ACTIVATED
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/code/datums/components/material_container.dm b/code/datums/components/material_container.dm
index c6acb7d78d..ec9ac1d1e6 100644
--- a/code/datums/components/material_container.dm
+++ b/code/datums/components/material_container.dm
@@ -53,11 +53,11 @@
 /datum/component/material_container/proc/OnAttackBy(obj/item/I, mob/living/user)
 	var/list/tc = allowed_typecache
 	if(user.a_intent == INTENT_HARM)
-		return FALSE
+		return
 	if((I.flags_2 & (HOLOGRAM_2 | NO_MAT_REDEMPTION_2)) || (tc && !is_type_in_typecache(I, tc)))
 		to_chat(user, "<span class='warning'>[parent] won't accept [I]!</span>")
-		return FALSE
-	. = TRUE
+		return
+	. = COMPONENT_ACTIVATED | COMPONENT_NO_AFTERATTACK
 	last_insert_success = FALSE
 	var/datum/callback/pc = precondition
 	if(pc && !pc.Invoke())
diff --git a/code/datums/components/paintable.dm b/code/datums/components/paintable.dm
index 2ea94334d0..01e81d27c0 100644
--- a/code/datums/components/paintable.dm
+++ b/code/datums/components/paintable.dm
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@
 
 /datum/component/spraycan_paintable/proc/Repaint(obj/item/toy/crayon/spraycan/spraycan, mob/living/user)
 	if(!istype(spraycan) || user.a_intent == INTENT_HARM)
-		return FALSE
-	. = TRUE
+		return
+	. = COMPONENT_NO_AFTERATTACK
 	if(spraycan.is_capped)
 		to_chat(user, "<span class='warning'>Take the cap off first!</span>")
 		return
diff --git a/code/datums/components/slippery.dm b/code/datums/components/slippery.dm
index 573bb81d11..c174ba5ecb 100644
--- a/code/datums/components/slippery.dm
+++ b/code/datums/components/slippery.dm
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 	var/mob/victim = AM
 	if(istype(victim) && !victim.is_flying() && victim.slip(intensity, parent, lube_flags))
 		slip_victim = victim
-		return TRUE
+		return COMPONENT_ACTIVATED
 
 /datum/component/slippery/AfterComponentActivated()
 	slip_victim = null
diff --git a/code/datums/components/spooky.dm b/code/datums/components/spooky.dm
index 966baf7c4a..3f3b0341ee 100644
--- a/code/datums/components/spooky.dm
+++ b/code/datums/components/spooky.dm
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 	if(ishuman(C))
 		var/mob/living/carbon/human/H = C
 		if(istype(H.dna.species, /datum/species/skeleton))
-			return ..() //undeads are unaffected by the spook-pocalypse.
+			return //undeads are unaffected by the spook-pocalypse.
 		if(istype(H.dna.species, /datum/species/zombie))
 			H.adjustStaminaLoss(25)
 			H.Knockdown(15) //zombies can't resist the doot