diff --git a/code/game/objects/effects/decals/cleanable.dm b/code/game/objects/effects/decals/cleanable.dm
index e93ff91a70..f1c18f50a6 100644
--- a/code/game/objects/effects/decals/cleanable.dm
+++ b/code/game/objects/effects/decals/cleanable.dm
@@ -7,13 +7,15 @@
 	var/mergeable_decal = TRUE //when two of these are on a same tile or do we need to merge them into just one?
 
 /obj/effect/decal/cleanable/Initialize(mapload, list/datum/disease/diseases)
+	. = ..()
 	if (random_icon_states && length(src.random_icon_states) > 0)
 		src.icon_state = pick(src.random_icon_states)
 	create_reagents(300)
 	if(src.loc && isturf(src.loc))
 		for(var/obj/effect/decal/cleanable/C in src.loc)
-			if(C != src && C.type == src.type)
-				replace_decal(C)
+			if(C != src && C.type == src.type && !QDELETED(C))
+				if (replace_decal(C))
+					return INITIALIZE_HINT_QDEL
 	if(LAZYLEN(diseases))
 		var/list/datum/disease/diseases_to_add = list()
 		for(var/datum/disease/D in diseases)
@@ -22,11 +24,9 @@
 		if(LAZYLEN(diseases_to_add))
 			AddComponent(/datum/component/infective, diseases_to_add)
 
-	return//. = ..()//cleanable stuff sometimes needs to be in objs
-
-/obj/effect/decal/cleanable/proc/replace_decal(obj/effect/decal/cleanable/C)
+/obj/effect/decal/cleanable/proc/replace_decal(obj/effect/decal/cleanable/C) // Returns true if we should give up in favor of the pre-existing decal
 	if(mergeable_decal)
-		qdel(C)
+		return TRUE
 
 /obj/effect/decal/cleanable/attackby(obj/item/W, mob/user, params)
 	if(istype(W, /obj/item/reagent_containers/glass) || istype(W, /obj/item/reagent_containers/food/drinks))
diff --git a/code/game/objects/effects/decals/cleanable/humans.dm b/code/game/objects/effects/decals/cleanable/humans.dm
index fbcf22fb90..9d9d8d17a4 100644
--- a/code/game/objects/effects/decals/cleanable/humans.dm
+++ b/code/game/objects/effects/decals/cleanable/humans.dm
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@
 	bloodiness = MAX_SHOE_BLOODINESS
 
 /obj/effect/decal/cleanable/blood/replace_decal(obj/effect/decal/cleanable/blood/C)
-	add_blood_DNA(C.return_blood_DNA())
-	..()
+	C.add_blood_DNA(return_blood_DNA())
+	return ..()
 
 /obj/effect/decal/cleanable/blood/old
 	name = "dried blood"
@@ -17,9 +17,9 @@
 	bloodiness = 0
 
 /obj/effect/decal/cleanable/blood/old/Initialize(mapload, list/datum/disease/diseases)
-	. = ..()
 	icon_state += "-old" //This IS necessary because the parent /blood type uses icon randomization.
-	add_blood_DNA(list("Non-human DNA" = "A+"))
+	add_blood_DNA(list("Non-human DNA" = "A+")) // Needs to happen before ..()
+	return ..()
 
 /obj/effect/decal/cleanable/blood/splatter
 	random_icon_states = list("gibbl1", "gibbl2", "gibbl3", "gibbl4", "gibbl5")
@@ -184,4 +184,3 @@
 	if((blood_state != BLOOD_STATE_OIL) && (blood_state != BLOOD_STATE_NOT_BLOODY))
 		return 1
 	return 0
-