diff --git a/code/controllers/configuration/entries/game_options.dm b/code/controllers/configuration/entries/game_options.dm
index fdf7ffd663..67e4a97894 100644
--- a/code/controllers/configuration/entries/game_options.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/configuration/entries/game_options.dm
@@ -509,21 +509,21 @@
 
 //Body size configs, the feature will be disabled if both min and max have the same value.
 /datum/config_entry/number/body_size_min
-	config_entry_value = RESIZE_DEFAULT_SIZE
+	config_entry_value = 0.9
 	min_val = 0.1 //to avoid issues with zeros and negative values.
 	max_val = RESIZE_DEFAULT_SIZE
 	integer = FALSE
 
 /datum/config_entry/number/body_size_max
-	config_entry_value = RESIZE_DEFAULT_SIZE
+	config_entry_value = 1.25
 	min_val = RESIZE_DEFAULT_SIZE
 	integer = FALSE
 
-//Pun-Pun movement slowdown given to characters with a body size smaller than this value,
+//Penalties given to characters with a body size smaller than this value,
 //to compensate for their smaller hitbox.
 //To disable, just make sure the value is lower than 'body_size_min'
-/datum/config_entry/number/threshold_body_size_slowdown
-	config_entry_value = RESIZE_DEFAULT_SIZE * 0.85
+/datum/config_entry/number/threshold_body_size_penalty
+	config_entry_value = RESIZE_DEFAULT_SIZE
 	min_val = 0
 	max_val = RESIZE_DEFAULT_SIZE
 	integer = FALSE
@@ -531,8 +531,8 @@
 //multiplicative slowdown multiplier. See 'dna.update_body_size' for the operation.
 //doesn't apply to floating or crawling mobs
 /datum/config_entry/number/body_size_slowdown_multiplier
-	config_entry_value = 0.25
-	min_val = 0.1 //To encourage folks to disable the slowdown through the above config instead.
+	config_entry_value = 0
+	min_val = 0
 	integer = FALSE
 
 //Allows players to set a hexadecimal color of their choice as skin tone, on top of the standard ones.
diff --git a/code/datums/dna.dm b/code/datums/dna.dm
index cd90b554ac..fe041c41ff 100644
--- a/code/datums/dna.dm
+++ b/code/datums/dna.dm
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 	var/uni_identity
 	var/blood_type
 	var/datum/species/species = new /datum/species/human //The type of mutant race the player is if applicable (i.e. potato-man)
-	var/list/features = list("FFF") //first value is mutant color
+	var/list/features = list("FFF", "body_size" = RESIZE_DEFAULT_SIZE) //first value is mutant color
 	var/real_name //Stores the real name of the person who originally got this dna datum. Used primarely for changelings,
 	var/nameless = FALSE
 	var/custom_species	//siiiiigh I guess this is important
@@ -696,11 +696,19 @@
 /datum/dna/proc/update_body_size(old_size)
 	if(!holder || features["body_size"] == old_size)
 		return
+	//new size detected
 	holder.resize = features["body_size"] / old_size
 	holder.update_transform()
-	var/danger = CONFIG_GET(number/threshold_body_size_slowdown)
-	if(features["body_size"] < danger)
-		var/slowdown = (1 - round(features["body_size"] / danger, 0.1)) * CONFIG_GET(number/body_size_slowdown_multiplier)
-		holder.add_or_update_variable_movespeed_modifier(/datum/movespeed_modifier/small_stride, TRUE, slowdown)
-	else if(old_size < danger)
-		holder.remove_movespeed_modifier(/datum/movespeed_modifier/small_stride)
+	if(iscarbon(holder))
+		var/mob/living/carbon/C = holder
+		var/penalty_threshold = CONFIG_GET(number/threshold_body_size_penalty)
+		if(features["body_size"] < penalty_threshold && old_size >= penalty_threshold)
+			C.maxHealth -= 10 //reduce the maxhealth
+			var/slowdown = (1 - round(features["body_size"] / penalty_threshold, 0.1)) * CONFIG_GET(number/body_size_slowdown_multiplier)
+			holder.add_or_update_variable_movespeed_modifier(/datum/movespeed_modifier/small_stride, TRUE, slowdown)
+		else
+			if(old_size < penalty_threshold && features["body_size"] >= penalty_threshold)
+				C.maxHealth  += 10 //give the maxhealth back
+				holder.remove_movespeed_modifier(/datum/movespeed_modifier/small_stride) //remove the slowdown
+
+
diff --git a/code/modules/client/preferences.dm b/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
index d817cc3a53..196c1ce0ed 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
@@ -482,7 +482,6 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_EMPTY(preferences_datums)
 				dat += "<span style='border: 1px solid #161616; background-color: #[features["mcolor3"]];'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span> <a href='?_src_=prefs;preference=mutant_color3;task=input'>Change</a><BR>"
 				mutant_colors = TRUE
 
-			if (CONFIG_GET(number/body_size_min) != CONFIG_GET(number/body_size_max))
 				dat += "<b>Sprite Size:</b> <a href='?_src_=prefs;preference=body_size;task=input'>[features["body_size"]*100]%</a><br>"
 
 			if(!(NOEYES in pref_species.species_traits))
@@ -2245,21 +2244,10 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_EMPTY(preferences_datums)
 					gender = chosengender
 
 				if("body_size")
-					var/min = CONFIG_GET(number/body_size_min)
-					var/max = CONFIG_GET(number/body_size_max)
-					var/danger = CONFIG_GET(number/threshold_body_size_slowdown)
-					var/new_body_size = input(user, "Choose your desired sprite size: ([min*100]%-[max*100]%)\nWarning: This may make your character look distorted[danger > min ? "! Additionally, a proportional movement speed penalty will be applied to characters smaller than [danger*100]%." : "!"]", "Character Preference", features["body_size"]*100) as num|null
-					if (new_body_size)
-						new_body_size = clamp(new_body_size * 0.01, min, max)
-						var/dorfy
-						if((new_body_size + 0.01) < danger) // Adding 0.01 as a dumb fix to prevent the warning message from appearing when exactly at threshold... Not sure why that happens in the first place.
-							dorfy = alert(user, "You have chosen a size below the slowdown threshold of [danger*100]%. For balancing purposes, the further you go below this percentage, the slower your character will be. Do you wish to keep this size?", "Speed Penalty Alert", "Yes", "Move it to the threshold", "No")
-							if(dorfy == "Move it to the threshold")
-								new_body_size = danger
-							if(!dorfy) //Aborts if this var is somehow empty
-								return
-						if(dorfy != "No")
-							features["body_size"] = new_body_size
+					var/new_body_size = input(user, "Choose your desired sprite size: (90-125%)\nWarning: This may make your character look distorted. Additionally, any size under 100% takes a 10% maximum health penalty", "Character Preference", features["body_size"]*100) as num|null
+					if(new_body_size)
+						features["body_size"] = clamp(new_body_size * 0.01, CONFIG_GET(number/body_size_min), CONFIG_GET(number/body_size_max))
+
 				if("tongue")
 					var/selected_custom_tongue = input(user, "Choose your desired tongue (none means your species tongue)", "Character Preference") as null|anything in GLOB.roundstart_tongues
 					if(selected_custom_tongue)
@@ -2653,6 +2641,12 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_EMPTY(preferences_datums)
 			else if(firstspace == name_length)
 				real_name += "[pick(GLOB.last_names)]"
 
+	//reset size if applicable
+	if(character.dna.features["body_size"])
+		var/initial_old_size = character.dna.features["body_size"]
+		character.dna.features["body_size"] = RESIZE_DEFAULT_SIZE
+		character.dna.update_body_size(initial_old_size)
+
 	character.real_name = nameless ? "[real_name] #[rand(10000, 99999)]" : real_name
 	character.name = character.real_name
 	character.nameless = nameless
@@ -2695,8 +2689,6 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_EMPTY(preferences_datums)
 		pref_species = new /datum/species/human
 		save_character()
 
-	var/old_size = character.dna.features["body_size"]
-
 	character.dna.features = features.Copy()
 	character.set_species(chosen_species, icon_update = FALSE, pref_load = TRUE)
 	character.dna.species.eye_type = eye_type
@@ -2706,6 +2698,10 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_EMPTY(preferences_datums)
 	character.dna.nameless = character.nameless
 	character.dna.custom_species = character.custom_species
 
+	var/old_size = RESIZE_DEFAULT_SIZE
+	if(isdwarf(character))
+		character.dna.features["body_size"] = RESIZE_DEFAULT_SIZE
+
 	if((parent && parent.can_have_part("meat_type")) || pref_species.mutant_bodyparts["meat_type"])
 		character.type_of_meat = GLOB.meat_types[features["meat_type"]]
 
diff --git a/config/game_options.txt b/config/game_options.txt
index bb6c5d8f01..bc5fdf940e 100644
--- a/config/game_options.txt
+++ b/config/game_options.txt
@@ -651,17 +651,17 @@ PENIS_MIN_INCHES_PREFS 1
 PENIS_MAX_INCHES_PREFS 20
 
 ## Body size configs, the feature will be disabled if both min and max have the same value.
-BODY_SIZE_MIN 1
-BODY_SIZE_MAX 1
+BODY_SIZE_MIN 0.9
+BODY_SIZE_MAX 1.25
 
 ## Pun-Pun movement slowdown given to characters with a body size smaller than this value,
 ## to compensate for their smaller hitbox.
 ## To disable, just make sure the value is lower than 'body_size_min'
-THRESHOLD_BODY_SIZE_SLOWDOWN 0.85
+THRESHOLD_BODY_SIZE_PENALTY 1
 
 ## Multiplier used in the smaller strides slowdown calculation.
 ## Doesn't apply to floating or crawling mobs.
-BODY_SIZE_SLOWDOWN_MULTIPLIER 0.25
+BODY_SIZE_SLOWDOWN_MULTIPLIER 0
 
 ## Allows players to set a hexadecimal color of their choice as skin tone, on top of the standard ones.
 ALLOW_CUSTOM_SKINTONES