diff --git a/src/hardware/hw_main.c b/src/hardware/hw_main.c
index 5eefc9c7e..3d7fbbd50 100644
--- a/src/hardware/hw_main.c
+++ b/src/hardware/hw_main.c
@@ -4359,8 +4359,8 @@ static void HWR_AddPrecipitationSprites(void)
 
 	fixed_t drawdist;
 
-	// save a little time on invisible weather
-	if (curWeather == PRECIP_BLANK || curWeather == PRECIP_STORM_NORAIN)
+	// save a little time if theres no or invisible weather
+	if (curWeather == PRECIP_NONE || curWeather == PRECIP_BLANK || curWeather == PRECIP_STORM_NORAIN)
 	{
 		return;
 	}
diff --git a/src/m_perfstats.c b/src/m_perfstats.c
index 14980b162..e54d1df06 100644
--- a/src/m_perfstats.c
+++ b/src/m_perfstats.c
@@ -577,8 +577,7 @@ static void PS_CountThinkers(void)
 	ps_removecount.value.i = 0;
 	for (thinker = thinkercap.next; thinker != &thinkercap; thinker = thinker->next)
 	{
-		if (thinker->function.acp1 != (actionf_p1)P_NullPrecipThinker)
-			ps_thinkercount.value.i++;
+		ps_thinkercount.value.i++;
 
 		if (thinker->function.acp1 == (actionf_p1)P_RemoveThinkerDelayed)
 			ps_removecount.value.i++;
@@ -593,11 +592,18 @@ static void PS_CountThinkers(void)
 			else
 				ps_regularcount.value.i++;
 		}
-		else if (thinker->function.acp1 == (actionf_p1)P_NullPrecipThinker)
-			ps_precipcount.value.i++;
 		else
 			ps_otherthcount.value.i++;
 	}
+
+	for (thinker = precipcap.next; thinker != &precipcap; thinker = thinker->next)
+	{
+		if (thinker->function.acp1 != (actionf_p1)P_NullPrecipThinker)
+			continue; // not a precipmobj thinker
+
+		ps_precipcount.value.i++;
+	}
+
 	/*for (i = 0; i < NUM_THINKERLISTS; i++)
 	{
 		for (thinker = thlist[i].next; thinker != &thlist[i]; thinker = thinker->next)
diff --git a/src/p_local.h b/src/p_local.h
index ea0bff603..acb62ad67 100644
--- a/src/p_local.h
+++ b/src/p_local.h
@@ -66,10 +66,12 @@
 
 // both the head and tail of the thinker list
 extern thinker_t thinkercap;
+extern thinker_t precipcap;
 extern mobj_t *mobjcache;
 
 void P_InitThinkers(void);
 void P_AddThinker(thinker_t *thinker);
+void P_AddPrecipThinker(thinker_t *thinker);
 void P_RemoveThinker(thinker_t *thinker);
 void P_UnlinkThinker(thinker_t *thinker);
 
diff --git a/src/p_mobj.c b/src/p_mobj.c
index 03e7e9f99..c9a316087 100644
--- a/src/p_mobj.c
+++ b/src/p_mobj.c
@@ -10003,7 +10003,7 @@ static precipmobj_t *P_SpawnPrecipMobj(fixed_t x, fixed_t y, fixed_t z, mobjtype
 	mobj->momz = cv_mobjscaleprecip.value ? FixedMul(info->speed, mapobjectscale) : info->speed;
 
 	mobj->thinker.function.acp1 = (actionf_p1)P_NullPrecipThinker;
-	P_AddThinker(&mobj->thinker);
+	P_AddPrecipThinker(&mobj->thinker);
 
 	CalculatePrecipFloor(mobj);
 
diff --git a/src/p_saveg.c b/src/p_saveg.c
index 898a53d68..7bdea61b4 100644
--- a/src/p_saveg.c
+++ b/src/p_saveg.c
@@ -1680,8 +1680,7 @@ static void P_NetArchiveThinkers(savebuffer_t *save)
 	// save off the current thinkers
 	for (th = thinkercap.next; th != &thinkercap; th = th->next)
 	{
-		if (!(th->function.acp1 == (actionf_p1)P_RemoveThinkerDelayed
-		 || th->function.acp1 == (actionf_p1)P_NullPrecipThinker))
+		if (th->function.acp1 != (actionf_p1)P_RemoveThinkerDelayed)
 			numsaved++;
 
 		if (th->function.acp1 == (actionf_p1)P_MobjThinker)
@@ -1689,9 +1688,6 @@ static void P_NetArchiveThinkers(savebuffer_t *save)
 			SaveMobjThinker(save, th, tc_mobj);
 			continue;
 		}
-#ifdef PARANOIA
-		else if (th->function.acp1 == (actionf_p1)P_NullPrecipThinker);
-#endif
 		else if (th->function.acp1 == (actionf_p1)T_MoveCeiling)
 		{
 			SaveCeilingThinker(save, th, tc_ceiling);
@@ -2671,6 +2667,8 @@ static void P_NetUnArchiveThinkers(savebuffer_t *save)
 {
 	thinker_t *currentthinker;
 	thinker_t *next;
+	thinker_t *currentprecipthinker;
+	thinker_t *nextprecip;
 	UINT8 tclass;
 	UINT8 restoreNum = false;
 	UINT32 i;
@@ -2685,7 +2683,7 @@ static void P_NetUnArchiveThinkers(savebuffer_t *save)
 	{
 		next = currentthinker->next;
 
-		if (currentthinker->function.acp1 == (actionf_p1)P_MobjThinker || currentthinker->function.acp1 == (actionf_p1)P_NullPrecipThinker)
+		if (currentthinker->function.acp1 == (actionf_p1)P_MobjThinker)
 			P_RemoveSavegameMobj((mobj_t *)currentthinker); // item isn't saved, don't remove it
 		else
 		{
@@ -2695,6 +2693,24 @@ static void P_NetUnArchiveThinkers(savebuffer_t *save)
 		}
 	}
 
+	// remove all the current precip thinkers
+	currentprecipthinker = precipcap.next;
+	for (currentprecipthinker = precipcap.next; currentprecipthinker != &precipcap; currentprecipthinker = nextprecip)
+	{
+		nextprecip = currentprecipthinker->next;
+
+#ifdef PARANOIA
+		if (currentprecipthinker->function.acp1 != (actionf_p1)P_NullPrecipThinker)
+		{
+			(next->prev = currentprecipthinker->prev)->next = nextprecip;
+			R_DestroyLevelInterpolators(currentprecipthinker);
+			Z_Free(currentprecipthinker);
+		}
+		else
+#endif
+			P_RemoveSavegameMobj((mobj_t *)currentprecipthinker); // item isn't saved, don't remove it
+	}
+
 	// we don't want the removed mobjs to come back
 	iquetail = iquehead = 0;
 	P_InitThinkers();
diff --git a/src/p_spec.c b/src/p_spec.c
index d272764be..fc25a94ad 100644
--- a/src/p_spec.c
+++ b/src/p_spec.c
@@ -1779,12 +1779,14 @@ void P_SwitchWeather(INT32 weathernum)
 		thinker_t *next;
 		precipmobj_t *precipmobj;
 
-		for (think = thinkercap.next; think != &thinkercap; think = next)
+		for (think = precipcap.next; think != &precipcap; think = next)
 		{
 			next = think->next;
 
+#ifdef PARANOIA
 			if (think->function.acp1 != (actionf_p1)P_NullPrecipThinker)
 				continue; // not a precipmobj thinker
+#endif
 
 			precipmobj = (precipmobj_t *)think;
 			P_FreePrecipMobj(precipmobj);
@@ -1796,10 +1798,12 @@ void P_SwitchWeather(INT32 weathernum)
 		precipmobj_t *precipmobj;
 		state_t *st;
 
-		for (think = thinkercap.next; think != &thinkercap; think = think->next)
+		for (think = precipcap.next; think != &precipcap; think = think->next)
 		{
+#ifdef PARANOIA
 			if (think->function.acp1 != (actionf_p1)P_NullPrecipThinker)
 				continue; // not a precipmobj thinker
+#endif
 
 			precipmobj = (precipmobj_t *)think;
 
diff --git a/src/p_tick.c b/src/p_tick.c
index 3b0cadde8..aec4aba20 100644
--- a/src/p_tick.c
+++ b/src/p_tick.c
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ tic_t leveltime;
 
 // Both the head and tail of the thinker list.
 thinker_t thinkercap;
+thinker_t precipcap;
 
 void Command_Numthinkers_f(void)
 {
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ void Command_Numthinkers_f(void)
 	INT32 count = 0;
 	actionf_p1 action;
 	thinker_t *think;
+	thinker_t *listtype;
 
 	if (gamestate != GS_LEVEL)
 	{
@@ -104,7 +106,9 @@ void Command_Numthinkers_f(void)
 			return;
 	}
 
-	for (think = thinkercap.next; think != &thinkercap; think = think->next)
+	listtype = (num == 2) ? &precipcap : &thinkercap;
+
+	for (think = listtype->next; think != listtype; think = think->next)
 	{
 		if (think->function.acp1 != action)
 			continue;
@@ -181,6 +185,7 @@ void Command_CountMobjs_f(void)
 void P_InitThinkers(void)
 {
 	thinkercap.prev = thinkercap.next = &thinkercap;
+	precipcap.prev = precipcap.next = &precipcap;
 	waypointcap = NULL;
 }
 
@@ -200,6 +205,22 @@ void P_AddThinker(thinker_t *thinker)
 	thinker->cachable = (thinker->function.acp1 == (actionf_p1)P_MobjThinker);
 }
 
+//
+// P_AddPrecipThinker
+// Adds a new precip thinker at the end of the list.
+//
+void P_AddPrecipThinker(thinker_t *thinker)
+{
+	precipcap.prev->next = thinker;
+	thinker->next = &precipcap;
+	thinker->prev = precipcap.prev;
+	precipcap.prev = thinker;
+
+	thinker->references = 0;    // killough 11/98: init reference counter to 0
+
+	thinker->cachable = false;
+}
+
 //
 // killough 11/98:
 //
@@ -341,8 +362,6 @@ static inline void P_RunThinkers(void)
 {
 	for (currentthinker = thinkercap.next; currentthinker != &thinkercap; currentthinker = currentthinker->next)
 	{
-		if (currentthinker->function.acp1 == (actionf_p1)P_NullPrecipThinker)
-			continue;
 #ifdef PARANOIA
 		I_Assert(currentthinker->function.acp1 != NULL)
 #endif
diff --git a/src/r_main.c b/src/r_main.c
index 9541fef41..51c590d46 100644
--- a/src/r_main.c
+++ b/src/r_main.c
@@ -284,12 +284,14 @@ static void Precipstuff_OnChange(void)
 	thinker_t *next;
 	precipmobj_t *precipmobj;
 
-	for (think = thinkercap.next; think != &thinkercap; think = next)
+	for (think = precipcap.next; think != &precipcap; think = next)
 	{
 		next = think->next;
 
+#ifdef PARANOIA
 		if (think->function.acp1 != (actionf_p1)P_NullPrecipThinker)
 			continue; // not a precipmobj thinker
+#endif
 
 		precipmobj = (precipmobj_t *)think;
 		P_FreePrecipMobj(precipmobj);
diff --git a/src/r_things.c b/src/r_things.c
index 94d108fec..f4638c5b1 100644
--- a/src/r_things.c
+++ b/src/r_things.c
@@ -1969,14 +1969,20 @@ void R_AddSprites(sector_t *sec, INT32 lightlevel)
 //
 void R_AddPrecipitationSprites(void)
 {
-	fixed_t precipscale = (cv_mobjscaleprecip.value ? mapobjectscale : FRACUNIT);
-	fixed_t drawdist = ((fixed_t)(cv_drawdist_precip.value) * precipscale);
-
 	INT32 xl, xh, yl, yh, bx, by;
 	precipmobj_t *th, *next;
 
+	// save a little time if theres no or invisible weather
+	if (curWeather == PRECIP_NONE || curWeather == PRECIP_BLANK || curWeather == PRECIP_STORM_NORAIN)
+	{
+		return;
+	}
+
+	const fixed_t precipscale = (cv_mobjscaleprecip.value ? mapobjectscale : FRACUNIT);
+	const fixed_t drawdist = ((fixed_t)(cv_drawdist_precip.value) * precipscale);
+
 	// no, no infinite draw distance for precipitation. this option at zero is supposed to turn it off
-	if (drawdist == 0 || curWeather == PRECIP_BLANK || curWeather == PRECIP_STORM_NORAIN)
+	if (drawdist == 0)
 	{
 		return;
 	}