diff --git a/code/__DEFINES/particle.dm b/code/__DEFINES/particle.dm
index f727af88bca7..41508a379239 100644
--- a/code/__DEFINES/particle.dm
+++ b/code/__DEFINES/particle.dm
@@ -1,9 +1,3 @@
-// /obj/effect/abstract/particle_holder/var/particle_flags
-// Flags that effect how a particle holder displays something
-
-/// If we're inside something inside a mob, display off that mob too
-#define PARTICLE_ATTACH_MOB (1<<0)
-
 #define DEBRIS_SPARKS "spark"
 #define DEBRIS_WOOD "wood"
 #define DEBRIS_ROCK "rock"
diff --git a/code/_globalvars/bitfields.dm b/code/_globalvars/bitfields.dm
index e3c1fb2d0402..6f7212f9d421 100644
--- a/code/_globalvars/bitfields.dm
+++ b/code/_globalvars/bitfields.dm
@@ -684,5 +684,3 @@ DEFINE_BITFIELD(insert_flags, list(
 	"PLAY_INSERT_SYNTH" = PLAY_INSERT_SYNTH,
 	"PLAY_INSERT_CO" = PLAY_INSERT_CO
 ))
-
-DEFINE_BITFIELD(particle_flags, list("PARTICLE_ATTACH_MOB" = PARTICLE_ATTACH_MOB))
diff --git a/code/game/objects/effects/particle_holder.dm b/code/game/objects/effects/particle_holder.dm
index 8c4773d6d3d8..8812e4281054 100644
--- a/code/game/objects/effects/particle_holder.dm
+++ b/code/game/objects/effects/particle_holder.dm
@@ -1,75 +1,74 @@
 ///objects can only have one particle on them at a time, so we use these abstract effects to hold and display the effects. You know, so multiple particle effects can exist at once.
 ///also because some objects do not display particles due to how their visuals are built
 /obj/effect/abstract/particle_holder
-	name = "particle holder"
-	desc = "How are you reading this? Please make a bug report :)"
-	appearance_flags = KEEP_APART|KEEP_TOGETHER|TILE_BOUND|PIXEL_SCALE|LONG_GLIDE|RESET_COLOR //movable appearance_flags plus KEEP_APART and KEEP_TOGETHER
-	vis_flags = VIS_INHERIT_PLANE
-	layer = ABOVE_FLY_LAYER
-	mouse_opacity = MOUSE_OPACITY_TRANSPARENT
 	anchored = TRUE
-	/// Holds info about how this particle emitter works
-	/// See \code\__DEFINES\particles.dm
-	var/particle_flags = NONE
-
-	var/atom/parent
+	mouse_opacity = MOUSE_OPACITY_TRANSPARENT
+	layer = FLY_LAYER
+	vis_flags = VIS_INHERIT_PLANE
+	appearance_flags = KEEP_APART|TILE_BOUND
+	///typepath of the last location we're in, if it's different when moved then we need to update vis contents
+	var/last_attached_location_type
+	///the main item we're attached to at the moment, particle holders hold particles for something
+	var/datum/weakref/weak_attached
+	///besides the item we're also sometimes attached to other stuff! (items held emitting particles on a mob)
+	var/datum/weakref/weak_additional
 
-/obj/effect/abstract/particle_holder/Initialize(mapload, particle_path, particle_flags = NONE)
+/obj/effect/abstract/particle_holder/Initialize(mapload, particle_path = null)
 	. = ..()
-	if(isnull(particle_path))
-		return INITIALIZE_HINT_QDEL
 	if(!loc)
 		stack_trace("particle holder was created with no loc!")
 		return INITIALIZE_HINT_QDEL
-
-	// We nullspace ourselves because some objects use their contents (e.g. storage) and some items may drop everything in their contents on deconstruct.
-	parent = loc
-	loc = null
-
-	// Mouse opacity can get set to opaque by some objects when placed into the object's contents (storage containers).
-	mouse_opacity = MOUSE_OPACITY_TRANSPARENT
-	src.particle_flags = particle_flags
-	particles = new particle_path()
-	// /atom doesn't have vis_contents, /turf and /atom/movable do
-	var/atom/movable/lie_about_areas = parent
-	lie_about_areas.vis_contents += src
-	RegisterSignal(parent, COMSIG_PARENT_QDELETING, PROC_REF(parent_deleted))
-
-	if(particle_flags & PARTICLE_ATTACH_MOB)
-		RegisterSignal(parent, COMSIG_MOVABLE_MOVED, PROC_REF(on_move))
-	on_move(parent, null, NORTH)
+	if(ismovable(loc))
+		RegisterSignal(loc, COMSIG_MOVABLE_MOVED, PROC_REF(on_move))
+	RegisterSignal(loc, COMSIG_PARENT_QDELETING, PROC_REF(on_qdel))
+	weak_attached = WEAKREF(loc)
+	if(particle_path)
+		particles = new particle_path
+	update_visual_contents(loc)
 
 /obj/effect/abstract/particle_holder/Destroy(force)
+	var/atom/movable/attached = weak_attached.resolve()
+	var/atom/movable/additional_attached
+	if(weak_additional)
+		additional_attached = weak_additional.resolve()
+	if(attached)
+		attached.vis_contents -= src
+		UnregisterSignal(loc, list(COMSIG_MOVABLE_MOVED, COMSIG_PARENT_QDELETING))
+	if(additional_attached)
+		additional_attached.vis_contents -= src
 	QDEL_NULL(particles)
-	parent = null
 	return ..()
 
-/// Non movables don't delete contents on destroy, so we gotta do this
-/obj/effect/abstract/particle_holder/proc/parent_deleted(datum/source)
-	SIGNAL_HANDLER
-	qdel(src)
-
-/// signal called when a parent that's been hooked into this moves
-/// does a variety of checks to ensure overrides work out properly
+///signal called when parent is moved
 /obj/effect/abstract/particle_holder/proc/on_move(atom/movable/attached, atom/oldloc, direction)
 	SIGNAL_HANDLER
+	if(attached.loc.type != last_attached_location_type)
+		update_visual_contents(attached)
 
-	if(!(particle_flags & PARTICLE_ATTACH_MOB))
-		return
+///signal called when parent is deleted
+/obj/effect/abstract/particle_holder/proc/on_qdel(atom/movable/attached, force)
+	SIGNAL_HANDLER
+	qdel(src)//our parent is gone and we need to be as well
 
+///logic proc for particle holders, aka where they move.
+///subtypes of particle holders can override this for particles that should always be turf level or do special things when repositioning.
+///this base subtype has some logic for items, as the loc of items becomes mobs very often hiding the particles
+/obj/effect/abstract/particle_holder/proc/update_visual_contents(atom/movable/attached_to)
 	//remove old
-	if(ismob(oldloc))
-		var/mob/particle_mob = oldloc
-		particle_mob.vis_contents -= src
-
-	// If we're sitting in a mob, we want to emit from it too, for vibes and shit
-	if(ismob(attached.loc))
-		var/mob/particle_mob = attached.loc
+	if(weak_additional)
+		var/atom/movable/resolved_location = weak_additional.resolve()
+		if(resolved_location)
+			resolved_location.vis_contents -= src
+	//add to new
+	if(isitem(attached_to) && ismob(attached_to.loc)) //special case we want to also be emitting from the mob
+		var/mob/particle_mob = attached_to.loc
+		last_attached_location_type = attached_to.loc
+		weak_additional = WEAKREF(particle_mob)
 		particle_mob.vis_contents += src
+	//readd to ourselves
+	attached_to.vis_contents |= src
 
-/// Sets the particles position to the passed coordinates
-/obj/effect/abstract/particle_holder/proc/set_particle_position(x = 0, y = 0, z = 0)
-	particles.position = list(x, y, z)
-
+/* Uncomment the day we need it
 /obj/effect/abstract/particle_holder/reset_transform
 	appearance_flags = KEEP_APART|TILE_BOUND|RESET_TRANSFORM
+*/