diff --git a/game/game/definitions/particlesdefinitions.cpp b/game/game/definitions/particlesdefinitions.cpp
index b87156bd7..bab19aa5e 100644
--- a/game/game/definitions/particlesdefinitions.cpp
+++ b/game/game/definitions/particlesdefinitions.cpp
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ ParticlesDefinitions::~ParticlesDefinitions() {
   vm->clearReferences(Daedalus::IC_Pfx);
   }
 
-const ParticleFx* ParticlesDefinitions::get(std::string_view name) {
+const ParticleFx* ParticlesDefinitions::get(std::string_view name, bool relaxed) {
   if(name.empty())
     return nullptr;
 
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ const ParticleFx* ParticlesDefinitions::get(std::string_view name) {
     name = name.substr(0,name.size()-4);
 
   std::lock_guard<std::recursive_mutex> guard(sync);
-  return implGet(name);
+  return implGet(name,relaxed);
   }
 
 const ParticleFx* ParticlesDefinitions::get(const ParticleFx* base, const VisualFx::Key* key) {
@@ -34,13 +34,13 @@ const ParticleFx* ParticlesDefinitions::get(const ParticleFx* base, const Visual
   return implGet(*base,*key);
   }
 
-const ParticleFx* ParticlesDefinitions::implGet(std::string_view name) {
+const ParticleFx* ParticlesDefinitions::implGet(std::string_view name, bool relaxed) {
   auto cname = std::string(name);
   auto it    = pfx.find(cname);
   if(it!=pfx.end())
     return it->second.get();
   Daedalus::GEngineClasses::C_ParticleFX decl={};
-  if(!implGet(name,decl))
+  if(!implGet(name,decl,relaxed))
     return nullptr;
   std::unique_ptr<ParticleFx> p{new ParticleFx(decl,name)};
   auto elt = pfx.insert(std::make_pair(std::move(cname),std::move(p)));
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@ const ParticleFx* ParticlesDefinitions::implGet(const ParticleFx& base, const Vi
   }
 
 bool ParticlesDefinitions::implGet(std::string_view name,
-                                   Daedalus::GEngineClasses::C_ParticleFX& ret) {
+                                   Daedalus::GEngineClasses::C_ParticleFX& ret,
+                                   bool relaxed) {
   if(!vm || name.empty())
     return false;
 
@@ -68,7 +69,8 @@ bool ParticlesDefinitions::implGet(std::string_view name,
   std::snprintf(buf,sizeof(buf),"%.*s",int(name.size()),name.data());
   auto id = vm->getDATFile().getSymbolIndexByName(buf);
   if(id==size_t(-1)) {
-    Log::e("invalid particle system: \"",buf,"\"");
+    if(!relaxed)
+      Log::e("invalid particle system: \"",buf,"\"");
     return false;
     }
 
diff --git a/game/game/definitions/particlesdefinitions.h b/game/game/definitions/particlesdefinitions.h
index 7759b7b9e..9ef06eb07 100644
--- a/game/game/definitions/particlesdefinitions.h
+++ b/game/game/definitions/particlesdefinitions.h
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ class ParticlesDefinitions final {
     ParticlesDefinitions();
     ~ParticlesDefinitions();
 
-    const ParticleFx* get(std::string_view name);
+    const ParticleFx* get(std::string_view name, bool relaxed);
     const ParticleFx* get(const ParticleFx* base, const VisualFx::Key* key);
 
   private:
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ class ParticlesDefinitions final {
     std::unordered_map<std::string,          std::unique_ptr<ParticleFx>> pfx;
     std::unordered_map<const VisualFx::Key*, std::unique_ptr<ParticleFx>> pfxKey;
 
-    const ParticleFx* implGet(std::string_view name);
+    const ParticleFx* implGet(std::string_view name, bool relaxed);
     const ParticleFx* implGet(const ParticleFx& base, const VisualFx::Key& key);
 
-    bool implGet(std::string_view name, Daedalus::GEngineClasses::C_ParticleFX &ret);
+    bool              implGet(std::string_view name, Daedalus::GEngineClasses::C_ParticleFX &ret, bool relaxed);
   };
diff --git a/game/gothic.cpp b/game/gothic.cpp
index c79ee5c2d..789fe0c8c 100644
--- a/game/gothic.cpp
+++ b/game/gothic.cpp
@@ -259,8 +259,8 @@ const VisualFx* Gothic::loadVisualFx(std::string_view name) {
   return vfxDef->get(name);
   }
 
-const ParticleFx* Gothic::loadParticleFx(std::string_view name) {
-  return particleDef->get(name);
+const ParticleFx* Gothic::loadParticleFx(std::string_view name, bool relaxed) {
+  return particleDef->get(name,relaxed);
   }
 
 const ParticleFx* Gothic::loadParticleFx(const ParticleFx* base, const VisualFx::Key* key) {
diff --git a/game/gothic.h b/game/gothic.h
index cf40554e3..4469e4e89 100644
--- a/game/gothic.h
+++ b/game/gothic.h
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ class Gothic final {
     SoundFx*     loadSoundFx   (std::string_view name);
     SoundFx*     loadSoundWavFx(std::string_view name);
 
-    auto         loadParticleFx(std::string_view name) -> const ParticleFx*;
+    auto         loadParticleFx(std::string_view name, bool relaxed=false) -> const ParticleFx*;
     auto         loadParticleFx(const ParticleFx* base, const VisualFx::Key* key) -> const ParticleFx*;
     auto         loadVisualFx  (std::string_view name) -> const VisualFx*;
 
diff --git a/game/world/world.cpp b/game/world/world.cpp
index cb2c422cd..4f0882af5 100644
--- a/game/world/world.cpp
+++ b/game/world/world.cpp
@@ -720,7 +720,7 @@ Sound World::addHitEffect(std::string_view src, std::string_view dst, std::strin
   auto ret = Sound(*this,::Sound::T_Regular,buf,pos3,2500.f,false);
 
   std::snprintf(buf,sizeof(buf),"CPFX_%.*s_%.*s_%.*s", int(scheme.size()),scheme.data(), int(src.size()),src.data(), int(dst.size()),dst.data());
-  if(Gothic::inst().loadParticleFx(buf)==nullptr) {
+  if(Gothic::inst().loadParticleFx(buf,true)==nullptr) {
     if(dst=="ME")
       std::snprintf(buf,sizeof(buf),"CPFX_%.*s_%s",int(scheme.size()),scheme.data(),"METAL");
     else if(dst=="WO")
@@ -730,6 +730,9 @@ Sound World::addHitEffect(std::string_view src, std::string_view dst, std::strin
     else
       return ret;
     }
+  if(Gothic::inst().loadParticleFx(buf,true)==nullptr)
+    return ret;
+
   Effect e(PfxEmitter(*this,buf),"");
   e.setObjMatrix(pos);
   e.setActive(true);