diff --git a/src/hardware/hw_main.c b/src/hardware/hw_main.c
index 6a06bc4e8..435a09008 100644
--- a/src/hardware/hw_main.c
+++ b/src/hardware/hw_main.c
@@ -3205,6 +3205,8 @@ static boolean HWR_DoCulling(line_t *cullheight, line_t *viewcullheight, float v
 	return false;
 }
 
+static patch_t *shadowpatch = NULL;
+
 static void HWR_DrawDropShadow(mobj_t *thing, fixed_t scale)
 {
 	patch_t *gpatch;
@@ -3243,7 +3245,12 @@ static void HWR_DrawDropShadow(mobj_t *thing, fixed_t scale)
 
 	groundz = R_GetShadowZ(thing, &groundslope);
 
-	gpatch = (patch_t *)W_CachePatchName("DSHADOW", PU_SPRITE);
+	if (shadowpatch == NULL)
+	{
+		shadowpatch = (patch_t *)W_CachePatchName("DSHADOW", PU_STATIC);
+	}
+
+	gpatch = shadowpatch;
 	if (!(gpatch && ((GLPatch_t *)gpatch->hardware)->mipmap->format)) return;
 	HWR_GetPatch(gpatch);
 
diff --git a/src/r_things.cpp b/src/r_things.cpp
index f37ced90f..3d6f71e4f 100644
--- a/src/r_things.cpp
+++ b/src/r_things.cpp
@@ -1443,6 +1443,8 @@ static void R_SkewShadowSprite(
 	*shadowskew = xslope;
 }
 
+static patch_t *shadowpatch = NULL;
+
 static void R_ProjectDropShadow(
 	mobj_t *thing, vissprite_t *vis,
 	fixed_t scale, fixed_t tx, fixed_t tz)
@@ -1468,7 +1470,12 @@ static void R_ProjectDropShadow(
 		R_InterpolateMobjState(thing, FRACUNIT, &interp);
 	}
 
-	patch = static_cast<patch_t*>(W_CachePatchName("DSHADOW", PU_SPRITE));
+	if (shadowpatch == NULL)
+	{
+		shadowpatch = static_cast<patch_t*>(W_CachePatchName("DSHADOW", PU_STATIC));
+	}
+
+	patch = shadowpatch;
 	xscale = FixedDiv(projection[viewssnum], tz);
 	yscale = FixedDiv(projectiony[viewssnum], tz);
 	shadowxscale = FixedMul(thing->radius*2, scale);