diff --git a/src/game/bg.c b/src/game/bg.c
index d1569bdc4..ea4d08784 100644
--- a/src/game/bg.c
+++ b/src/game/bg.c
@@ -135,6 +135,9 @@ s32 g_BgMostAttemptedDrawSlots = 0;
 s32 g_BgNumRoomLoadCandidates = 0;
 u16 g_BgFrameCount = 0xfffe;
 s32 g_BgNumPortalCameraCacheItems = 0;
+#ifndef PLATFORM_N64
+bool g_BgHitXluDisabled = false;
+#endif
 
 void bgUnpausePropsInRoom(u32 roomnum, bool tintedglassonly)
 {
@@ -4590,6 +4593,10 @@ bool bgTestHitInRoom(struct coord *frompos, struct coord *topos, s32 roomnum, st
 	numbatches = g_Rooms[roomnum].numvtxbatches;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < numbatches; batch++, i++) {
+#ifndef PLATFORM_N64
+		if (g_BgHitXluDisabled && batch->type == VTXBATCHTYPE_XLU)
+			continue;
+#endif
 		j = bg0f1612e4(&batch->bbmin, &batch->bbmax, &from, &dist, &sp94, &hitthing->pos);
 
 		if (j == 0) {
@@ -6417,6 +6424,10 @@ void bgCalculateGlaresForVisibleRooms(void)
 
 	g_NumRoomsWithGlares = 0;
 
+	// disable line-of-sight hits for transparent background
+	// surfaces before testing for light obstructions
+	g_BgHitXluDisabled = true;
+
 	if (!g_Vars.mplayerisrunning) {
 		for (i = 1; i < g_Vars.roomcount; i++) {
 			if (g_Rooms[i].flags & ROOMFLAG_ONSCREEN) {
@@ -6427,6 +6438,9 @@ void bgCalculateGlaresForVisibleRooms(void)
 			}
 		}
 	}
+
+	// re-enable background hits for transparent surfaces
+	g_BgHitXluDisabled = false;
 }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/game/prop.c b/src/game/prop.c
index 511f7a6d3..bf9a69a2c 100644
--- a/src/game/prop.c
+++ b/src/game/prop.c
@@ -983,7 +983,7 @@ struct prop *shotCalculateHits(s32 handnum, bool isshooting, struct coord *gunpo
 bool shotTestLos(struct coord *gunpos2d, struct coord *gundir2d, struct coord *gunpos3d, struct coord *gundir3d, struct coord *endpos3d)
 {
 	struct prop **propptr;
-	struct hitthing sp664;
+	struct hitthing hitthing;
 	struct coord delta;
 	struct shotdata shotdata;
 	s32 i;
@@ -1042,11 +1042,11 @@ bool shotTestLos(struct coord *gunpos2d, struct coord *gundir2d, struct coord *g
 
 	// Check for BG hits first
 	for (i = 0; rooms[i] != -1; i++) {
-		if (bgTestHitInRoom(&shotdata.gunpos3d, endpos3d, rooms[i], &sp664)) {
+		if (bgTestHitInRoom(&shotdata.gunpos3d, endpos3d, rooms[i], &hitthing)) {
 			// check if it's far enough away from the end point
-			if (fabsf(sp664.pos.x - endpos3d->x) >= 0.1f ||
-					fabsf(sp664.pos.y - endpos3d->y) >= 0.1f ||
-					fabsf(sp664.pos.z - endpos3d->z) >= 0.1f) {
+			if (fabsf(hitthing.pos.x - endpos3d->x) >= 0.1f ||
+					fabsf(hitthing.pos.y - endpos3d->y) >= 0.1f ||
+					fabsf(hitthing.pos.z - endpos3d->z) >= 0.1f) {
 				return false;
 			}
 		}