diff --git a/source/src/clientgame.cpp b/source/src/clientgame.cpp
index ae8b7c0b..94da22a5 100644
--- a/source/src/clientgame.cpp
+++ b/source/src/clientgame.cpp
@@ -127,7 +127,8 @@ void newteam(char *name)
     else conoutf("your team is: %s", player1->team);
 }
 
-void newskin(int skin) { player1->nextskin = skin; }
+VARNP(skin, nextskin, 0, 0, 1000);
+
 int curteam() { return team_int(player1->team); }
 int currole() { return player1->clientrole; }
 int curmode() { return gamemode; }
@@ -139,7 +140,6 @@ void curmap(int cleaned)
 
 COMMANDN(team, newteam, ARG_1STR);
 COMMANDN(name, newname, ARG_1STR);
-COMMANDN(skin, newskin, ARG_1INT);
 COMMAND(curteam, ARG_IVAL);
 COMMAND(currole, ARG_IVAL);
 COMMAND(curmode, ARG_IVAL);
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ void spawnstate(playerent *d)              // reset player state not persistent
     d->spawnstate(gamemode);
     if(d==player1)
     {
-        if(player1->skin!=player1->nextskin) setskin(player1, player1->nextskin);
+        if(player1->skin!=nextskin) setskin(player1, nextskin);
         setscope(false);
     }
 }
diff --git a/source/src/clients2c.cpp b/source/src/clients2c.cpp
index 7583f30c..dcfd5106 100644
--- a/source/src/clients2c.cpp
+++ b/source/src/clients2c.cpp
@@ -348,7 +348,8 @@ void parsemessages(int cn, playerent *d, ucharbuf &p)
                 loopi(NUMGUNS) player1->mag[i] = getint(p);
                 player1->state = CS_ALIVE;
                 findplayerstart(player1, false, arenaspawn);
-                if(player1->skin!=player1->nextskin) setskin(player1, player1->nextskin);
+                extern int nextskin;
+                if(player1->skin!=nextskin) setskin(player1, nextskin);
                 arenaintermission = 0;
                 if(m_arena)
                 {
diff --git a/source/src/command.cpp b/source/src/command.cpp
index 5b254aba..3067fc18 100644
--- a/source/src/command.cpp
+++ b/source/src/command.cpp
@@ -821,7 +821,7 @@ void writecfg()
     FILE *f = openfile(path("config/saved.cfg", true), "w");
     if(!f) return;
     fprintf(f, "// automatically written on exit, DO NOT MODIFY\n// delete this file to have defaults.cfg overwrite these settings\n// modify settings in game, or put settings in autoexec.cfg to override anything\n\n");
-    fprintf(f, "name %s\nskin %d\n", player1->name, player1->nextskin);
+    fprintf(f, "name %s\n", player1->name);
     extern Texture *defaultcrosshair, *crosshairs[NUMGUNS];
     fprintf(f, "loadcrosshair %s\n", defaultcrosshair->name+strlen("packages/misc/crosshairs/"));
     loopi(NUMGUNS) if(crosshairs[i]) fprintf(f, "loadcrosshair %s %d\n", crosshairs[i]->name+strlen("packages/misc/crosshairs/"), i);
diff --git a/source/src/command.h b/source/src/command.h
index 3bafa176..8dc35bd1 100644
--- a/source/src/command.h
+++ b/source/src/command.h
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ enum { IEXC_CORE = 0, IEXC_CFG, IEXC_PROMPT, IEXC_MAPCFG, IEXC_NUM }; // script
 #define VARP(name, min, cur, max) int name = variable(#name, min, cur, max, &name, NULL, true)
 #define VAR(name, min, cur, max)  int name = variable(#name, min, cur, max, &name, NULL, false)
 #define VARN(name, global, min, cur, max) int global = variable(#name, min, cur, max, &global, NULL, false)
+#define VARNP(name, global, min, cur, max) int global = variable(#name, min, cur, max, &global, NULL, true)
 #define VARF(name, min, cur, max, body)  void var_##name(); int name = variable(#name, min, cur, max, &name, var_##name, false); void var_##name() { body; }
 #define VARFP(name, min, cur, max, body) void var_##name(); int name = variable(#name, min, cur, max, &name, var_##name, true); void var_##name() { body; }
 
diff --git a/source/src/entity.h b/source/src/entity.h
index 1e4e7fac..1c75bf23 100644
--- a/source/src/entity.h
+++ b/source/src/entity.h
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ struct playerent : dynent, playerstate
     string name, team;
     int weaponchanging;
     int nextweapon; // weapon we switch to
-    int skin, nextskin; // skin after respawning
+    int skin;
     int spectatemode, followplayercn;
     int eardamagemillis;
     int respawnoffset;
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ struct playerent : dynent, playerstate
     vec head;
 
     playerent() : clientnum(-1), lastupdate(0), plag(0), ping(0), lifesequence(0), frags(0), flagscore(0), deaths(0), lastpain(0), lastvoicecom(0), clientrole(CR_DEFAULT),
-                  skin(0), nextskin(0), spectatemode(SM_NONE), followplayercn(-1), eardamagemillis(0), respawnoffset(0),
+                  skin(0), spectatemode(SM_NONE), followplayercn(-1), eardamagemillis(0), respawnoffset(0),
                   prevweaponsel(NULL), weaponsel(NULL), nextweaponsel(NULL), primweap(NULL), nextprimweap(NULL), lastattackweapon(NULL),
                   smoothmillis(-1),
                   head(-1, -1, -1)