diff --git a/libs/render/RenderableGeometry.h b/libs/render/RenderableGeometry.h
index 0d56a478e1..cbc7891cf7 100644
--- a/libs/render/RenderableGeometry.h
+++ b/libs/render/RenderableGeometry.h
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 #include <vector>
 #include "igeometryrenderer.h"
-#include "isurfacerenderer.h"
 #include "irenderableobject.h"
 #include "irender.h"
 
@@ -117,7 +116,7 @@ class RenderableGeometry :
     RenderableGeometry(const RenderableGeometry& other) = delete;
     RenderableGeometry& operator=(const RenderableGeometry& other) = delete;
 
-    virtual ~RenderableGeometry()
+    virtual ~RenderableGeometry() override
     {
         clear();
     }
@@ -127,9 +126,7 @@ class RenderableGeometry :
     // to be different from the last update.
     void update(const ShaderPtr& shader)
     {
-        bool shaderChanged = _shader != shader;
-
-        if (shaderChanged)
+        if (_shader != shader)
         {
             clear();
         }
diff --git a/radiantcore/particles/RenderableParticle.cpp b/radiantcore/particles/RenderableParticle.cpp
index 41f53afbbe..fdf60cfb66 100644
--- a/radiantcore/particles/RenderableParticle.cpp
+++ b/radiantcore/particles/RenderableParticle.cpp
@@ -49,9 +49,16 @@ void RenderableParticle::update(const Matrix4& viewRotation, const Matrix4& loca
                 continue;
             }
 
-            // Update the particle geometry
+            // Update the particle quads
             stage->update(time, invViewRotation);
 
+            // Check if the stage is empty, otherwise remove any geometry
+            if (stage->getNumQuads() == 0)
+            {
+                stage->clear();
+                continue;
+            }
+
             // Attach the geometry to the shader
             stage->submitGeometry(pair.second.shader, localToWorld);
 
diff --git a/radiantcore/particles/RenderableParticleStage.cpp b/radiantcore/particles/RenderableParticleStage.cpp
index 1bd07bf004..8e759a8faa 100644
--- a/radiantcore/particles/RenderableParticleStage.cpp
+++ b/radiantcore/particles/RenderableParticleStage.cpp
@@ -75,13 +75,18 @@ void RenderableParticleStage::submitGeometry(const ShaderPtr& shader, const Matr
     RenderableGeometry::update(shader);
 }
 
+std::size_t RenderableParticleStage::getNumQuads() const
+{
+    return (_bunches[0] ? _bunches[0]->getNumQuads() : 0) +
+           (_bunches[1] ? _bunches[1]->getNumQuads() : 0);
+}
+
 void RenderableParticleStage::updateGeometry()
 {
     std::vector<render::RenderVertex> vertices;
     std::vector<unsigned int> indices;
 
-    auto numQuads = (_bunches[0] ? _bunches[0]->getNumQuads() : 0) +
-                    (_bunches[1] ? _bunches[1]->getNumQuads() : 0);
+    auto numQuads = getNumQuads();
 
     if (numQuads == 0)
     {
@@ -169,7 +174,7 @@ void RenderableParticleStage::ensureBunches(std::size_t localTimeMSec)
 	{
 		// This is the only active bunch (the first one), there is no previous cycle
 		// it's possible that this one is already existing.
-		if (_bunches[0] == NULL || _bunches[0]->getIndex() != curCycleIndex)
+		if (!_bunches[0] || _bunches[0]->getIndex() != curCycleIndex)
 		{
 			// First bunch is not matching, re-assign
 			_bunches[0] = createBunch(curCycleIndex);
@@ -194,7 +199,7 @@ void RenderableParticleStage::ensureBunches(std::size_t localTimeMSec)
 			// We've exceeded the maximum number of cycles
 			_bunches[0].reset();
 		}
-		else if (cur != NULL)
+		else if (cur)
 		{
 			_bunches[0] = cur;
 		}
@@ -208,7 +213,7 @@ void RenderableParticleStage::ensureBunches(std::size_t localTimeMSec)
 			// We've exceeded the maximum number of cycles
 			_bunches[1].reset();
 		}
-		else if (prev != NULL)
+		else if (prev)
 		{
 			_bunches[1] = prev;
 		}
@@ -221,8 +226,8 @@ void RenderableParticleStage::ensureBunches(std::size_t localTimeMSec)
 
 RenderableParticleBunchPtr RenderableParticleStage::createBunch(std::size_t cycleIndex)
 {
-	return RenderableParticleBunchPtr(new RenderableParticleBunch(
-		cycleIndex, getSeed(cycleIndex), _stageDef, _viewRotation, _direction, _entityColour));
+	return std::make_shared<RenderableParticleBunch>(cycleIndex, getSeed(cycleIndex), 
+        _stageDef, _viewRotation, _direction, _entityColour);
 }
 
 Rand48::result_type RenderableParticleStage::getSeed(std::size_t cycleIndex)
@@ -232,11 +237,12 @@ Rand48::result_type RenderableParticleStage::getSeed(std::size_t cycleIndex)
 
 RenderableParticleBunchPtr RenderableParticleStage::getExistingBunchByIndex(std::size_t index)
 {
-	if (_bunches[0] != NULL && _bunches[0]->getIndex() == index)
+	if (_bunches[0] && _bunches[0]->getIndex() == index)
 	{
 		return _bunches[0];
 	}
-	else if (_bunches[1] != NULL && _bunches[1]->getIndex() == index)
+
+    if (_bunches[1] && _bunches[1]->getIndex() == index)
 	{
 		return _bunches[1];
 	}
@@ -246,13 +252,13 @@ RenderableParticleBunchPtr RenderableParticleStage::getExistingBunchByIndex(std:
 
 void RenderableParticleStage::calculateBounds()
 {
-	if (_bunches[0] != NULL)
+	if (_bunches[0])
 	{
 		// Get one of our seed values
 		_bounds.includeAABB(_bunches[0]->getBounds());
 	}
 
-	if (_bunches[1] != NULL)
+	if (_bunches[1])
 	{
 		_bounds.includeAABB(_bunches[1]->getBounds());
 	}
diff --git a/radiantcore/particles/RenderableParticleStage.h b/radiantcore/particles/RenderableParticleStage.h
index 65feb86ec5..193d0d7d49 100644
--- a/radiantcore/particles/RenderableParticleStage.h
+++ b/radiantcore/particles/RenderableParticleStage.h
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@ class RenderableParticleStage :
     /// Return the stage definition associated with this renderable
 	const IStageDef& getDef() const;
 
+    // Returns the number of quads in this stage
+    std::size_t getNumQuads() const;
+
 protected:
     void updateGeometry() override;