diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp
index 117830c09..ec5398309 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/animation.cpp
@@ -1272,8 +1272,7 @@ void Animation::addEffect(const std::string &model, int effectId, bool loop, con
     else
         params.mObjects = NifOgre::Loader::createObjects(mSkelBase, bonename, "", mInsert, model);
 
-    // TODO: turn off shadow casting
-    setRenderProperties(params.mObjects, RV_Misc,
+    setRenderProperties(params.mObjects, RV_Effects,
                         RQG_Main, RQG_Alpha, 0.f, false, NULL);
 
     params.mLoop = loop;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/effectmanager.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/effectmanager.cpp
index a48dea8d5..503a0223e 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/effectmanager.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/effectmanager.cpp
@@ -25,8 +25,7 @@ void EffectManager::addEffect(const std::string &model, std::string textureOverr
 
     NifOgre::ObjectScenePtr scene = NifOgre::Loader::createObjects(sceneNode, model);
 
-    // TODO: turn off shadow casting
-    MWRender::Animation::setRenderProperties(scene, RV_Misc,
+    MWRender::Animation::setRenderProperties(scene, RV_Effects,
                         RQG_Main, RQG_Alpha, 0.f, false, NULL);
 
     for(size_t i = 0;i < scene->mControllers.size();i++)
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/refraction.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/refraction.cpp
index 164380866..6cc49089a 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/refraction.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/refraction.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ namespace MWRender
         Ogre::Viewport* vp = mRenderTarget->addViewport(mCamera);
         vp->setOverlaysEnabled(false);
         vp->setShadowsEnabled(false);
-        vp->setVisibilityMask(RV_Actors + RV_Misc + RV_Statics + RV_StaticsSmall + RV_Terrain + RV_Sky + RV_FirstPerson);
+        vp->setVisibilityMask(RV_Refraction);
         vp->setMaterialScheme("water_refraction");
         vp->setBackgroundColour (Ogre::ColourValue(0.090195, 0.115685, 0.12745));
         mRenderTarget->setAutoUpdated(true);
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/renderconst.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/renderconst.hpp
index 44599ebee..4ac21ad51 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/renderconst.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/renderconst.hpp
@@ -30,39 +30,44 @@ enum RenderQueueGroups
 enum VisibilityFlags
 {
     // Terrain
-    RV_Terrain = 1,
+    RV_Terrain = (1<<0),
 
     // Statics (e.g. trees, houses)
-    RV_Statics = 2,
+    RV_Statics = (1<<1),
 
     // Small statics
-    RV_StaticsSmall = 4,
+    RV_StaticsSmall = (1<<2),
 
     // Water
-    RV_Water = 8,
+    RV_Water = (1<<3),
 
     // Actors (npcs, creatures)
-    RV_Actors = 16,
+    RV_Actors = (1<<4),
 
     // Misc objects (containers, dynamic objects)
-    RV_Misc = 32,
+    RV_Misc = (1<<5),
 
-    RV_Sky = 64,
+    // VFX, don't appear on map and don't cast shadows
+    RV_Effects = (1<<6),
+
+    RV_Sky = (1<<7),
 
     // not visible in reflection
-    RV_NoReflection = 128,
+    RV_NoReflection = (1<<8),
 
-    RV_OcclusionQuery = 256,
+    RV_OcclusionQuery = (1<<9),
 
-    RV_Debug = 512,
+    RV_Debug = (1<<10),
 
     // overlays, we only want these on the main render target
-    RV_Overlay = 1024,
+    RV_Overlay = (1<<11),
 
     // First person meshes do not cast shadows
-    RV_FirstPerson = 2048,
+    RV_FirstPerson = (1<<12),
+
+    RV_Map = RV_Terrain + RV_Statics + RV_StaticsSmall + RV_Misc + RV_Water,
 
-    RV_Map = RV_Terrain + RV_Statics + RV_StaticsSmall + RV_Misc + RV_Water
+    RV_Refraction = RV_Actors + RV_Misc + RV_Statics + RV_StaticsSmall + RV_Terrain + RV_Effects + RV_Sky + RV_FirstPerson
 };
 
 }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/water.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/water.cpp
index 9960b7b21..44e184269 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/water.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/water.cpp
@@ -420,6 +420,7 @@ void Water::applyVisibilityMask()
     mVisibilityFlags = RV_Terrain * Settings::Manager::getBool("reflect terrain", "Water")
                         + (RV_Statics + RV_StaticsSmall + RV_Misc) * Settings::Manager::getBool("reflect statics", "Water")
                         + RV_Actors * Settings::Manager::getBool("reflect actors", "Water")
+                        + RV_Effects
                         + RV_Sky;
 
     if (mReflection)
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/projectilemanager.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/projectilemanager.cpp
index 41fbfea9f..7af51fd28 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/projectilemanager.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/projectilemanager.cpp
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
                 state.mObject->mControllers[i].setSource(Ogre::SharedPtr<MWRender::EffectAnimationTime> (new MWRender::EffectAnimationTime()));
         }
 
-        MWRender::Animation::setRenderProperties(state.mObject, MWRender::RV_Misc,
+        MWRender::Animation::setRenderProperties(state.mObject, MWRender::RV_Effects,
                             MWRender::RQG_Main, MWRender::RQG_Alpha, 0.f, false, NULL);
     }