diff --git a/components/nifosg/particle.cpp b/components/nifosg/particle.cpp
index c6e5fa9a8..c86a79af8 100644
--- a/components/nifosg/particle.cpp
+++ b/components/nifosg/particle.cpp
@@ -81,8 +81,8 @@ void ParticleShooter::shoot(osgParticle::Particle *particle) const
 {
     float hdir = mHorizontalDir + mHorizontalAngle * (2.f * (std::rand() / static_cast<double>(RAND_MAX)) - 1.f);
     float vdir = mVerticalDir + mVerticalAngle * (2.f * (std::rand() / static_cast<double>(RAND_MAX)) - 1.f);
-    float vdir2 = mVerticalDir + mVerticalAngle * (2.f * (std::rand() / static_cast<double>(RAND_MAX)) - 1.f);
-    osg::Vec3f dir = (osg::Quat(vdir2, osg::Vec3f(1,0,0)) * osg::Quat(vdir, osg::Vec3f(0,1,0)) * osg::Quat(hdir, osg::Vec3f(0,0,1)))
+
+    osg::Vec3f dir = (osg::Quat(vdir, osg::Vec3f(0,1,0)) * osg::Quat(hdir, osg::Vec3f(0,0,1)))
              * osg::Vec3f(0,0,1);
 
     float vel = mMinSpeed + (mMaxSpeed - mMinSpeed) * std::rand() / static_cast<float>(RAND_MAX);