diff --git a/stepmania/src/Actor.cpp b/stepmania/src/Actor.cpp
index 097b68be01..5377522a25 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Actor.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/Actor.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ void Actor::Reset()
 	m_bTextureWrapping = false;
 	m_BlendMode = BLEND_NORMAL;
 	m_bClearZBuffer = false;
-	m_bUseZBuffer = false;
+	m_bZTest = false;
+	m_bZWrite = false;
 	m_bUseBackfaceCull = false;
 }
 
@@ -204,7 +205,8 @@ void Actor::SetRenderStates()
 	// set Actor-defined render states
 	DISPLAY->SetTextureWrapping( m_bTextureWrapping );
 	DISPLAY->SetBlendMode( m_BlendMode );
-	DISPLAY->SetZBuffer( m_bUseZBuffer );
+	DISPLAY->SetZWrite( m_bZWrite );
+	DISPLAY->SetZTest( m_bZTest );
 	if( m_bClearZBuffer )
 		DISPLAY->ClearZBuffer();
 	DISPLAY->SetBackfaceCull( m_bUseBackfaceCull );
@@ -821,6 +823,8 @@ void Actor::HandleCommand( const CStringArray &asTokens )
 	else if( sName=="additiveblend" )	SetBlendMode( bParam(1) ? BLEND_ADD : BLEND_NORMAL );
 	else if( sName=="blend" )			SetBlendMode( sParam(1) );
 	else if( sName=="zbuffer" )			SetUseZBuffer( bParam(1) );
+	else if( sName=="ztest" )			SetZTest( bParam(1) );
+	else if( sName=="zwrite" )			SetZWrite( bParam(1) );
 	else if( sName=="clearzbuffer" )	SetClearZBuffer( bParam(1) );
 	else if( sName=="hidden" )			SetHidden( bParam(1) );
 	else if( sName=="playcommand" )		sParam(1); /* nop: only BGAnimation handles this but everyone receives it */
diff --git a/stepmania/src/Actor.h b/stepmania/src/Actor.h
index 80ec7067ec..adae159353 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Actor.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/Actor.h
@@ -272,7 +272,9 @@ public:
 	virtual void SetBlendMode( CString );
 	virtual void SetTextureWrapping( bool b ) 	{ m_bTextureWrapping = b; } 
 	virtual void SetClearZBuffer( bool b ) 		{ m_bClearZBuffer = b; } 
-	virtual void SetUseZBuffer( bool b ) 		{ m_bUseZBuffer = b; } 
+	virtual void SetUseZBuffer( bool b ) 		{ SetZTest(b); SetZWrite(b); } 
+	virtual void SetZTest( bool b ) 			{ m_bZTest = b; } 
+	virtual void SetZWrite( bool b ) 			{ m_bZWrite = b; } 
 	virtual void SetUseBackfaceCull( bool b ) 	{ m_bUseBackfaceCull = b; } 
 
 	//
@@ -352,7 +354,7 @@ protected:
 	bool	m_bTextureWrapping;
 	BlendMode	m_BlendMode;
 	bool	m_bClearZBuffer;
-	bool	m_bUseZBuffer;
+	bool	m_bZTest, m_bZWrite;
 	bool	m_bUseBackfaceCull;
 };
 
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ActorFrame.cpp b/stepmania/src/ActorFrame.cpp
index a49f0e724a..01200d17e7 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ActorFrame.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ActorFrame.cpp
@@ -87,13 +87,22 @@ void ActorFrame::SetDiffuse( RageColor c )
 		m_SubActors[i]->SetDiffuse(c );
 }
 
-void ActorFrame::SetUseZBuffer( bool b )
+void ActorFrame::SetZTest( bool b )
 {
-	Actor::SetUseZBuffer( b );
+	Actor::SetZTest( b );
 
 	// set all sub-Actors
 	for( unsigned i=0; i<m_SubActors.size(); i++ )
-		m_SubActors[i]->SetUseZBuffer( b );
+		m_SubActors[i]->SetZTest( b );
+}
+
+void ActorFrame::SetZWrite( bool b )
+{
+	Actor::SetZWrite( b );
+
+	// set all sub-Actors
+	for( unsigned i=0; i<m_SubActors.size(); i++ )
+		m_SubActors[i]->SetZWrite( b );
 }
 
 void ActorFrame::FinishTweening()
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ActorFrame.h b/stepmania/src/ActorFrame.h
index fad0a85720..efb0ae7db2 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ActorFrame.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/ActorFrame.h
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ public:
 
 	virtual void SetDiffuse( RageColor c );
 
-	virtual void SetUseZBuffer( bool b );
+	virtual void SetZTest( bool b );
+	virtual void SetZWrite( bool b );
 	virtual void FinishTweening();
 	virtual void HurryTweening( float factor );
 	
diff --git a/stepmania/src/Model.cpp b/stepmania/src/Model.cpp
index 5f5e7ee1f7..f967f3e202 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Model.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/Model.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ Model::Model ()
 {
 	m_pBones = NULL;
 	m_bTextureWrapping = true;
-	m_bUseZBuffer = true;
+	SetUseZBuffer( true );
 	m_pCurAnimation = NULL;
 	m_bRevertToDefaultAnimation = false;
 	m_fDefaultAnimationRate = 1;
diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay.h b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay.h
index 5ed3ecf44d..ee3c1b46dd 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay.h
@@ -166,9 +166,12 @@ public:
 	virtual int GetMaxTextureSize() const = 0;
 	virtual void SetTextureFiltering( bool b ) = 0;
 
-	virtual bool IsZBufferEnabled() const = 0;
-	virtual void SetZBuffer( bool b ) = 0;
+	virtual bool IsZTestEnabled() const = 0;
+	virtual bool IsZWriteEnabled() const = 0;
+	virtual void SetZWrite( bool b ) = 0;
+	virtual void SetZTest( bool b ) = 0;
 	virtual void ClearZBuffer() = 0;
+	void SetZBuffer( bool b ) { SetZWrite(b); SetZTest(b); } // shortcut
 
 	virtual void SetBackfaceCull( bool b ) = 0;
 	
diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_D3D.cpp b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_D3D.cpp
index 0d001cf6c6..5bffecaeaa 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_D3D.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_D3D.cpp
@@ -884,19 +884,31 @@ void RageDisplay_D3D::SetBlendMode( BlendMode mode )
 	}
 }
 
-bool RageDisplay_D3D::IsZBufferEnabled() const
+bool RageDisplay_D3D::IsZWriteEnabled() const
 {
 	DWORD b;
-	g_pd3dDevice->GetRenderState( D3DRS_ZENABLE, &b );
+	g_pd3dDevice->GetRenderState( D3DRS_ZWRITEENABLE, &b );
 	return b!=0;
 }
 
-void RageDisplay_D3D::SetZBuffer( bool b )
+bool RageDisplay_D3D::IsZTestEnabled() const
+{
+	DWORD b;
+	g_pd3dDevice->GetRenderState( D3DRS_ZFUNC, &b );
+	return b!=D3DCMP_ALWAYS;
+}
+
+void RageDisplay_D3D::SetZWrite( bool b )
 {
-	g_pd3dDevice->SetRenderState( D3DRS_ZENABLE,      b ? D3DZB_TRUE : D3DZB_FALSE );
-	g_pd3dDevice->SetRenderState( D3DRS_ZFUNC,		  D3DCMP_LESSEQUAL );
 	g_pd3dDevice->SetRenderState( D3DRS_ZWRITEENABLE, b );
 }
+
+void RageDisplay_D3D::SetZTest( bool b )
+{
+	g_pd3dDevice->SetRenderState( D3DRS_ZENABLE,      D3DZB_TRUE );
+	g_pd3dDevice->SetRenderState( D3DRS_ZFUNC,		  b ? D3DCMP_LESSEQUAL : D3DCMP_ALWAYS );
+}
+
 void RageDisplay_D3D::ClearZBuffer()
 {
 	g_pd3dDevice->Clear( 0, NULL, D3DCLEAR_ZBUFFER, D3DCOLOR_XRGB(0,0,0), 1.0f, 0x00000000 );
diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_D3D.h b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_D3D.h
index 5845f07599..fb4f683dce 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_D3D.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_D3D.h
@@ -45,8 +45,10 @@ public:
 	void SetTextureWrapping( bool b );
 	int GetMaxTextureSize() const;
 	void SetTextureFiltering( bool b);
-	bool IsZBufferEnabled() const;
-	void SetZBuffer( bool b );
+	bool IsZWriteEnabled() const;
+	bool IsZTestEnabled() const;
+	void SetZWrite( bool b );
+	void SetZTest( bool b );
 	void ClearZBuffer();
 	void SetBackfaceCull( bool b );
 	void SetAlphaTest( bool b );
diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_OGL.cpp b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_OGL.cpp
index 5834247ae9..57e6de05a6 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_OGL.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_OGL.cpp
@@ -683,6 +683,7 @@ int RageDisplay_OGL::GetMaxTextureSize() const
 void RageDisplay_OGL::BeginFrame()
 {
 	glClearColor( 0,0,0,1 );
+	SetZWrite( true );
     glClear( GL_COLOR_BUFFER_BIT | GL_DEPTH_BUFFER_BIT );
 }
 
@@ -1033,6 +1034,7 @@ void RageDisplay_OGL::SetBlendMode( BlendMode mode )
 		glBlendFunc( GL_SRC_ALPHA, GL_ONE );
 		break;
 	case BLEND_NO_EFFECT:
+		/* XXX: Would it be faster and have the same effect to say glDisable(GL_COLOR_WRITEMASK)? */
 		glBlendFunc( GL_ZERO, GL_ONE );
 
 		/* This is almost exclusively used to draw masks to the Z-buffer.  Make sure
@@ -1044,24 +1046,40 @@ void RageDisplay_OGL::SetBlendMode( BlendMode mode )
 	}
 }
 
-bool RageDisplay_OGL::IsZBufferEnabled() const
+bool RageDisplay_OGL::IsZWriteEnabled() const
 {
 	bool a;
-	glGetBooleanv( GL_DEPTH_TEST, (unsigned char*)&a );
+	glGetBooleanv( GL_DEPTH_WRITEMASK, (unsigned char*)&a );
 	return a;
 }
 
-void RageDisplay_OGL::SetZBuffer( bool b )
+bool RageDisplay_OGL::IsZTestEnabled() const
 {
-	glDepthFunc(GL_LEQUAL);
-	if( b )
-		glEnable( GL_DEPTH_TEST );
-	else
-		glDisable( GL_DEPTH_TEST );
+	GLenum a;
+	glGetIntegerv( GL_DEPTH_FUNC, (int*)&a );
+	return a != GL_ALWAYS;
 }
+
 void RageDisplay_OGL::ClearZBuffer()
 {
+	bool write = IsZWriteEnabled();
+	SetZWrite( true );
     glClear( GL_DEPTH_BUFFER_BIT );
+	SetZWrite( write );
+}
+
+void RageDisplay_OGL::SetZWrite( bool b )
+{
+	glDepthMask( b );
+}
+
+void RageDisplay_OGL::SetZTest( bool b )
+{
+	glEnable( GL_DEPTH_TEST );
+	if( b )
+		glDepthFunc( GL_LEQUAL );
+	else
+		glDepthFunc( GL_ALWAYS );
 }
 
 void RageDisplay_OGL::SetTextureWrapping( bool b )
diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_OGL.h b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_OGL.h
index 6c73781dc3..2f66684d23 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_OGL.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_OGL.h
@@ -31,8 +31,10 @@ public:
 	void SetTextureWrapping( bool b );
 	int GetMaxTextureSize() const;
 	void SetTextureFiltering( bool b);
-	bool IsZBufferEnabled() const;
-	void SetZBuffer( bool b );
+	bool IsZWriteEnabled() const;
+	bool IsZTestEnabled() const;
+	void SetZWrite( bool b );
+	void SetZTest( bool b );
 	void ClearZBuffer();
 	void SetBackfaceCull( bool b );
 	void SetAlphaTest( bool b );