diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/renderingmanager.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/renderingmanager.cpp
index 0698e8c4ae..67d1cfb587 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/renderingmanager.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/renderingmanager.cpp
@@ -512,7 +512,6 @@ namespace MWRender
         resourceSystem->getSceneManager()->setOpaqueDepthTex(
             mPostProcessor->getTexture(PostProcessor::Tex_OpaqueDepth, 0),
             mPostProcessor->getTexture(PostProcessor::Tex_OpaqueDepth, 1));
-        resourceSystem->getSceneManager()->setSoftParticles(Settings::shaders().mSoftParticles);
         resourceSystem->getSceneManager()->setSupportsNormalsRT(mPostProcessor->getSupportsNormalsRT());
         resourceSystem->getSceneManager()->setWeatherParticleOcclusion(Settings::shaders().mWeatherParticleOcclusion);
 
@@ -583,6 +582,7 @@ namespace MWRender
         MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager()->setCullMask(mask);
         NifOsg::Loader::setHiddenNodeMask(Mask_UpdateVisitor);
         NifOsg::Loader::setIntersectionDisabledNodeMask(Mask_Effect);
+        NifOsg::Loader::setSoftEffectEnabled(Settings::shaders().mSoftParticles);
         Nif::Reader::setLoadUnsupportedFiles(Settings::models().mLoadUnsupportedNifFiles);
 
         mStateUpdater->setFogEnd(mViewDistance);
diff --git a/components/misc/osguservalues.cpp b/components/misc/osguservalues.cpp
index b70647a63e..706b5dc2df 100644
--- a/components/misc/osguservalues.cpp
+++ b/components/misc/osguservalues.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,5 @@
 namespace Misc
 {
     const std::string OsgUserValues::sFileHash = "fileHash";
-    const std::string OsgUserValues::sExtraData = "xData";
     const std::string OsgUserValues::sXSoftEffect = "xSoftEffect";
 }
diff --git a/components/misc/osguservalues.hpp b/components/misc/osguservalues.hpp
index 443e6132e1..54d0e52043 100644
--- a/components/misc/osguservalues.hpp
+++ b/components/misc/osguservalues.hpp
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ namespace Misc
     struct OsgUserValues
     {
         static const std::string sFileHash;
-        static const std::string sExtraData;
         static const std::string sXSoftEffect;
     };
 }
diff --git a/components/nifosg/nifloader.cpp b/components/nifosg/nifloader.cpp
index f3b85ec2fd..f8c76aab15 100644
--- a/components/nifosg/nifloader.cpp
+++ b/components/nifosg/nifloader.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 #include <osg/TexMat>
 #include <osg/ValueObject>
 
+#include <yaml-cpp/yaml.h>
+
 // resource
 #include <components/debug/debuglog.hpp>
 #include <components/misc/constants.hpp>
@@ -23,6 +25,7 @@
 #include <components/nif/parent.hpp>
 #include <components/resource/bgsmfilemanager.hpp>
 #include <components/resource/imagemanager.hpp>
+#include <components/serialization/osgyaml.hpp>
 
 // particle
 #include <osgParticle/BoxPlacer>
@@ -197,6 +200,33 @@ namespace
             }
         }
     }
+
+    void handleExtraData(const std::string& data, osg::Group* node)
+    {
+        YAML::Node root = YAML::Load(data);
+
+        for (const auto& it : root["shader"])
+        {
+            std::string key = it.first.as<std::string>();
+
+            if (key == "soft_effect" && NifOsg::Loader::getSoftEffectEnabled())
+            {
+                SceneUtil::SoftEffectConfig config;
+                config.mSize = it.second["size"].as<float>(config.mSize);
+                config.mFalloff = it.second["falloff"].as<bool>(config.mFalloff);
+                config.mFalloffDepth = it.second["falloffDepth"].as<float>(config.mFalloffDepth);
+
+                SceneUtil::setupSoftEffect(*node, config);
+            }
+            else if (key == "distortion")
+            {
+                SceneUtil::DistortionConfig config;
+                config.mStrength = it.second["strength"].as<float>(config.mStrength);
+
+                SceneUtil::setupDistortion(*node, config);
+            }
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 namespace NifOsg
@@ -236,6 +266,18 @@ namespace NifOsg
         return sIntersectionDisabledNodeMask;
     }
 
+    bool Loader::sSoftEffectEnabled = false;
+
+    void Loader::setSoftEffectEnabled(bool enabled)
+    {
+        sSoftEffectEnabled = enabled;
+    }
+
+    bool Loader::getSoftEffectEnabled()
+    {
+        return sSoftEffectEnabled;
+    }
+
     class LoaderImpl
     {
     public:
@@ -649,6 +691,8 @@ namespace NifOsg
             // - finding a random child NiNode in NiBspArrayController
             node->setUserValue("recIndex", nifNode->recIndex);
 
+            std::string extraData;
+
             for (const auto& e : nifNode->getExtraList())
             {
                 if (e->recType == Nif::RC_NiTextKeyExtraData && args.mTextKeys)
@@ -676,8 +720,7 @@ namespace NifOsg
                     }
                     else if (sd->mData.rfind(extraDataIdentifer, 0) == 0)
                     {
-                        node->setUserValue(
-                            Misc::OsgUserValues::sExtraData, sd->mData.substr(extraDataIdentifer.length()));
+                        extraData = sd->mData.substr(extraDataIdentifer.length());
                     }
                 }
                 else if (e->recType == Nif::RC_BSXFlags)
@@ -751,6 +794,13 @@ namespace NifOsg
 
             applyNodeProperties(nifNode, node, composite, args.mBoundTextures, args.mAnimFlags);
 
+            if (nifNode->recType == Nif::RC_NiParticles)
+                handleParticleSystem(nifNode, parent, node, composite, args.mAnimFlags);
+
+            // Apply any extra effects after processing the nodes children and particle system handling
+            if (!extraData.empty())
+                handleExtraData(extraData, node);
+
             const bool isNiGeometry = isTypeNiGeometry(nifNode->recType);
             const bool isBSGeometry = isTypeBSGeometry(nifNode->recType);
             const bool isGeometry = isNiGeometry || isBSGeometry;
@@ -782,9 +832,6 @@ namespace NifOsg
                 }
             }
 
-            if (nifNode->recType == Nif::RC_NiParticles)
-                handleParticleSystem(nifNode, parent, node, composite, args.mAnimFlags);
-
             if (composite->getNumControllers() > 0)
             {
                 osg::Callback* cb = composite;
@@ -1412,6 +1459,12 @@ namespace NifOsg
                 trans->addChild(toAttach);
                 parentNode->addChild(trans);
             }
+
+            if (Loader::getSoftEffectEnabled())
+                SceneUtil::setupSoftEffect(*partsys,
+                    {
+                        .mSize = partsys->getDefaultParticleTemplate().getSizeRange().maximum,
+                    });
         }
 
         void handleNiGeometryData(const Nif::NiAVObject* nifNode, const Nif::Parent* parent, osg::Geometry* geometry,
@@ -2313,8 +2366,9 @@ namespace NifOsg
             {
                 auto bgem = static_cast<const Bgsm::BGEMFile*>(shaderMat);
                 mat->setEmission(osg::Material::FRONT_AND_BACK, osg::Vec4f(bgem->mEmittanceColor, 1.f));
-                if (bgem->mSoft)
-                    SceneUtil::setupSoftEffect(node, bgem->mSoftDepth, true, bgem->mSoftDepth);
+                if (bgem->mSoft && Loader::getSoftEffectEnabled())
+                    SceneUtil::setupSoftEffect(
+                        node, { .mSize = bgem->mSoftDepth, .mFalloffDepth = bgem->mSoftDepth, .mFalloff = true });
             }
         }
 
@@ -2507,7 +2561,7 @@ namespace NifOsg
                             node->getName(), stateset, boundTextures);
                     handleTextureControllers(texprop, composite, stateset, animflags);
                     if (texprop->refraction())
-                        SceneUtil::setupDistortion(*node, texprop->mRefraction.mStrength);
+                        SceneUtil::setupDistortion(*node, { .mStrength = texprop->mRefraction.mStrength });
                     break;
                 }
                 case Nif::RC_BSShaderNoLightingProperty:
@@ -2558,7 +2612,7 @@ namespace NifOsg
                         stateset->addUniform(new osg::Uniform("useTreeAnim", true));
                     handleDepthFlags(stateset, texprop->depthTest(), texprop->depthWrite());
                     if (texprop->refraction())
-                        SceneUtil::setupDistortion(*node, texprop->mRefractionStrength);
+                        SceneUtil::setupDistortion(*node, { .mStrength = texprop->mRefractionStrength });
                     break;
                 }
                 case Nif::RC_BSEffectShaderProperty:
@@ -2821,9 +2875,13 @@ namespace NifOsg
                             break;
                         }
                         handleDecal(shaderprop->decal(), hasSortAlpha, *node);
-                        if (shaderprop->softEffect())
-                            SceneUtil::setupSoftEffect(
-                                *node, shaderprop->mFalloffDepth, true, shaderprop->mFalloffDepth);
+                        if (shaderprop->softEffect() && Loader::getSoftEffectEnabled())
+                            SceneUtil::setupSoftEffect(*node,
+                                {
+                                    .mSize = shaderprop->mFalloffDepth,
+                                    .mFalloffDepth = shaderprop->mFalloffDepth,
+                                    .mFalloff = true,
+                                });
                         break;
                     }
                     default:
diff --git a/components/nifosg/nifloader.hpp b/components/nifosg/nifloader.hpp
index 14f16088cc..3a06e71e5b 100644
--- a/components/nifosg/nifloader.hpp
+++ b/components/nifosg/nifloader.hpp
@@ -55,10 +55,14 @@ namespace NifOsg
         static void setIntersectionDisabledNodeMask(unsigned int mask);
         static unsigned int getIntersectionDisabledNodeMask();
 
+        static void setSoftEffectEnabled(bool enabled);
+        static bool getSoftEffectEnabled();
+
     private:
         static unsigned int sHiddenNodeMask;
         static unsigned int sIntersectionDisabledNodeMask;
         static bool sShowMarkers;
+        static bool sSoftEffectEnabled;
     };
 
 }
diff --git a/components/resource/scenemanager.cpp b/components/resource/scenemanager.cpp
index 6100d0ccaa..e7edfc1630 100644
--- a/components/resource/scenemanager.cpp
+++ b/components/resource/scenemanager.cpp
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@
 #include <components/sceneutil/clone.hpp>
 #include <components/sceneutil/controller.hpp>
 #include <components/sceneutil/depth.hpp>
-#include <components/sceneutil/extradata.hpp>
 #include <components/sceneutil/lightmanager.hpp>
 #include <components/sceneutil/optimizer.hpp>
 #include <components/sceneutil/riggeometryosgaextension.hpp>
@@ -1002,9 +1001,6 @@ namespace Resource
             try
             {
                 loaded = load(path, mVFS, mImageManager, mNifFileManager, mBgsmFileManager);
-
-                SceneUtil::ProcessExtraDataVisitor extraDataVisitor(this);
-                loaded->accept(extraDataVisitor);
             }
             catch (const std::exception& e)
             {
diff --git a/components/resource/scenemanager.hpp b/components/resource/scenemanager.hpp
index 8141b5308f..370383975d 100644
--- a/components/resource/scenemanager.hpp
+++ b/components/resource/scenemanager.hpp
@@ -230,9 +230,6 @@ namespace Resource
 
         void setUpNormalsRTForStateSet(osg::StateSet* stateset, bool enabled);
 
-        void setSoftParticles(bool enabled) { mSoftParticles = enabled; }
-        bool getSoftParticles() const { return mSoftParticles; }
-
         void setWeatherParticleOcclusion(bool value) { mWeatherParticleOcclusion = value; }
 
     private:
@@ -255,7 +252,6 @@ namespace Resource
         bool mAdjustCoverageForAlphaTest;
         bool mSupportsNormalsRT;
         std::array<osg::ref_ptr<osg::Texture>, 2> mOpaqueDepthTex;
-        bool mSoftParticles = false;
         bool mWeatherParticleOcclusion = false;
 
         osg::ref_ptr<Resource::SharedStateManager> mSharedStateManager;
diff --git a/components/sceneutil/extradata.cpp b/components/sceneutil/extradata.cpp
index 2d00980565..7455992dbb 100644
--- a/components/sceneutil/extradata.cpp
+++ b/components/sceneutil/extradata.cpp
@@ -1,37 +1,28 @@
 #include "extradata.hpp"
 
-#include <unordered_set>
-
 #include <osg/Node>
-#include <osg/ValueObject>
-#include <osgParticle/ParticleSystem>
-
-#include <yaml-cpp/yaml.h>
 
 #include <components/misc/osguservalues.hpp>
-#include <components/misc/strings/algorithm.hpp>
-#include <components/resource/scenemanager.hpp>
 #include <components/sceneutil/depth.hpp>
-#include <components/shader/shadermanager.hpp>
 
 namespace SceneUtil
 {
-    void setupSoftEffect(osg::Node& node, float size, bool falloff, float falloffDepth)
+    void setupSoftEffect(osg::Node& node, const SoftEffectConfig& config)
     {
         static const osg::ref_ptr<SceneUtil::AutoDepth> depth
             = new SceneUtil::AutoDepth(osg::Depth::LEQUAL, 0, 1, false);
 
         osg::StateSet* stateset = node.getOrCreateStateSet();
 
-        stateset->addUniform(new osg::Uniform("particleSize", size));
-        stateset->addUniform(new osg::Uniform("particleFade", falloff));
-        stateset->addUniform(new osg::Uniform("softFalloffDepth", falloffDepth));
+        stateset->addUniform(new osg::Uniform("particleSize", config.mSize));
+        stateset->addUniform(new osg::Uniform("particleFade", config.mFalloff));
+        stateset->addUniform(new osg::Uniform("softFalloffDepth", config.mFalloffDepth));
         stateset->setAttributeAndModes(depth, osg::StateAttribute::ON | osg::StateAttribute::OVERRIDE);
 
         node.setUserValue(Misc::OsgUserValues::sXSoftEffect, true);
     }
 
-    void setupDistortion(osg::Node& node, float distortionStrength)
+    void setupDistortion(osg::Node& node, const DistortionConfig& config)
     {
         static const osg::ref_ptr<SceneUtil::AutoDepth> depth
             = new SceneUtil::AutoDepth(osg::Depth::ALWAYS, 0, 1, false);
@@ -40,52 +31,8 @@ namespace SceneUtil
 
         stateset->setNestRenderBins(false);
         stateset->setRenderBinDetails(14, "Distortion", osg::StateSet::OVERRIDE_PROTECTED_RENDERBIN_DETAILS);
-        stateset->addUniform(new osg::Uniform("distortionStrength", distortionStrength));
+        stateset->addUniform(new osg::Uniform("distortionStrength", config.mStrength));
 
         stateset->setAttributeAndModes(depth, osg::StateAttribute::ON);
     }
-
-    void ProcessExtraDataVisitor::apply(osg::Node& node)
-    {
-        if (!mSceneMgr->getSoftParticles())
-            return;
-
-        std::string source;
-
-        constexpr float defaultFalloffDepth = 300.f; // arbitrary value that simply looks good with common cases
-
-        if (node.getUserValue(Misc::OsgUserValues::sExtraData, source) && !source.empty())
-        {
-            YAML::Node root = YAML::Load(source);
-
-            for (const auto& it : root["shader"])
-            {
-                std::string key = it.first.as<std::string>();
-
-                if (key == "soft_effect")
-                {
-                    auto size = it.second["size"].as<float>(45.f);
-                    auto falloff = it.second["falloff"].as<bool>(false);
-                    auto falloffDepth = it.second["falloffDepth"].as<float>(defaultFalloffDepth);
-
-                    setupSoftEffect(node, size, falloff, falloffDepth);
-                }
-                else if (key == "distortion")
-                {
-                    auto strength = it.second["strength"].as<float>(0.1f);
-
-                    setupDistortion(node, strength);
-                }
-            }
-
-            node.setUserValue(Misc::OsgUserValues::sExtraData, std::string{});
-        }
-        else if (osgParticle::ParticleSystem* partsys = dynamic_cast<osgParticle::ParticleSystem*>(&node))
-        {
-            setupSoftEffect(
-                node, partsys->getDefaultParticleTemplate().getSizeRange().maximum, false, defaultFalloffDepth);
-        }
-
-        traverse(node);
-    }
 }
diff --git a/components/sceneutil/extradata.hpp b/components/sceneutil/extradata.hpp
index 7054ac91b3..b3c6388c78 100644
--- a/components/sceneutil/extradata.hpp
+++ b/components/sceneutil/extradata.hpp
@@ -1,13 +1,6 @@
 #ifndef OPENMW_COMPONENTS_RESOURCE_EXTRADATA_H
 #define OPENMW_COMPONENTS_RESOURCE_EXTRADATA_H
 
-#include <osg/NodeVisitor>
-
-namespace Resource
-{
-    class SceneManager;
-}
-
 namespace osg
 {
     class Node;
@@ -15,23 +8,20 @@ namespace osg
 
 namespace SceneUtil
 {
-    void setupSoftEffect(osg::Node& node, float size, bool falloff, float falloffDepth);
-    void setupDistortion(osg::Node& node, float distortionStrength);
-
-    class ProcessExtraDataVisitor : public osg::NodeVisitor
+    struct SoftEffectConfig
     {
-    public:
-        ProcessExtraDataVisitor(Resource::SceneManager* sceneMgr)
-            : osg::NodeVisitor(TRAVERSE_ALL_CHILDREN)
-            , mSceneMgr(sceneMgr)
-        {
-        }
-
-        void apply(osg::Node& node) override;
-
-    private:
-        Resource::SceneManager* mSceneMgr;
+        float mSize = 45.f;
+        float mFalloffDepth = 300.f;
+        bool mFalloff = false;
     };
+
+    struct DistortionConfig
+    {
+        float mStrength = 0.1f;
+    };
+
+    void setupSoftEffect(osg::Node& node, const SoftEffectConfig& config);
+    void setupDistortion(osg::Node& node, const DistortionConfig& config);
 }
 
 #endif