diff --git a/panda/src/pgraph/billboardEffect.I b/panda/src/pgraph/billboardEffect.I
index d94d8135f7..b6ee6f31b0 100644
--- a/panda/src/pgraph/billboardEffect.I
+++ b/panda/src/pgraph/billboardEffect.I
@@ -86,6 +86,15 @@ get_axial_rotate() const {
   return _axial_rotate;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Returns true if this billboard always appears at a fixed distance from the
+ * camera.
+ */
+INLINE bool BillboardEffect::
+get_fixed_depth() const {
+  return _fixed_depth;
+}
+
 /**
  * Returns the distance toward the camera (or the look_at_point) the billboard
  * is moved towards, after rotating.  This can be used to ensure the billboard
diff --git a/panda/src/pgraph/billboardEffect.cxx b/panda/src/pgraph/billboardEffect.cxx
index c5843bb667..60c6e72c97 100644
--- a/panda/src/pgraph/billboardEffect.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/pgraph/billboardEffect.cxx
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ TypeHandle BillboardEffect::_type_handle;
 CPT(RenderEffect) BillboardEffect::
 make(const LVector3 &up_vector, bool eye_relative,
      bool axial_rotate, PN_stdfloat offset, const NodePath &look_at,
-     const LPoint3 &look_at_point) {
+     const LPoint3 &look_at_point, bool fixed_depth) {
   BillboardEffect *effect = new BillboardEffect;
   effect->_up_vector = up_vector;
   effect->_eye_relative = eye_relative;
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ make(const LVector3 &up_vector, bool eye_relative,
   effect->_offset = offset;
   effect->_look_at = look_at;
   effect->_look_at_point = look_at_point;
+  effect->_fixed_depth = fixed_depth;
   effect->_off = false;
   return return_new(effect);
 }
@@ -82,7 +83,9 @@ output(std::ostream &out) const {
     if (_eye_relative) {
       out << " eye";
     }
-    if (_offset != 0.0f) {
+    if (_fixed_depth) {
+      out << " depth " << -_offset;
+    } else if (_offset != 0.0f) {
       out << " offset " << _offset;
     }
     if (!_look_at.is_empty()) {
@@ -201,6 +204,9 @@ compare_to_impl(const RenderEffect *other) const {
   if (_eye_relative != ta->_eye_relative) {
     return (int)_eye_relative - (int)ta->_eye_relative;
   }
+  if (_fixed_depth != ta->_fixed_depth) {
+    return (int)_fixed_depth - (int)ta->_fixed_depth;
+  }
   if (_offset != ta->_offset) {
     return _offset < ta->_offset ? -1 : 1;
   }
@@ -274,11 +280,17 @@ compute_billboard(CPT(TransformState) &node_transform,
 
   // Also slide the billboard geometry towards the camera according to the
   // offset factor.
-  if (_offset != 0.0f) {
+  if (_offset != 0.0f || _fixed_depth) {
     LVector3 translate(rel_mat(3, 0), rel_mat(3, 1), rel_mat(3, 2));
+    LPoint3 pos;
+    if (_fixed_depth) {
+      pos = translate / rel_mat(3, 3);
+    } else {
+      pos.fill(0.0f);
+    }
     translate.normalize();
     translate *= _offset;
-    rotate.set_row(3, translate);
+    rotate.set_row(3, pos + translate);
   }
 
   node_transform = translate->compose(TransformState::make_mat(rotate))->compose(node_transform);
@@ -307,7 +319,25 @@ write_datagram(BamWriter *manager, Datagram &dg) {
   dg.add_stdfloat(_offset);
   _look_at_point.write_datagram(dg);
 
-  // *** We don't write out the _look_at NodePath right now.  Maybe we should.
+  if (manager->get_file_minor_ver() >= 43) {
+    _look_at.write_datagram(manager, dg);
+    dg.add_bool(_fixed_depth);
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Receives an array of pointers, one for each time manager->read_pointer()
+ * was called in fillin(). Returns the number of pointers processed.
+ */
+int BillboardEffect::
+complete_pointers(TypedWritable **p_list, BamReader *manager) {
+  int pi = RenderEffect::complete_pointers(p_list, manager);
+
+  if (manager->get_file_minor_ver() >= 43) {
+    pi += _look_at.complete_pointers(p_list + pi, manager);
+  }
+
+  return pi;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -341,4 +371,9 @@ fillin(DatagramIterator &scan, BamReader *manager) {
   _axial_rotate = scan.get_bool();
   _offset = scan.get_stdfloat();
   _look_at_point.read_datagram(scan);
+
+  if (manager->get_file_minor_ver() >= 43) {
+    _look_at.fillin(scan, manager);
+    _fixed_depth = scan.get_stdfloat();
+  }
 }
diff --git a/panda/src/pgraph/billboardEffect.h b/panda/src/pgraph/billboardEffect.h
index f83ecc5323..d080cec0d4 100644
--- a/panda/src/pgraph/billboardEffect.h
+++ b/panda/src/pgraph/billboardEffect.h
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ PUBLISHED:
                                 bool axial_rotate,
                                 PN_stdfloat offset,
                                 const NodePath &look_at,
-                                const LPoint3 &look_at_point);
+                                const LPoint3 &look_at_point,
+                                bool fixed_depth = false);
   INLINE static CPT(RenderEffect) make_axis();
   INLINE static CPT(RenderEffect) make_point_eye();
   INLINE static CPT(RenderEffect) make_point_world();
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ PUBLISHED:
   INLINE const LVector3 &get_up_vector() const;
   INLINE bool get_eye_relative() const;
   INLINE bool get_axial_rotate() const;
+  INLINE bool get_fixed_depth() const;
   INLINE PN_stdfloat get_offset() const;
   INLINE const NodePath &get_look_at() const;
   INLINE const LPoint3 &get_look_at_point() const;
@@ -72,9 +74,10 @@ private:
 
 private:
   bool _off;
-  LVector3 _up_vector;
   bool _eye_relative;
   bool _axial_rotate;
+  bool _fixed_depth;
+  LVector3 _up_vector;
   PN_stdfloat _offset;
   NodePath _look_at;
   LPoint3 _look_at_point;
@@ -82,6 +85,8 @@ private:
 public:
   static void register_with_read_factory();
   virtual void write_datagram(BamWriter *manager, Datagram &dg);
+  virtual int complete_pointers(TypedWritable **plist,
+                                BamReader *manager);
 
 protected:
   static TypedWritable *make_from_bam(const FactoryParams &params);
diff --git a/panda/src/pgraph/compassEffect.cxx b/panda/src/pgraph/compassEffect.cxx
index 41bd9af880..fe39b03bf3 100644
--- a/panda/src/pgraph/compassEffect.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/pgraph/compassEffect.cxx
@@ -284,8 +284,25 @@ void CompassEffect::
 write_datagram(BamWriter *manager, Datagram &dg) {
   RenderEffect::write_datagram(manager, dg);
   dg.add_uint16(_properties);
-  // *** We don't write out the _reference NodePath right now.  Maybe we
-  // should.
+
+  if (manager->get_file_minor_ver() >= 43) {
+    _reference.write_datagram(manager, dg);
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Receives an array of pointers, one for each time manager->read_pointer()
+ * was called in fillin(). Returns the number of pointers processed.
+ */
+int CompassEffect::
+complete_pointers(TypedWritable **p_list, BamReader *manager) {
+  int pi = RenderEffect::complete_pointers(p_list, manager);
+
+  if (manager->get_file_minor_ver() >= 43) {
+    pi += _reference.complete_pointers(p_list + pi, manager);
+  }
+
+  return pi;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -313,4 +330,8 @@ void CompassEffect::
 fillin(DatagramIterator &scan, BamReader *manager) {
   RenderEffect::fillin(scan, manager);
   _properties = scan.get_uint16();
+
+  if (manager->get_file_minor_ver() >= 43) {
+    _reference.fillin(scan, manager);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/panda/src/pgraph/compassEffect.h b/panda/src/pgraph/compassEffect.h
index adba81f9e6..a8aada7a59 100644
--- a/panda/src/pgraph/compassEffect.h
+++ b/panda/src/pgraph/compassEffect.h
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ private:
 public:
   static void register_with_read_factory();
   virtual void write_datagram(BamWriter *manager, Datagram &dg);
+  virtual int complete_pointers(TypedWritable **plist,
+                                BamReader *manager);
 
 protected:
   static TypedWritable *make_from_bam(const FactoryParams &params);
diff --git a/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.I b/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.I
index 5b7e80f7b7..8ca3153da5 100644
--- a/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.I
+++ b/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.I
@@ -1752,7 +1752,7 @@ set_billboard_axis(PN_stdfloat offset) {
  * the camera.
  */
 INLINE void NodePath::
-set_billboard_point_eye(PN_stdfloat offset) {
+set_billboard_point_eye(PN_stdfloat offset, bool fixed_depth) {
   set_billboard_point_eye(NodePath(), offset);
 }
 
diff --git a/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.cxx b/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.cxx
index 0f2639bccc..9d473304b6 100644
--- a/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.cxx
@@ -4744,11 +4744,11 @@ set_billboard_axis(const NodePath &camera, PN_stdfloat offset) {
  * the camera, towards a specified "camera" instead of to the viewing camera.
  */
 void NodePath::
-set_billboard_point_eye(const NodePath &camera, PN_stdfloat offset) {
+set_billboard_point_eye(const NodePath &camera, PN_stdfloat offset, bool fixed_depth) {
   nassertv_always(!is_empty());
   CPT(RenderEffect) billboard = BillboardEffect::make
     (LVector3::up(), true, false,
-     offset, camera, LPoint3(0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f));
+     offset, camera, LPoint3(0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f), fixed_depth);
   node()->set_effect(billboard);
 }
 
diff --git a/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.h b/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.h
index cf159972c5..9c047c0728 100644
--- a/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.h
+++ b/panda/src/pgraph/nodePath.h
@@ -815,10 +815,10 @@ PUBLISHED:
   void do_billboard_point_eye(const NodePath &camera, PN_stdfloat offset);
   void do_billboard_point_world(const NodePath &camera, PN_stdfloat offset);
   INLINE void set_billboard_axis(PN_stdfloat offset = 0.0);
-  INLINE void set_billboard_point_eye(PN_stdfloat offset = 0.0);
+  INLINE void set_billboard_point_eye(PN_stdfloat offset = 0.0, bool fixed_depth = false);
   INLINE void set_billboard_point_world(PN_stdfloat offset = 0.0);
   void set_billboard_axis(const NodePath &camera, PN_stdfloat offset);
-  void set_billboard_point_eye(const NodePath &camera, PN_stdfloat offset);
+  void set_billboard_point_eye(const NodePath &camera, PN_stdfloat offset, bool fixed_depth = false);
   void set_billboard_point_world(const NodePath &camera, PN_stdfloat offset);
   void clear_billboard();
   bool has_billboard() const;
diff --git a/panda/src/putil/bam.h b/panda/src/putil/bam.h
index ad7d000fd2..96f41cbf98 100644
--- a/panda/src/putil/bam.h
+++ b/panda/src/putil/bam.h
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ static const unsigned short _bam_major_ver = 6;
 // Bumped to major version 6 on 2006-02-11 to factor out PandaNode::CData.
 
 static const unsigned short _bam_first_minor_ver = 14;
-static const unsigned short _bam_minor_ver = 42;
+static const unsigned short _bam_minor_ver = 43;
 // Bumped to minor version 14 on 2007-12-19 to change default ColorAttrib.
 // Bumped to minor version 15 on 2008-04-09 to add TextureAttrib::_implicit_sort.
 // Bumped to minor version 16 on 2008-05-13 to add Texture::_quality_level.
@@ -62,5 +62,6 @@ static const unsigned short _bam_minor_ver = 42;
 // Bumped to minor version 40 on 2016-01-11 to make NodePaths writable.
 // Bumped to minor version 41 on 2016-03-02 to change LensNode, Lens, and Camera.
 // Bumped to minor version 42 on 2016-04-08 to expand ColorBlendAttrib.
+// Bumped to minor version 43 on 2018-12-06 to expand BillboardEffect and CompassEffect.
 
 #endif