diff --git a/Aquaria/Element.cpp b/Aquaria/Element.cpp
index c3ea191..fc7f28d 100644
--- a/Aquaria/Element.cpp
+++ b/Aquaria/Element.cpp
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ ElementEffectData::ElementEffectData()
 Element::Element() : Quad()
 {
 	elementFlag = EF_NONE;
-	elementActive = true;
 	bgLayer = 0;
 	tag = 0;
 	templateIdx = -1;
@@ -307,8 +306,8 @@ static inline const Vector& getTagColor(int tag)
 
 void Element::render(const RenderState& rs) const
 {
-	if (!elementActive) return;
-
+	// FIXME: this should be part of the layer render, not here
+	// (not relevant until Elements are batched per-layer)
 	if (game->isSceneEditorActive() && this->bgLayer == game->sceneEditor.bgLayer
 		&& game->sceneEditor.editType == ET_ELEMENTS)
 	{
@@ -345,7 +344,7 @@ void Element::render(const RenderState& rs) const
 
 void Element::fillGrid()
 {
-	if (life == 1 && elementActive)
+	if (life == 1 && !_hidden)
 	{
 		if (elementFlag == EF_SOLID)
 		{
diff --git a/Aquaria/Element.h b/Aquaria/Element.h
index ce54bfb..db395f5 100644
--- a/Aquaria/Element.h
+++ b/Aquaria/Element.h
@@ -70,10 +70,10 @@ public:
 	void render(const RenderState& rs) const OVERRIDE;
 	ElementFlag elementFlag;
 	void fillGrid();
-	bool isElementActive() const { return elementActive; }
+	bool isElementActive() const { return !_hidden; }
 	int getElementEffectIndex();
 	void setElementEffectByIndex(int e);
-	void setElementActive(bool v) { elementActive = v; }
+	void setElementActive(bool v) { _hidden = !v; }
 	void doInteraction(Entity *ent, float mult, float touchWidth);
 	void setTag(int tag);
 protected:
@@ -82,10 +82,7 @@ protected:
 	void setGridFromWavy();
 	ElementEffectData *eff;
 
-	void updateEffects(float dt);
-
-	bool elementActive;
-};
+	void updateEffects(float dt);};
 
 typedef std::vector<Element*> ElementContainer;