diff --git a/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Include/GameLogic/Module/AssistedTargetingUpdate.h b/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Include/GameLogic/Module/AssistedTargetingUpdate.h
index 04284c0f18a..285643dd1fb 100644
--- a/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Include/GameLogic/Module/AssistedTargetingUpdate.h
+++ b/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Include/GameLogic/Module/AssistedTargetingUpdate.h
@@ -38,15 +38,14 @@ class AssistedTargetingUpdateModuleData : public UpdateModuleData
 public:
 	Int m_clipSize;
 	WeaponSlotType m_weaponSlot;
-	ThingTemplate *m_laserFromAssisted;
-	ThingTemplate *m_laserToTarget;
+
+  AsciiString m_laserFromAssistedName;
+  AsciiString m_laserToTargetName;
 
 	AssistedTargetingUpdateModuleData()
 	{
 		m_clipSize = 1;
 		m_weaponSlot = PRIMARY_WEAPON;
-		m_laserFromAssisted = nullptr;
-		m_laserToTarget = nullptr;
 	}
 
 	static void buildFieldParse(MultiIniFieldParse& p);
@@ -72,4 +71,7 @@ class AssistedTargetingUpdate : public UpdateModule
 
 private:
 	void makeFeedbackLaser( const ThingTemplate *laserTemplate, const Object *from, const Object *to );
+
+	const ThingTemplate *m_laserFromAssisted;
+	const ThingTemplate *m_laserToTarget;
 };
diff --git a/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameLogic/Object/Update/AssistedTargetingUpdate.cpp b/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameLogic/Object/Update/AssistedTargetingUpdate.cpp
index 20f57f56049..b291be7cb17 100644
--- a/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameLogic/Object/Update/AssistedTargetingUpdate.cpp
+++ b/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameLogic/Object/Update/AssistedTargetingUpdate.cpp
@@ -54,8 +54,8 @@ void AssistedTargetingUpdateModuleData::buildFieldParse(MultiIniFieldParse& p)
 	{
 		{ "AssistingClipSize",		INI::parseInt,		nullptr, offsetof( AssistedTargetingUpdateModuleData, m_clipSize ) },
 		{ "AssistingWeaponSlot",	INI::parseLookupList,	TheWeaponSlotTypeNamesLookupList, offsetof( AssistedTargetingUpdateModuleData, m_weaponSlot ) },
-		{ "LaserFromAssisted",		INI::parseThingTemplate,				nullptr, offsetof( AssistedTargetingUpdateModuleData, m_laserFromAssisted ) },
-		{ "LaserToTarget",				INI::parseThingTemplate,				nullptr, offsetof( AssistedTargetingUpdateModuleData, m_laserToTarget ) },
+		{ "LaserFromAssisted",		INI::parseAsciiString,				nullptr, offsetof( AssistedTargetingUpdateModuleData, m_laserFromAssistedName ) },
+		{ "LaserToTarget",				INI::parseAsciiString,				nullptr, offsetof( AssistedTargetingUpdateModuleData, m_laserToTargetName ) },
 		{ nullptr, nullptr, nullptr, 0 }
 	};
   p.add(dataFieldParse);
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ void AssistedTargetingUpdateModuleData::buildFieldParse(MultiIniFieldParse& p)
 //-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 AssistedTargetingUpdate::AssistedTargetingUpdate( Thing *thing, const ModuleData* moduleData ) : UpdateModule( thing, moduleData )
 {
+	m_laserFromAssisted = nullptr;
+	m_laserToTarget = nullptr;
 	setWakeFrame(getObject(), UPDATE_SLEEP_FOREVER);
 }
 
@@ -100,10 +102,10 @@ void AssistedTargetingUpdate::assistAttack( const Object *requestingObject, Obje
 	me->setWeaponLock( md->m_weaponSlot, LOCKED_TEMPORARILY );
 	me->getAI()->aiAttackObject( victimObject, md->m_clipSize, CMD_FROM_AI );
 
-	if( md->m_laserFromAssisted )
-		makeFeedbackLaser( md->m_laserFromAssisted, requestingObject, me );
-	if( md->m_laserToTarget )
-		makeFeedbackLaser( md->m_laserToTarget, me, victimObject );
+	if( m_laserFromAssisted )
+		makeFeedbackLaser( m_laserFromAssisted, requestingObject, me );
+	if( m_laserToTarget )
+		makeFeedbackLaser( m_laserToTarget, me, victimObject );
 }
 
 //-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -137,6 +139,11 @@ void AssistedTargetingUpdate::makeFeedbackLaser( const ThingTemplate *laserTempl
 //-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 UpdateSleepTime AssistedTargetingUpdate::update()
 {
+  const AssistedTargetingUpdateModuleData *d = getAssistedTargetingUpdateModuleData();
+
+	m_laserFromAssisted = TheThingFactory->findTemplate( d->m_laserFromAssistedName );
+	m_laserToTarget = TheThingFactory->findTemplate( d->m_laserToTargetName );
+
 	return UPDATE_SLEEP_FOREVER;
 }
 
@@ -174,8 +181,11 @@ void AssistedTargetingUpdate::xfer( Xfer *xfer )
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void AssistedTargetingUpdate::loadPostProcess()
 {
+  const AssistedTargetingUpdateModuleData *d = getAssistedTargetingUpdateModuleData();
+
+	m_laserFromAssisted = TheThingFactory->findTemplate( d->m_laserFromAssistedName );
+	m_laserToTarget = TheThingFactory->findTemplate( d->m_laserToTargetName );
 
 	// extend base class
 	UpdateModule::loadPostProcess();
-
 }
diff --git a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/GameLogic/Module/AssistedTargetingUpdate.h b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/GameLogic/Module/AssistedTargetingUpdate.h
index c784a12d450..6fc0c21f195 100644
--- a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/GameLogic/Module/AssistedTargetingUpdate.h
+++ b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/GameLogic/Module/AssistedTargetingUpdate.h
@@ -46,8 +46,6 @@ class AssistedTargetingUpdateModuleData : public UpdateModuleData
 	{
 		m_clipSize = 1;
 		m_weaponSlot = PRIMARY_WEAPON;
-    m_laserFromAssistedName.clear();
-    m_laserToTargetName.clear();
 	}
 
 	static void buildFieldParse(MultiIniFieldParse& p);
@@ -76,6 +74,4 @@ class AssistedTargetingUpdate : public UpdateModule
 
 	const ThingTemplate *m_laserFromAssisted;
 	const ThingTemplate *m_laserToTarget;
-
-
 };
diff --git a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameLogic/Object/Update/AssistedTargetingUpdate.cpp b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameLogic/Object/Update/AssistedTargetingUpdate.cpp
index 9bb57e08351..719f1abd9d7 100644
--- a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameLogic/Object/Update/AssistedTargetingUpdate.cpp
+++ b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameLogic/Object/Update/AssistedTargetingUpdate.cpp
@@ -101,7 +101,6 @@ void AssistedTargetingUpdate::assistAttack( const Object *requestingObject, Obje
 	me->setWeaponLock( md->m_weaponSlot, LOCKED_TEMPORARILY );
 	me->getAI()->aiAttackObject( victimObject, md->m_clipSize, CMD_FROM_AI );
 
-
 	if( m_laserFromAssisted )
 		makeFeedbackLaser( m_laserFromAssisted, requestingObject, me );
 	if( m_laserToTarget )
@@ -139,14 +138,10 @@ void AssistedTargetingUpdate::makeFeedbackLaser( const ThingTemplate *laserTempl
 //-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 UpdateSleepTime AssistedTargetingUpdate::update()
 {
-
   const AssistedTargetingUpdateModuleData *d = getAssistedTargetingUpdateModuleData();
 
 	m_laserFromAssisted = TheThingFactory->findTemplate( d->m_laserFromAssistedName );
-
-
-	m_laserToTarget =TheThingFactory->findTemplate( d->m_laserFromAssistedName );
-
+	m_laserToTarget = TheThingFactory->findTemplate( d->m_laserToTargetName );
 
 	return UPDATE_SLEEP_FOREVER;
 }
@@ -188,7 +183,7 @@ void AssistedTargetingUpdate::loadPostProcess()
   const AssistedTargetingUpdateModuleData *d = getAssistedTargetingUpdateModuleData();
 
 	m_laserFromAssisted = TheThingFactory->findTemplate( d->m_laserFromAssistedName );
-	m_laserToTarget =TheThingFactory->findTemplate( d->m_laserFromAssistedName );
+	m_laserToTarget = TheThingFactory->findTemplate( d->m_laserToTargetName );
 
 	// extend base class
 	UpdateModule::loadPostProcess();