diff --git a/Content.Client/IconSmoothing/IconSmoothComponent.cs b/Content.Client/IconSmoothing/IconSmoothComponent.cs
index 7898e9dc1e..8881ef4733 100644
--- a/Content.Client/IconSmoothing/IconSmoothComponent.cs
+++ b/Content.Client/IconSmoothing/IconSmoothComponent.cs
@@ -1,84 +1,91 @@
 using JetBrains.Annotations;
 using Robust.Client.Graphics;
-using Robust.Shared.Serialization.TypeSerializers.Implementations.Custom.Prototype;
+using Robust.Shared.Prototypes;
 
-namespace Content.Client.IconSmoothing
+namespace Content.Client.IconSmoothing;
+
+/// <summary>
+///     Makes sprites of other grid-aligned entities like us connect.
+/// </summary>
+/// <remarks>
+///     The system is based on Baystation12's smoothwalling, and thus will work with those.
+///     To use, set <c>base</c> equal to the prefix of the corner states in the sprite base RSI.
+///     Any objects with the same <c>key</c> will connect.
+/// </remarks>
+[RegisterComponent]
+public sealed partial class IconSmoothComponent : Component
+{
+    [DataField]
+    public bool Enabled = true;
+
+    public (EntityUid?, Vector2i)? LastPosition;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Objects with this key can smooth with us, and vice versa.
+    ///     TODO: YAML HELL, Make smoothing one way.
+    /// </summary>
+    [DataField("key", required: true)]
+    public string SmoothKey { get; private set; }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     We will attempt to smooth with any objects that contain these keys.
+    ///     Only works one way, objects with these keys will not smooth with us
+    /// </summary>
+    [DataField]
+    public List<string> AdditionalKeys = new();
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Index override for our iconsmooth layers. If null, layers will appear on top.
+    /// </summary>
+    [DataField]
+    public int? Index;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Prepended to the RSI state.
+    /// </summary>
+    [DataField("base")]
+    public string StateBase { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+
+    [DataField]
+    public ProtoId<ShaderPrototype>? Shader;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Mode that controls how the icon should be selected.
+    /// </summary>
+    [DataField]
+    public IconSmoothingMode Mode = IconSmoothingMode.Corners;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Used by <see cref="IconSmoothSystem"/> to reduce redundant updates.
+    /// </summary>
+    internal int UpdateGeneration { get; set; }
+}
+
+/// <summary>
+///     Controls the mode with which icon smoothing is calculated.
+/// </summary>
+[PublicAPI]
+public enum IconSmoothingMode : byte
 {
     /// <summary>
-    ///     Makes sprites of other grid-aligned entities like us connect.
+    ///     Each icon is made up of 4 corners, each of which can get a different state depending on
+    ///     adjacent entities clockwise, counter-clockwise and diagonal with the corner.
     /// </summary>
-    /// <remarks>
-    ///     The system is based on Baystation12's smoothwalling, and thus will work with those.
-    ///     To use, set <c>base</c> equal to the prefix of the corner states in the sprite base RSI.
-    ///     Any objects with the same <c>key</c> will connect.
-    /// </remarks>
-    [RegisterComponent]
-    public sealed partial class IconSmoothComponent : Component
-    {
-        [ViewVariables(VVAccess.ReadWrite), DataField("enabled")]
-        public bool Enabled = true;
-
-        public (EntityUid?, Vector2i)? LastPosition;
-
-        /// <summary>
-        ///     We will smooth with other objects with the same key.
-        /// </summary>
-        [ViewVariables(VVAccess.ReadWrite), DataField("key")]
-        public string? SmoothKey { get; private set; }
-
-        /// <summary>
-        ///     Additional keys to smooth with.
-        /// </summary>
-        [DataField]
-        public List<string> AdditionalKeys = new();
-
-        /// <summary>
-        ///     Prepended to the RSI state.
-        /// </summary>
-        [ViewVariables(VVAccess.ReadWrite), DataField("base")]
-        public string StateBase { get; set; } = string.Empty;
-
-        [DataField("shader", customTypeSerializer:typeof(PrototypeIdSerializer<ShaderPrototype>))]
-        public string? Shader;
-
-        /// <summary>
-        ///     Mode that controls how the icon should be selected.
-        /// </summary>
-        [ViewVariables(VVAccess.ReadWrite), DataField("mode")]
-        public IconSmoothingMode Mode = IconSmoothingMode.Corners;
-
-        /// <summary>
-        ///     Used by <see cref="IconSmoothSystem"/> to reduce redundant updates.
-        /// </summary>
-        internal int UpdateGeneration { get; set; }
-    }
+    Corners,
 
     /// <summary>
-    ///     Controls the mode with which icon smoothing is calculated.
+    ///     There are 16 icons, only one of which is used at once.
+    ///     The icon selected is a bit field made up of the cardinal direction flags that have adjacent entities.
     /// </summary>
-    [PublicAPI]
-    public enum IconSmoothingMode : byte
-    {
-        /// <summary>
-        ///     Each icon is made up of 4 corners, each of which can get a different state depending on
-        ///     adjacent entities clockwise, counter-clockwise and diagonal with the corner.
-        /// </summary>
-        Corners,
+    CardinalFlags,
 
-        /// <summary>
-        ///     There are 16 icons, only one of which is used at once.
-        ///     The icon selected is a bit field made up of the cardinal direction flags that have adjacent entities.
-        /// </summary>
-        CardinalFlags,
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     The icon represents a triangular sprite with only 2 states, representing South / East being occupied or not.
+    /// </summary>
+    Diagonal,
 
-        /// <summary>
-        ///     The icon represents a triangular sprite with only 2 states, representing South / East being occupied or not.
-        /// </summary>
-        Diagonal,
-
-        /// <summary>
-        ///     Where this component contributes to our neighbors being calculated but we do not update our own sprite.
-        /// </summary>
-        NoSprite,
-    }
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Where this component contributes to our neighbors being calculated but we do not update our own sprite.
+    /// </summary>
+    NoSprite,
 }
diff --git a/Content.Client/IconSmoothing/IconSmoothSystem.cs b/Content.Client/IconSmoothing/IconSmoothSystem.cs
index 1028554f4d..9367f80838 100644
--- a/Content.Client/IconSmoothing/IconSmoothSystem.cs
+++ b/Content.Client/IconSmoothing/IconSmoothSystem.cs
@@ -88,13 +88,13 @@ namespace Content.Client.IconSmoothing
             _sprite.LayerMapRemove(sprite, CornerLayers.SW);
 
             var state0 = $"{component.StateBase}0";
-            _sprite.LayerMapSet(sprite, CornerLayers.SE, _sprite.AddRsiLayer(sprite, state0));
+            _sprite.LayerMapSet(sprite, CornerLayers.SE, _sprite.AddRsiLayer(sprite, state0, index: component.Index));
             _sprite.LayerSetDirOffset(sprite, CornerLayers.SE, DirectionOffset.None);
-            _sprite.LayerMapSet(sprite, CornerLayers.NE, _sprite.AddRsiLayer(sprite, state0));
+            _sprite.LayerMapSet(sprite, CornerLayers.NE, _sprite.AddRsiLayer(sprite, state0, index: component.Index));
             _sprite.LayerSetDirOffset(sprite, CornerLayers.NE, DirectionOffset.CounterClockwise);
-            _sprite.LayerMapSet(sprite, CornerLayers.NW, _sprite.AddRsiLayer(sprite, state0));
+            _sprite.LayerMapSet(sprite, CornerLayers.NW, _sprite.AddRsiLayer(sprite, state0, index: component.Index));
             _sprite.LayerSetDirOffset(sprite, CornerLayers.NW, DirectionOffset.Flip);
-            _sprite.LayerMapSet(sprite, CornerLayers.SW, _sprite.AddRsiLayer(sprite, state0));
+            _sprite.LayerMapSet(sprite, CornerLayers.SW, _sprite.AddRsiLayer(sprite, state0, index: component.Index));
             _sprite.LayerSetDirOffset(sprite, CornerLayers.SW, DirectionOffset.Clockwise);
         }
 
@@ -369,7 +369,6 @@ namespace Content.Client.IconSmoothing
             while (candidates.MoveNext(out var entity))
             {
                 if (_iconSmoothQuery.TryGetComponent(entity, out var other) &&
-                    other.SmoothKey != null &&
                     (other.SmoothKey == smooth.SmoothKey || smooth.AdditionalKeys.Contains(other.SmoothKey)) &&
                     other.Enabled)
                 {