diff --git a/dZoneManager/Raw.cpp b/dZoneManager/Raw.cpp
index bc97a583e..28e302d0d 100644
--- a/dZoneManager/Raw.cpp
+++ b/dZoneManager/Raw.cpp
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ NiPoint3 Chunk::GridToWorldPos(uint32_t i, uint32_t j) const {
 			BinaryIO::BinaryRead(stream, flair.colorR);
 			BinaryIO::BinaryRead(stream, flair.colorG);
 			BinaryIO::BinaryRead(stream, flair.colorB);
-			BinaryIO::BinaryRead(stream, flair.colorA);
+			BinaryIO::BinaryRead(stream, flair.padding);
 			return true;
 		} catch (const std::exception&) {
 			return false;
diff --git a/dZoneManager/Raw.h b/dZoneManager/Raw.h
index 33de6fa83..eb83d8a90 100644
--- a/dZoneManager/Raw.h
+++ b/dZoneManager/Raw.h
@@ -25,8 +25,10 @@ struct FlairAttributes {
 	uint8_t colorR;
 	uint8_t colorG;
 	uint8_t colorB;
-	uint8_t colorA;
+	// Padding: never set when a flair is placed, so it holds leftover memory; nothing reads it
+	uint8_t padding;
 };
+static_assert(sizeof(FlairAttributes) == 36, "a flair record in the .raw is 36 bytes");
 
 /**
  * @brief Mesh triangle structure
diff --git a/tests/dGameTests/dZoneManagerTests/RawTests.cpp b/tests/dGameTests/dZoneManagerTests/RawTests.cpp
index 52b381057..4050f0d4d 100644
--- a/tests/dGameTests/dZoneManagerTests/RawTests.cpp
+++ b/tests/dGameTests/dZoneManagerTests/RawTests.cpp
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ TEST_F(RawTest, ReadsEveryPartOfVersion32) {
 	EXPECT_EQ(flair.colorR, 10);
 	EXPECT_EQ(flair.colorG, 20);
 	EXPECT_EQ(flair.colorB, 30);
-	EXPECT_EQ(flair.colorA, 40);
+	EXPECT_EQ(flair.padding, 40);
 	EXPECT_TRUE(raw.chunks[2].flairs.empty());
 
 	EXPECT_EQ(chunk.vertSize, 4);
diff --git a/tests/dGameTests/dZoneManagerTests/TerrainTestWriter.h b/tests/dGameTests/dZoneManagerTests/TerrainTestWriter.h
index ac7c2d8a2..d9ea5a117 100644
--- a/tests/dGameTests/dZoneManagerTests/TerrainTestWriter.h
+++ b/tests/dGameTests/dZoneManagerTests/TerrainTestWriter.h
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ namespace TerrainTestWriter {
 			WriteBytes(stream, chunk.blendMapSize);
 		}
 
-		// Flair: id, scale, position, rotation, RGBA (36 bytes)
+		// Flair: id, scale, position, rotation, RGB, padding byte (36 bytes)
 		Write(stream, chunk.flairCount);
 		for (uint32_t i = 0; i < chunk.flairCount; ++i) {
 			Write<uint32_t>(stream, 500 + i);