diff --git a/source/funkin/api/newgrounds/Medals.hx b/source/funkin/api/newgrounds/Medals.hx
index 3e6678a88..b5d63dc4a 100644
--- a/source/funkin/api/newgrounds/Medals.hx
+++ b/source/funkin/api/newgrounds/Medals.hx
@@ -48,7 +48,9 @@ class Medals
         #if html5
         // Web builds support parsing the bitmap data from the URL directly.
         BitmapData.loadFromFile("https:" + medalData.icon).onComplete(function(bmp:BitmapData) {
-          NewgroundsMedalPlugin.play(medalData.value, medalData.name, FlxGraphic.fromBitmapData(bmp));
+          var medalGraphic = FlxGraphic.fromBitmapData(bmp);
+          medalGraphic.persist = true;
+          NewgroundsMedalPlugin.play(medalData.value, medalData.name, medalGraphic);
         });
         #else
         if (medalJSON == null) loadMedalJSON();
@@ -59,6 +61,7 @@ class Medals
         str = str.replace("data:image/png;base64,", "").trim();
         var bitmapData = BitmapData.fromBase64(str, "image/png");
         if (str != null) g = FlxGraphic.fromBitmapData(bitmapData);
+        g.persist = true;
 
         NewgroundsMedalPlugin.play(medalData.value, medalData.name, g);
         #end
diff --git a/source/funkin/util/plugins/NewgroundsMedalPlugin.hx b/source/funkin/util/plugins/NewgroundsMedalPlugin.hx
index d19882bec..366d5986c 100644
--- a/source/funkin/util/plugins/NewgroundsMedalPlugin.hx
+++ b/source/funkin/util/plugins/NewgroundsMedalPlugin.hx
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ class NewgroundsMedalPlugin extends FlxTypedContainer<FlxBasic>
     var why = FlxG.height - 100;
     FlxGraphic.defaultPersist = true;
     medal = new FlxAtlasSprite(ecs, why, Paths.animateAtlas("ui/medal"));
-    FlxGraphic.defaultPersist = false;
 
     points = new FlxText(171 + ecs, 10 + why, 50, 12, false);
     points.fieldHeight = 18;
@@ -95,6 +94,7 @@ class NewgroundsMedalPlugin extends FlxTypedContainer<FlxBasic>
     add(medal);
     add(points);
     add(name);
+    FlxGraphic.defaultPersist = false;
   }
 
   override public function update(elapsed:Float)