diff --git a/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/Drawable.cpp b/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/Drawable.cpp
index 9ea06a8d0c3..1d99a5f02fc 100644
--- a/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/Drawable.cpp
+++ b/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/Drawable.cpp
@@ -4895,9 +4895,24 @@ void TintEnvelope::xfer( Xfer *xfer )
 	// sustain counter
 	if (version <= 1)
 	{
-		UnsignedInt sustainCounter = (UnsignedInt)m_sustainCounter;
+		// TheSuperHackers @bugfix bobtista 13/08/2026 Preserve the indefinite sustain sentinel across the retail
+		// compatible save format. (Real)SUSTAIN_INDEFINITELY rounds up to 4294967296, which is out of range for
+		// UnsignedInt, so converting it back is undefined and yields 0 on MSVC. Assigning that result back also
+		// cleared the sustain on save, which released color envelopes that are meant to hold indefinitely.
+		UnsignedInt sustainCounter;
+		if( m_sustainCounter >= (Real)SUSTAIN_INDEFINITELY )
+		{
+			sustainCounter = SUSTAIN_INDEFINITELY;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			sustainCounter = (UnsignedInt)m_sustainCounter;
+		}
 		xfer->xferUnsignedInt( &sustainCounter );
-		m_sustainCounter = (Real)sustainCounter;
+		if( xfer->getXferMode() == XFER_LOAD )
+		{
+			m_sustainCounter = (Real)sustainCounter;
+		}
 	}
 	else
 	{
diff --git a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/Drawable.cpp b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/Drawable.cpp
index 2ea309f2106..00464233f8a 100644
--- a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/Drawable.cpp
+++ b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/Drawable.cpp
@@ -5614,9 +5614,24 @@ void TintEnvelope::xfer( Xfer *xfer )
 	// sustain counter
 	if (version <= 1)
 	{
-		UnsignedInt sustainCounter = (UnsignedInt)m_sustainCounter;
+		// TheSuperHackers @bugfix bobtista 13/08/2026 Preserve the indefinite sustain sentinel across the retail
+		// compatible save format. (Real)SUSTAIN_INDEFINITELY rounds up to 4294967296, which is out of range for
+		// UnsignedInt, so converting it back is undefined and yields 0 on MSVC. Assigning that result back also
+		// cleared the sustain on save, which released color envelopes that are meant to hold indefinitely.
+		UnsignedInt sustainCounter;
+		if( m_sustainCounter >= (Real)SUSTAIN_INDEFINITELY )
+		{
+			sustainCounter = SUSTAIN_INDEFINITELY;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			sustainCounter = (UnsignedInt)m_sustainCounter;
+		}
 		xfer->xferUnsignedInt( &sustainCounter );
-		m_sustainCounter = (Real)sustainCounter;
+		if( xfer->getXferMode() == XFER_LOAD )
+		{
+			m_sustainCounter = (Real)sustainCounter;
+		}
 	}
 	else
 	{