diff --git a/include/aoevidencedisplay.h b/include/aoevidencedisplay.h
index df4a03778..c4f15af82 100644
--- a/include/aoevidencedisplay.h
+++ b/include/aoevidencedisplay.h
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ class AOEvidenceDisplay : public QLabel {
   void reset();
   void combo_resize(int w, int h);
 
+  int last_evidence_index = -1;
 signals:
   void show_evidence_details(int index);
 
@@ -27,7 +28,6 @@ class AOEvidenceDisplay : public QLabel {
   InterfaceLayer *evidence_movie;
   QPushButton *evidence_icon;
   AOSfxPlayer *sfx_player;
-  int last_evidence_index = -1;
 
 private slots:
   void show_done();
diff --git a/src/aoevidencedisplay.cpp b/src/aoevidencedisplay.cpp
index ed27c0077..5c12a1448 100644
--- a/src/aoevidencedisplay.cpp
+++ b/src/aoevidencedisplay.cpp
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ void AOEvidenceDisplay::reset()
   evidence_movie->kill();
   evidence_icon->hide();
   this->clear();
+  last_evidence_index = -1;
 }
 
 void AOEvidenceDisplay::show_done() { evidence_icon->show(); }
diff --git a/src/courtroom.cpp b/src/courtroom.cpp
index 144371339..dd115025b 100644
--- a/src/courtroom.cpp
+++ b/src/courtroom.cpp
@@ -2654,7 +2654,9 @@ void Courtroom::unpack_chatmessage(QStringList p_contents)
   evidence_presented = false;
   ui_vp_objection->stop();
   chat_tick_timer->stop();
-  ui_vp_evidence_display->reset();
+  if (ui_vp_evidence_display->last_evidence_index != m_chatmessage[EVIDENCE_ID].toInt())
+    ui_vp_evidence_display->reset();
+
   // This chat msg is not objection so we're not waiting on the objection animation to finish to display the character.
   if (!handle_objection())
     handle_ic_message();
@@ -2748,7 +2750,7 @@ void Courtroom::log_chatmessage(QString f_message, int f_char_id, QString f_show
     }
 
     // If the evidence ID is in the valid range
-    if (f_evi_id > 0 && f_evi_id <= local_evidence_list.size()) {
+    if (f_evi_id != ui_vp_evidence_display->last_evidence_index && f_evi_id > 0 && f_evi_id <= local_evidence_list.size()) {
       blankpost = false;
       // Obtain the evidence name
       QString f_evi_name = local_evidence_list.at(f_evi_id - 1).name;
@@ -3483,6 +3485,9 @@ void Courtroom::display_evidence_image()
 {
   QString side = m_chatmessage[SIDE];
   int f_evi_id = m_chatmessage[EVIDENCE_ID].toInt();
+  if (current_side == side && f_evi_id == ui_vp_evidence_display->last_evidence_index)
+    return;
+
   if (f_evi_id > 0 && f_evi_id <= local_evidence_list.size()) {
     // shifted by 1 because 0 is no evidence per legacy standards
     QString f_image = local_evidence_list.at(f_evi_id - 1).image;