diff --git a/module/applications/ui/effectsDisplay.mjs b/module/applications/ui/effectsDisplay.mjs
index 4df42479..500ec39d 100644
--- a/module/applications/ui/effectsDisplay.mjs
+++ b/module/applications/ui/effectsDisplay.mjs
@@ -95,7 +95,10 @@ export default class DhEffectsDisplay extends HandlebarsApplicationMixin(Applica
 
         if (!effect.system.stacking?.enabled) return;
 
-        const newValue = Math.min(effect.system.stacking.value + 1, effect.system.stacking.max);
+        const incrementedValue = effect.system.stacking.value + 1;
+        const newValue = effect.system.stacking.max
+            ? Math.min(incrementedValue, effect.system.stacking.max)
+            : incrementedValue;
         await effect.update({ 'system.stacking.value': newValue });
         this.render();
     }
diff --git a/module/canvas/placeables/token.mjs b/module/canvas/placeables/token.mjs
index ad60b931..26c96683 100644
--- a/module/canvas/placeables/token.mjs
+++ b/module/canvas/placeables/token.mjs
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ export default class DhTokenPlaceable extends foundry.canvas.placeables.Token {
         const icon = new PIXI.Sprite(tex);
         icon.tint = tint ?? 0xffffff;
 
-        if (effect?.system?.stacking?.enabled) {
+        if (effect?.system?.stacking?.enabled && effect.system.stacking.value > 1) {
             const stackOverlay = new PIXI.Text(effect.system.stacking.value, {
                 fill: '#f3c267',
                 stroke: '#000000',
diff --git a/module/data/activeEffect/baseEffect.mjs b/module/data/activeEffect/baseEffect.mjs
index 3867fa23..c0ed1b36 100644
--- a/module/data/activeEffect/baseEffect.mjs
+++ b/module/data/activeEffect/baseEffect.mjs
@@ -75,8 +75,7 @@ export default class BaseEffect extends foundry.data.ActiveEffectTypeDataModel {
                     nullable: false,
                     label: 'DAGGERHEART.GENERAL.value'
                 }),
-                max: new fields.NumberField({ label: 'DAGGERHEART.GENERAL.max' })
-                // max: new fields.StringField({ required: true, nullable: false }),
+                max: new fields.NumberField({ integer: true, label: 'DAGGERHEART.GENERAL.max' })
             })
         };
     }
diff --git a/module/data/fields/action/effectsField.mjs b/module/data/fields/action/effectsField.mjs
index 6afd470b..df0c0b09 100644
--- a/module/data/fields/action/effectsField.mjs
+++ b/module/data/fields/action/effectsField.mjs
@@ -106,22 +106,11 @@ export default class EffectsField extends fields.ArrayField {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Apply an Effect to a target or enable it if already on it
+     * Apply an Effect to a target
      * @param {object} effect   Effect object containing ActiveEffect UUID
      * @param {object} actor    Actor Document
      */
     static async applyEffect(effect, actor) {
-        const existingEffect = actor.effects.find(e => e.origin === effect.uuid);
-        if (existingEffect) {
-            return effect.update(
-                foundry.utils.mergeObject({
-                    ...effect.constructor.getInitialDuration(),
-                    disabled: false
-                })
-            );
-        }
-
-        // Otherwise, create a new effect on the target
         const effectData = foundry.utils.mergeObject({
             ...(effect.toObject?.() ?? effect),
             disabled: false,
diff --git a/module/documents/activeEffect.mjs b/module/documents/activeEffect.mjs
index 8c7f0668..2869ab98 100644
--- a/module/documents/activeEffect.mjs
+++ b/module/documents/activeEffect.mjs
@@ -106,6 +106,20 @@ export default class DhActiveEffect extends foundry.documents.ActiveEffect {
             update.img = 'icons/magic/life/heart-cross-blue.webp';
         }
 
+        const existingEffect = this.actor.effects.find(x => x.origin === data.origin);
+        const stacks = data.system?.stacking?.enabled;
+        if (existingEffect && !stacks) return false;
+
+        if (existingEffect && stacks) {
+            const incrementedValue = existingEffect.system.stacking.value + 1;
+            await existingEffect.update({
+                'system.stacking.value': existingEffect.system.stacking.max
+                    ? Math.min(incrementedValue, existingEffect.system.stacking.max)
+                    : incrementedValue
+            });
+            return false;
+        }
+
         const statuses = Object.keys(data.statuses ?? {});
         const immuneStatuses =
             statuses.filter(
diff --git a/templates/ui/effects-display.hbs b/templates/ui/effects-display.hbs
index 13daa4de..bdbd9fbe 100644
--- a/templates/ui/effects-display.hbs
+++ b/templates/ui/effects-display.hbs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
                 <a {{#if effect.condition}}disabled{{/if}}>
                     <img src="{{effect.img}}" />
                 </a>
-                {{#if effect.system.stacking.enabled}}
+                {{#if (and effect.system.stacking.enabled (gt effect.system.stacking.value 1))}}
                     <span class="stacking-value">{{effect.system.stacking.value}}</span>
                 {{/if}}
                 {{#if effect.condition}}<i class="effect-locked fa-solid fa-lock"></i>{{/if}}
diff --git a/templates/ui/tooltip/effect-display.hbs b/templates/ui/tooltip/effect-display.hbs
index 52419193..3dc6d9c3 100644
--- a/templates/ui/tooltip/effect-display.hbs
+++ b/templates/ui/tooltip/effect-display.hbs
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@
             </div>
         </div>
     {{/if}}
-    
-    {{#if effect.system.stacking.enabled}}
+
+    {{#if (and effect.system.stacking.enabled effect.system.stacking.max)}}
         <div class="effect-stacks-outer-container">
             <div class="effect-stacks-title">{{localize "Stacks"}}</div>
             <div class="effect-stacks-container">
@@ -33,12 +33,10 @@
                     <span class="effect-stack-title">{{localize "Current"}}</span>
                     <span>{{effect.system.stacking.value}}</span>
                 </div>
-                {{#if effect.system.stacking.max}}
-                    <div class="effect-stacks-inner-container">
-                        <span class="effect-stack-title">{{localize "Max"}}</span>
-                        <span>{{effect.system.stacking.max}}</span>
-                    </div>
-                {{/if}}
+                <div class="effect-stacks-inner-container">
+                    <span class="effect-stack-title">{{localize "Max"}}</span>
+                    <span>{{effect.system.stacking.max}}</span>
+                </div>
             </div>
         </div>
     {{/if}}
@@ -49,9 +47,15 @@
                 <p class="close-hint">
                     <i class="fa-solid fa-computer-mouse"></i> {{localize "DAGGERHEART.UI.EffectsDisplay.increaseStacks"}}
                 </p>
-                <p class="close-hint">
-                    <i class="fa-solid fa-computer-mouse"></i> {{localize "DAGGERHEART.UI.EffectsDisplay.decreaseStacks"}}
-                </p>
+                {{#if (gt effect.system.stacking.value 1)}}
+                    <p class="close-hint">
+                        <i class="fa-solid fa-computer-mouse"></i> {{localize "DAGGERHEART.UI.EffectsDisplay.decreaseStacks"}}
+                    </p>
+                {{else}}
+                    <p class="close-hint">
+                        <i class="fa-solid fa-computer-mouse"></i> {{localize "DAGGERHEART.UI.EffectsDisplay.removeThing" thing=(localize "DAGGERHEART.GENERAL.Effect.single")}}
+                    </p>
+                {{/if}}
             {{else}}
                 <p class="close-hint">
                     <i class="fa-solid fa-computer-mouse"></i> {{localize "DAGGERHEART.UI.EffectsDisplay.removeThing" thing=(localize "DAGGERHEART.GENERAL.Effect.single")}}