diff --git a/addons/hearing/XEH_postInit.sqf b/addons/hearing/XEH_postInit.sqf
index 37fa87036c..ad73ed55d5 100644
--- a/addons/hearing/XEH_postInit.sqf
+++ b/addons/hearing/XEH_postInit.sqf
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ if (!hasInterface) exitWith {};
 
 GVAR(deafnessDV) = 0;
 GVAR(deafnessPrior) = 0;
+GVAR(volume) = 1;
 GVAR(playerVehAttenuation) = 1;
 
 GVAR(beep) = false;
@@ -13,12 +14,8 @@ GVAR(time3) = 0;
 GVAR(time4) = 0;
 
 ["SettingsInitialized", {
-    //If not enabled, dont't add draw eventhandler or PFEH (for performance)
-    if (!GVAR(enableCombatDeafness)) exitWith {};
-
     // Spawn volume updating process
-    [FUNC(updateVolume), 1, [] ] call CBA_fnc_addPerFrameHandler;
-
+    [FUNC(updateVolume), 1, [false] ] call CBA_fnc_addPerFrameHandler;
 }] call EFUNC(common,addEventHandler);
 
 //Update veh attunation when player veh changes
diff --git a/addons/hearing/functions/fnc_earRinging.sqf b/addons/hearing/functions/fnc_earRinging.sqf
index 138750c147..218db873d1 100644
--- a/addons/hearing/functions/fnc_earRinging.sqf
+++ b/addons/hearing/functions/fnc_earRinging.sqf
@@ -16,8 +16,6 @@
  */
 #include "script_component.hpp"
 
-if (!GVAR(enableCombatDeafness)) exitWith {};
-
 PARAMS_2(_unit,_strength);
 
 if (_unit != ACE_player) exitWith {};
diff --git a/addons/hearing/functions/fnc_explosionNear.sqf b/addons/hearing/functions/fnc_explosionNear.sqf
index e269aad997..dde9bc50cc 100644
--- a/addons/hearing/functions/fnc_explosionNear.sqf
+++ b/addons/hearing/functions/fnc_explosionNear.sqf
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@
  */
 #include "script_component.hpp"
 
-//Only run if combatDeafness enabled:
-if (!GVAR(enableCombatDeafness)) exitWith {};
+//Only run if deafness or ear ringing is enabled:
+if ((!GVAR(enableCombatDeafness)) && GVAR(DisableEarRinging)) exitWith {};
 
 PARAMS_2(_unit,_damage);
 
diff --git a/addons/hearing/functions/fnc_firedNear.sqf b/addons/hearing/functions/fnc_firedNear.sqf
index d42e1ee308..6fc48b27fa 100644
--- a/addons/hearing/functions/fnc_firedNear.sqf
+++ b/addons/hearing/functions/fnc_firedNear.sqf
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@
  */
 #include "script_component.hpp"
 
-//Only run if combatDeafness enabled:
-if (!GVAR(enableCombatDeafness)) exitWith {};
+//Only run if deafness or ear ringing is enabled:
+if ((!GVAR(enableCombatDeafness)) && GVAR(DisableEarRinging)) exitWith {};
 
 PARAMS_7(_object,_firer,_distance,_weapon,_muzzle,_mode,_ammo);
 
diff --git a/addons/hearing/functions/fnc_putInEarplugs.sqf b/addons/hearing/functions/fnc_putInEarplugs.sqf
index e979360945..8b11e6ba25 100644
--- a/addons/hearing/functions/fnc_putInEarplugs.sqf
+++ b/addons/hearing/functions/fnc_putInEarplugs.sqf
@@ -24,5 +24,8 @@ _player setVariable ["ACE_hasEarPlugsIn", true, true];
 
 [localize LSTRING(EarPlugs_Are_On)] call EFUNC(common,displayTextStructured);
 
+//Force an immediate fast volume update:
+[[true]] call FUNC(updateVolume);
+
 /*// No Earplugs in inventory, telling user
 [localize LSTRING(NoPlugs)] call EFUNC(common,displayTextStructured);*/
diff --git a/addons/hearing/functions/fnc_removeEarplugs.sqf b/addons/hearing/functions/fnc_removeEarplugs.sqf
index bee3517235..19a34831cd 100644
--- a/addons/hearing/functions/fnc_removeEarplugs.sqf
+++ b/addons/hearing/functions/fnc_removeEarplugs.sqf
@@ -27,3 +27,6 @@ _player addItem "ACE_EarPlugs";
 _player setVariable ["ACE_hasEarPlugsIn", false, true];
 
 [localize LSTRING(EarPlugs_Are_Off)] call EFUNC(common,displayTextStructured);
+
+//Force an immediate fast volume update:
+[[true]] call FUNC(updateVolume);
diff --git a/addons/hearing/functions/fnc_updateVolume.sqf b/addons/hearing/functions/fnc_updateVolume.sqf
index 6799d73266..3a72e8eb3b 100644
--- a/addons/hearing/functions/fnc_updateVolume.sqf
+++ b/addons/hearing/functions/fnc_updateVolume.sqf
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
  * Updates and applys the current deafness.  Called every 0.1 sec from a PFEH.
  *
  * Arguments:
- * None
+ * 0: Args <ARRAY>
+ * -----0: Just update volume (skip ringing/recovery) <BOOL><OPTIONAL>
  *
  * Return Value:
  * None
@@ -15,53 +16,60 @@
  */
 #include "script_component.hpp"
 
-private["_Volume"];
+//Only run if deafness or ear ringing is enabled:
+if ((!GVAR(enableCombatDeafness)) && GVAR(DisableEarRinging)) exitWith {};
+
+EXPLODE_1_PVT((_this select 0),_justUpdateVolume);
+
+private["_volume", "_soundTransitionTime"];
 
 GVAR(deafnessDV) = (GVAR(deafnessDV) min 20) max 0;
-
-//If we got a big increase in the last second:
-if ((GVAR(deafnessDV) - GVAR(deafnessPrior)) > 2) then {
-    if (ACE_time > GVAR(time3)) then {
-        GVAR(beep2) = false;
-    };
-    if ((!GVAR(DisableEarRinging)) && {!GVAR(beep2)}) then {
-        playSound "ACE_Combat_Deafness";
-        GVAR(beep2) = true;
-        GVAR(time3) = ACE_time + 5;
-    };
-};
-
-GVAR(deafnessPrior) = GVAR(deafnessDV);
 GVAR(volume) = (1 -  (GVAR(deafnessDV) / 20)) max 0;
 
-if (GVAR(deafnessDV) > 19.75) then {
-    ACE_player setvariable [QGVAR(deaf), true];
-    if ((!GVAR(DisableEarRinging)) && {ACE_time > GVAR(time4)}) then {
-        playSound "ACE_Combat_Deafness";
-        GVAR(beep2) = true;
-        GVAR(time3) = ACE_time + 10;
-        GVAR(time4) = ACE_time + 30;
+if (!_justUpdateVolume) then {
+    //If we got a big increase in the last second:
+    if ((GVAR(deafnessDV) - GVAR(deafnessPrior)) > 2) then {
+        if (ACE_time > GVAR(time3)) then {
+            GVAR(beep2) = false;
+        };
+        if ((!GVAR(DisableEarRinging)) && {!GVAR(beep2)}) then {
+            playSound "ACE_Combat_Deafness";
+            GVAR(beep2) = true;
+            GVAR(time3) = ACE_time + 5;
+        };
     };
-} else {
-    ACE_player setvariable [QGVAR(deaf), false];
+
+    GVAR(deafnessPrior) = GVAR(deafnessDV);
+
+    if (GVAR(deafnessDV) > 19.75) then {
+        ACE_player setvariable [QGVAR(deaf), true];
+        if ((!GVAR(DisableEarRinging)) && {ACE_time > GVAR(time4)}) then {
+            playSound "ACE_Combat_Deafness";
+            GVAR(beep2) = true;
+            GVAR(time3) = ACE_time + 10;
+            GVAR(time4) = ACE_time + 30;
+        };
+    } else {
+        ACE_player setvariable [QGVAR(deaf), false];
+    };
+
+    if (GVAR(deafnessDV) > 10) then {
+        //check if the ringing is already being played
+        if (ACE_time > GVAR(time2)) then {
+            GVAR(beep) = false;
+        };
+        if ((!GVAR(DisableEarRinging)) && {!GVAR(beep)}) then {
+            playSound "ACE_Ring_Backblast";
+            GVAR(time2) = ACE_time + 22;
+            GVAR(beep) = true;
+        };
+    };
+
+    // Hearing takes longer to return to normal after it hits rock bottom
+    GVAR(deafnessDV) =  (GVAR(deafnessDV) - (0.5 * (GVAR(volume) max 0.1))) max 0;
 };
 
-if (GVAR(deafnessDV) > 10) then {
-    //check if the ringing is already being played
-    if (ACE_time > GVAR(time2)) then {
-        GVAR(beep) = false;
-    };
-    if ((!GVAR(DisableEarRinging)) && {!GVAR(beep)}) then {
-        playSound "ACE_Ring_Backblast";
-        GVAR(time2) = ACE_time + 22;
-        GVAR(beep) = true;
-    };
-};
-
-// Hearing takes longer to return to normal after it hits rock bottom
-GVAR(deafnessDV) =  (GVAR(deafnessDV) - (0.5 * (GVAR(volume) max 0.1))) max 0;
-
-TRACE_3("tick", GVAR(deafnessPrior), GVAR(deafnessDV), GVAR(volume));
+if ((missionNameSpace getVariable [QGVAR(disableVolumeUpdate), false]) || {!GVAR(enableCombatDeafness)}) exitWith {};
 
 _volume = GVAR(volume);
 
@@ -84,11 +92,9 @@ if (ACE_player getVariable ["ACE_isUnconscious", false]) then {
     _volume = _volume min GVAR(UnconsciousnessVolume);
 };
 
-if (!(missionNameSpace getVariable [QGVAR(disableVolumeUpdate), false])) then {
-    1 fadeSound _volume;
-    1 fadeSpeech _volume;
-    ACE_player setVariable ["tf_globalVolume", _volume];
-    if (!isNil "acre_api_fnc_setGlobalVolume") then {[_volume^(0.33)] call acre_api_fnc_setGlobalVolume;};
-};
+_soundTransitionTime = if (_justUpdateVolume) then {0.1} else {1};
 
-//hintSilent format ["GVAR(currentDeafness), _Volume = %1, %2", GVAR(currentDeafness), _volume];
+_soundTransitionTime fadeSound _volume;
+_soundTransitionTime fadeSpeech _volume;
+ACE_player setVariable ["tf_globalVolume", _volume];
+if (!isNil "acre_api_fnc_setGlobalVolume") then {[_volume^(0.33)] call acre_api_fnc_setGlobalVolume;};