diff --git a/Content.Server/Zombies/ZombieSystem.cs b/Content.Server/Zombies/ZombieSystem.cs
index e34ecb4ad5..054bd0f6ec 100644
--- a/Content.Server/Zombies/ZombieSystem.cs
+++ b/Content.Server/Zombies/ZombieSystem.cs
@@ -87,6 +87,13 @@ namespace Content.Server.Zombies
         private void OnPendingMapInit(EntityUid uid, IncurableZombieComponent component, MapInitEvent args)
         {
             _actions.AddAction(uid, ref component.Action, component.ZombifySelfActionPrototype);
+
+            if (HasComp<ZombieComponent>(uid) || HasComp<ZombieImmuneComponent>(uid))
+                return;
+
+            EnsureComp<PendingZombieComponent>(uid, out PendingZombieComponent pendingComp);
+
+            pendingComp.GracePeriod = _random.Next(pendingComp.MinInitialInfectedGrace, pendingComp.MaxInitialInfectedGrace);
         }
 
         private void OnPendingMapInit(EntityUid uid, PendingZombieComponent component, MapInitEvent args)
@@ -98,7 +105,6 @@ namespace Content.Server.Zombies
             }
 
             component.NextTick = _timing.CurTime + TimeSpan.FromSeconds(1f);
-            component.GracePeriod = _random.Next(component.MinInitialInfectedGrace, component.MaxInitialInfectedGrace);
         }
 
         public override void Update(float frameTime)
diff --git a/Content.Shared/Zombies/PendingZombieComponent.cs b/Content.Shared/Zombies/PendingZombieComponent.cs
index 0fb61c84df..b199edeb00 100644
--- a/Content.Shared/Zombies/PendingZombieComponent.cs
+++ b/Content.Shared/Zombies/PendingZombieComponent.cs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ public sealed partial class PendingZombieComponent : Component
     {
         DamageDict = new ()
         {
-            { "Poison", 0.2 },
+            { "Poison", 0.4 },
         }
     };
 
diff --git a/Resources/Prototypes/Entities/Mobs/Species/vox.yml b/Resources/Prototypes/Entities/Mobs/Species/vox.yml
index dc93dc8fdf..4703bfd06b 100644
--- a/Resources/Prototypes/Entities/Mobs/Species/vox.yml
+++ b/Resources/Prototypes/Entities/Mobs/Species/vox.yml
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
     damage:
       types:
         Heat: -0.07
-        Poison: -0.2
+        Poison: -0.2 # needs to be less than the PendingZombieComponent does or they never become zombies by the disease.
       groups:
         Brute: -0.07
   - type: DamageVisuals