diff --git a/code/ai/aigoals.h b/code/ai/aigoals.h
index 12470cd6f11..dfcc82606c3 100644
--- a/code/ai/aigoals.h
+++ b/code/ai/aigoals.h
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ enum ai_goal_mode : uint8_t
 	AI_GOAL_FLY_TO_SHIP,
 	AI_GOAL_IGNORE_NEW,
 	AI_GOAL_CHASE_SHIP_CLASS,
-	AI_GOAL_PLAY_DEAD_PERSISTENT,
+	AI_GOAL_PLAY_DEAD_PERSISTENT, // Disables subsystem rotation/translation among other things but there is a carveout for that in the lab only in ship_move_subsystems()
 	AI_GOAL_LUA,
 	AI_GOAL_DISARM_SHIP_TACTICAL,
 	AI_GOAL_DISABLE_SHIP_TACTICAL,
diff --git a/code/lab/manager/lab_manager.cpp b/code/lab/manager/lab_manager.cpp
index 0b6239d6e11..300a4d97f9b 100644
--- a/code/lab/manager/lab_manager.cpp
+++ b/code/lab/manager/lab_manager.cpp
@@ -614,6 +614,7 @@ void LabManager::changeDisplayedObject(LabMode mode, int info_index, int subtype
 			Player_ship = &Ships[Objects[CurrentObject].instance];
 			ai_paused = 0;
 
+			// Set the ship to play dead so it doesn't move. There is a special carveout to still allow subsystem rotations/translations in the lab, though
 			ai_add_ship_goal_scripting(AI_GOAL_PLAY_DEAD_PERSISTENT, -1, 100, nullptr, &Ai_info[Player_ship->ai_index], 0, 0);
 		}
 		break;
diff --git a/code/ship/ship.cpp b/code/ship/ship.cpp
index 13834c48316..32c246a7117 100644
--- a/code/ship/ship.cpp
+++ b/code/ship/ship.cpp
@@ -20001,9 +20001,11 @@ void ship_move_subsystems(object *objp)
 	Assertion(objp->type == OBJ_SHIP, "ship_move_subsystems should only be called for ships!  objp type = %d", objp->type);
 	auto shipp = &Ships[objp->instance];
 	
-	// non-player ships that are playing dead do not process subsystems or turrets
-	if ((!(objp->flags[Object::Object_Flags::Player_ship]) || Player_use_ai) && Ai_info[shipp->ai_index].mode == AIM_PLAY_DEAD)
-		return;
+	// non-player ships that are playing dead do not process subsystems or turrets unless we're in the lab
+	if (gameseq_get_state() != GS_STATE_LAB) {
+		if ((!(objp->flags[Object::Object_Flags::Player_ship]) || Player_use_ai) && Ai_info[shipp->ai_index].mode == AIM_PLAY_DEAD)
+			return;
+	}
 
 	for (auto pss = GET_FIRST(&shipp->subsys_list); pss != END_OF_LIST(&shipp->subsys_list); pss = GET_NEXT(pss))
 	{