diff --git a/common/include/maths.h b/common/include/maths.h
index e56ef3c85..0bd27149e 100644
--- a/common/include/maths.h
+++ b/common/include/maths.h
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #define D_RAND_MAX 32767
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
+#include <cstddef>
 #include "dxxsconf.h"
 
 void d_srand (unsigned int seed);
@@ -126,6 +127,21 @@ fix fix_sqrt (fix a);
 //compute sine and cosine of an angle, filling in the variables
 //either of the pointers can be NULL
 void fix_sincos (fix a, fix * s, fix * c);	//with interpolation
+void fix_sincos(fix, std::nullptr_t, std::nullptr_t) = delete;
+
+__attribute_warn_unused_result
+static inline fix fix_sin(fix a)
+{
+	fix s;
+	return fix_sincos(a, &s, nullptr), s;
+}
+
+__attribute_warn_unused_result
+static inline fix fix_cos(fix a)
+{
+	fix c;
+	return fix_sincos(a, nullptr, &c), c;
+}
 
 void fix_fastsincos (fix a, fix * s, fix * c);	//no interpolation
 
diff --git a/similar/main/ai.cpp b/similar/main/ai.cpp
index 41e40dd10..c8e621b99 100644
--- a/similar/main/ai.cpp
+++ b/similar/main/ai.cpp
@@ -2229,13 +2229,13 @@ void start_boss_death_sequence(const vobjptr_t objp)
 #if defined(DXX_BUILD_DESCENT_I)
 static void do_boss_dying_frame(const vobjptridx_t objp)
 {
-	fix	boss_roll_val, temp;
+	fix	boss_roll_val;
 
 	boss_roll_val = fixdiv(GameTime64 - Boss_dying_start_time, BOSS_DEATH_DURATION);
 
-	fix_sincos(fixmul(boss_roll_val, boss_roll_val), &temp, &objp->mtype.phys_info.rotvel.x);
-	fix_sincos(boss_roll_val, &temp, &objp->mtype.phys_info.rotvel.y);
-	fix_sincos(boss_roll_val-F1_0/8, &temp, &objp->mtype.phys_info.rotvel.z);
+	fix_sincos(fixmul(boss_roll_val, boss_roll_val), nullptr, &objp->mtype.phys_info.rotvel.x);
+	fix_sincos(boss_roll_val, nullptr, &objp->mtype.phys_info.rotvel.y);
+	fix_sincos(boss_roll_val-F1_0/8, nullptr, &objp->mtype.phys_info.rotvel.z);
 
 	objp->mtype.phys_info.rotvel.x = (GameTime64 - Boss_dying_start_time)/9;
 	objp->mtype.phys_info.rotvel.y = (GameTime64 - Boss_dying_start_time)/5;
@@ -2329,7 +2329,7 @@ void start_robot_death_sequence(const vobjptr_t objp)
 //	scale: F1_0*4 for boss, much smaller for much smaller guys
 static int do_robot_dying_frame(const vobjptridx_t objp, fix64 start_time, fix roll_duration, sbyte *dying_sound_playing, int death_sound, fix expl_scale, fix sound_scale)
 {
-	fix	roll_val, temp;
+	fix	roll_val;
 	fix	sound_duration;
 
 	if (!roll_duration)
@@ -2337,9 +2337,9 @@ static int do_robot_dying_frame(const vobjptridx_t objp, fix64 start_time, fix r
 
 	roll_val = fixdiv(GameTime64 - start_time, roll_duration);
 
-	fix_sincos(fixmul(roll_val, roll_val), &temp, &objp->mtype.phys_info.rotvel.x);
-	fix_sincos(roll_val, &temp, &objp->mtype.phys_info.rotvel.y);
-	fix_sincos(roll_val-F1_0/8, &temp, &objp->mtype.phys_info.rotvel.z);
+	fix_sincos(fixmul(roll_val, roll_val), nullptr, &objp->mtype.phys_info.rotvel.x);
+	fix_sincos(roll_val, nullptr, &objp->mtype.phys_info.rotvel.y);
+	fix_sincos(roll_val-F1_0/8, nullptr, &objp->mtype.phys_info.rotvel.z);
 
 	objp->mtype.phys_info.rotvel.x = (GameTime64 - start_time)/9;
 	objp->mtype.phys_info.rotvel.y = (GameTime64 - start_time)/5;
diff --git a/similar/main/digiobj.cpp b/similar/main/digiobj.cpp
index d282eb452..c43bd7e79 100644
--- a/similar/main/digiobj.cpp
+++ b/similar/main/digiobj.cpp
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ static void digi_get_sound_loc(const vms_matrix &listener, const vms_vector &lis
 {
 
 	vms_vector	vector_to_sound;
-	fix angle_from_ear, cosang,sinang;
+	fix angle_from_ear;
 	fix distance;
 	fix path_distance;
 
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ static void digi_get_sound_loc(const vms_matrix &listener, const vms_vector &lis
 			*volume = max_volume - fixdiv(path_distance,max_distance);
 			if (*volume > 0 )	{
 				angle_from_ear = vm_vec_delta_ang_norm(listener.rvec,vector_to_sound,listener.uvec);
-				fix_sincos(angle_from_ear,&sinang,&cosang);
+				auto cosang = fix_cos(angle_from_ear);
 				if (GameCfg.ReverseStereo) cosang *= -1;
 				*pan = (cosang + F1_0)/2;
 			} else {
diff --git a/similar/main/lighting.cpp b/similar/main/lighting.cpp
index 833081a92..213cee5f0 100644
--- a/similar/main/lighting.cpp
+++ b/similar/main/lighting.cpp
@@ -269,10 +269,10 @@ static g3s_lrgb compute_light_emission(int objnum)
 			}
 			else if (game_mode_hoard() && Players[obj->id].secondary_ammo[PROXIMITY_INDEX]) // If hoard game and player, add extra light based on how many orbs you have Pulse as well.
 			{
-				fix s,hoardlight;
+				fix hoardlight;
 				hoardlight=i2f(Players[obj->id].secondary_ammo[PROXIMITY_INDEX])/2; //i2f(12));
 				hoardlight++;
-				fix_sincos (((fix)(GameTime64/2)) & 0xFFFF,&s,NULL); // probably a bad way to do it
+				auto s = fix_sin(static_cast<fix>(GameTime64/2) & 0xFFFF); // probably a bad way to do it
 				s+=F1_0; 
 				s>>=1;
 				hoardlight=fixmul (s,hoardlight);