diff --git a/src/openrct2-ui/windows/EditorInventionsList.cpp b/src/openrct2-ui/windows/EditorInventionsList.cpp
index 29d8c23520..8fbac799f8 100644
--- a/src/openrct2-ui/windows/EditorInventionsList.cpp
+++ b/src/openrct2-ui/windows/EditorInventionsList.cpp
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ rct_window* window_editor_inventions_list_open()
     window_init_scroll_widgets(w);
     w->selected_tab = 0;
     w->research_item = nullptr;
-    _editorInventionsListDraggedItem.rawValue = RESEARCH_ITEM_NULL;
+    _editorInventionsListDraggedItem.SetNull();
 
     w->min_width = WW;
     w->min_height = WH;
@@ -396,7 +396,7 @@ static void window_editor_inventions_list_update(rct_window* w)
     if (window_find_by_class(WC_EDITOR_INVENTION_LIST_DRAG) != nullptr)
         return;
 
-    _editorInventionsListDraggedItem.rawValue = RESEARCH_ITEM_NULL;
+    _editorInventionsListDraggedItem.SetNull();
     w->Invalidate();
 }
 
@@ -808,7 +808,7 @@ static void window_editor_inventions_list_drag_moved(rct_window* w, const Screen
     }
 
     window_close(w);
-    _editorInventionsListDraggedItem.rawValue = RESEARCH_ITEM_NULL;
+    _editorInventionsListDraggedItem.SetNull();
     window_invalidate_by_class(WC_EDITOR_INVENTION_LIST);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/openrct2/management/NewsItem.cpp b/src/openrct2/management/NewsItem.cpp
index 3a5e4db65f..396acf93e7 100644
--- a/src/openrct2/management/NewsItem.cpp
+++ b/src/openrct2/management/NewsItem.cpp
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ void news_item_open_subject(int32_t type, int32_t subject)
             break;
         case NEWS_ITEM_RESEARCH:
         {
-            auto item = ResearchItem(subject, 0);
+            auto item = ResearchItem(subject, 0, 0);
             if (item.type == RESEARCH_ENTRY_TYPE_RIDE)
             {
                 auto intent = Intent(INTENT_ACTION_NEW_RIDE_OF_TYPE);
diff --git a/src/openrct2/management/Research.cpp b/src/openrct2/management/Research.cpp
index f8552ccbe4..83cf547146 100644
--- a/src/openrct2/management/Research.cpp
+++ b/src/openrct2/management/Research.cpp
@@ -540,8 +540,12 @@ bool research_insert_ride_entry(uint8_t rideType, ObjectEntryIndex entryIndex, u
 {
     if (rideType != RIDE_TYPE_NULL)
     {
-        research_insert(
-            { static_cast<uint32_t>(RESEARCH_ENTRY_RIDE_MASK | (rideType << 8) | entryIndex), category }, researched);
+        ResearchItem tmpItem = {};
+        tmpItem.type = RESEARCH_ENTRY_TYPE_RIDE;
+        tmpItem.baseRideType = rideType;
+        tmpItem.entryIndex = entryIndex;
+        tmpItem.category = category;
+        research_insert(tmpItem, researched);
         return true;
     }
 
@@ -560,7 +564,11 @@ void research_insert_ride_entry(ObjectEntryIndex entryIndex, bool researched)
 
 void research_insert_scenery_group_entry(ObjectEntryIndex entryIndex, bool researched)
 {
-    research_insert({ entryIndex, RESEARCH_CATEGORY_SCENERY_GROUP }, researched);
+    ResearchItem tmpItem = {};
+    tmpItem.type = RESEARCH_ENTRY_TYPE_SCENERY;
+    tmpItem.entryIndex = entryIndex;
+    tmpItem.category = RESEARCH_CATEGORY_SCENERY_GROUP;
+    research_insert(tmpItem, researched);
 }
 
 bool ride_type_is_invented(uint32_t rideType)
@@ -895,7 +903,12 @@ bool ResearchItem::IsAlwaysResearched() const
 
 bool ResearchItem::IsNull() const
 {
-    return rawValue == RESEARCH_ITEM_NULL;
+    return entryIndex == OBJECT_ENTRY_INDEX_NULL;
+}
+
+void ResearchItem::SetNull()
+{
+    entryIndex = OBJECT_ENTRY_INDEX_NULL;
 }
 
 bool ResearchItem::Equals(const ResearchItem* otherItem) const
diff --git a/src/openrct2/management/Research.h b/src/openrct2/management/Research.h
index f21b705c80..0b27d855e1 100644
--- a/src/openrct2/management/Research.h
+++ b/src/openrct2/management/Research.h
@@ -19,32 +19,72 @@ struct rct_ride_entry;
 
 struct ResearchItem
 {
-    // Bit 16 (0: scenery entry, 1: ride entry)
     union
     {
         uint32_t rawValue;
         struct
         {
-            uint8_t entryIndex;
+            ObjectEntryIndex entryIndex;
             uint8_t baseRideType;
             uint8_t type; // 0: scenery entry, 1: ride entry
-            uint8_t flags;
         };
     };
+    uint8_t flags;
     uint8_t category;
 
     bool IsNull() const;
+    void SetNull();
     bool Equals(const ResearchItem* otherItem) const;
     bool Exists() const;
     bool IsAlwaysResearched() const;
     rct_string_id GetName() const;
 
     ResearchItem() = default;
-    constexpr ResearchItem(uint32_t _rawValue, int32_t _category)
+    constexpr ResearchItem(uint32_t _rawValue, uint8_t _flags, uint8_t _category)
         : rawValue(_rawValue)
+        , flags(_flags)
         , category(_category)
     {
     }
+
+    RCT12ResearchItem ToRCT12ResearchItem() const
+    {
+        RCT12ResearchItem retItem = {};
+        if (IsNull())
+        {
+            retItem.rawValue = RCT12_RESEARCHED_ITEMS_SEPARATOR;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            retItem.entryIndex = OpenRCT2EntryIndexToRCTEntryIndex(entryIndex);
+            retItem.baseRideType = baseRideType;
+            retItem.type = type;
+            retItem.flags = flags;
+            retItem.category = category;
+        }
+
+        return retItem;
+    }
+
+    ResearchItem(const RCT12ResearchItem& oldResearchItem)
+    {
+        if (oldResearchItem.IsInventedEndMarker() || oldResearchItem.IsUninventedEndMarker()
+            || oldResearchItem.IsRandomEndMarker())
+        {
+            rawValue = 0;
+            flags = 0;
+            category = 0;
+            SetNull();
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            entryIndex = RCTEntryIndexToOpenRCT2EntryIndex(oldResearchItem.entryIndex);
+            baseRideType = oldResearchItem.baseRideType;
+            type = oldResearchItem.type;
+            flags = oldResearchItem.flags;
+            category = oldResearchItem.category;
+        }
+    }
 };
 
 enum
@@ -64,8 +104,6 @@ enum
 
 #define MAX_RESEARCH_ITEMS 500
 
-#define RESEARCH_ENTRY_RIDE_MASK 0x10000
-
 enum
 {
     RESEARCH_FUNDING_NONE,
@@ -85,7 +123,7 @@ enum
     RESEARCH_STAGE_FINISHED_ALL
 };
 
-enum
+enum : uint8_t
 {
     RESEARCH_CATEGORY_TRANSPORT,
     RESEARCH_CATEGORY_GENTLE,
diff --git a/src/openrct2/rct1/S4Importer.cpp b/src/openrct2/rct1/S4Importer.cpp
index c479aee42d..8b5dcb0969 100644
--- a/src/openrct2/rct1/S4Importer.cpp
+++ b/src/openrct2/rct1/S4Importer.cpp
@@ -2548,7 +2548,7 @@ private:
 
                 ResearchItem tmpResearchItem = {};
                 ConvertResearchEntry(&tmpResearchItem, researchItem, researchType);
-                dst->Assoc = static_cast<uint32_t>(tmpResearchItem.rawValue);
+                dst->Assoc = tmpResearchItem.rawValue;
             }
             else
             {
@@ -2592,7 +2592,7 @@ private:
 
     void ConvertResearchEntry(ResearchItem* dst, uint8_t srcItem, uint8_t srcType)
     {
-        dst->rawValue = RESEARCH_ITEM_NULL;
+        dst->SetNull();
         if (srcType == RCT1_RESEARCH_TYPE_RIDE)
         {
             auto entryIndex = _rideTypeToRideEntryMap[srcItem];
diff --git a/src/openrct2/rct2/S6Exporter.cpp b/src/openrct2/rct2/S6Exporter.cpp
index b88a35d2a8..b675e93a36 100644
--- a/src/openrct2/rct2/S6Exporter.cpp
+++ b/src/openrct2/rct2/S6Exporter.cpp
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ void S6Exporter::Export()
     _s6.active_research_types = gResearchPriorities;
     _s6.research_progress_stage = gResearchProgressStage;
     if (gResearchLastItem.has_value())
-        _s6.last_researched_item_subject = gResearchLastItem->rawValue;
+        _s6.last_researched_item_subject = gResearchLastItem->ToRCT12ResearchItem().rawValue;
     else
         _s6.last_researched_item_subject = RCT12_RESEARCHED_ITEMS_SEPARATOR;
     // pad_01357CF8
@@ -254,8 +254,9 @@ void S6Exporter::Export()
 
     if (gResearchNextItem.has_value())
     {
-        _s6.next_research_item = gResearchNextItem->rawValue;
-        _s6.next_research_category = gResearchNextItem->category;
+        auto RCT2ResearchItem = gResearchNextItem->ToRCT12ResearchItem();
+        _s6.next_research_item = RCT2ResearchItem.rawValue;
+        _s6.next_research_category = RCT2ResearchItem.category;
     }
     else
     {
@@ -904,12 +905,12 @@ void S6Exporter::ExportResearchList()
     size_t i = 0;
     for (const auto& researchItem : gResearchItemsInvented)
     {
-        _s6.research_items[i++] = RCT12ResearchItem{ researchItem.rawValue, researchItem.category };
+        _s6.research_items[i++] = researchItem.ToRCT12ResearchItem();
     }
     _s6.research_items[i++] = { RCT12_RESEARCHED_ITEMS_SEPARATOR, 0 };
     for (const auto& researchItem : gResearchItemsUninvented)
     {
-        _s6.research_items[i++] = RCT12ResearchItem{ researchItem.rawValue, researchItem.category };
+        _s6.research_items[i++] = researchItem.ToRCT12ResearchItem();
     }
     _s6.research_items[i++] = { RCT12_RESEARCHED_ITEMS_END, 0 };
     _s6.research_items[i] = { RCT12_RESEARCHED_ITEMS_END_2, 0 };
diff --git a/src/openrct2/rct2/S6Importer.cpp b/src/openrct2/rct2/S6Importer.cpp
index 9349c0b556..820270f6f6 100644
--- a/src/openrct2/rct2/S6Importer.cpp
+++ b/src/openrct2/rct2/S6Importer.cpp
@@ -264,12 +264,13 @@ public:
         gResearchPriorities = _s6.active_research_types;
         gResearchProgressStage = _s6.research_progress_stage;
         if (_s6.last_researched_item_subject != RCT12_RESEARCHED_ITEMS_SEPARATOR)
-            gResearchLastItem = ResearchItem(_s6.last_researched_item_subject, RESEARCH_CATEGORY_TRANSPORT);
+            gResearchLastItem = ResearchItem(
+                RCT12ResearchItem{ _s6.last_researched_item_subject, RESEARCH_CATEGORY_TRANSPORT });
         else
             gResearchLastItem = std::nullopt;
         // pad_01357CF8
         if (_s6.next_research_item != RCT12_RESEARCHED_ITEMS_SEPARATOR)
-            gResearchNextItem = ResearchItem(_s6.next_research_item, _s6.next_research_category);
+            gResearchNextItem = ResearchItem(RCT12ResearchItem{ _s6.next_research_item, _s6.next_research_category });
         else
             gResearchNextItem = std::nullopt;
 
@@ -905,9 +906,9 @@ public:
 
             RCT12ResearchItem* ri = &_s6.research_items[i];
             if (invented)
-                gResearchItemsInvented.push_back(ResearchItem{ ri->rawValue, ri->category });
+                gResearchItemsInvented.push_back(ResearchItem(*ri));
             else
-                gResearchItemsUninvented.push_back(ResearchItem{ ri->rawValue, ri->category });
+                gResearchItemsUninvented.push_back(ResearchItem(*ri));
         }
     }