diff --git a/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/SharedSource/Characters/Character.cs b/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/SharedSource/Characters/Character.cs
index ca34f5bdbe..6bfe61b008 100644
--- a/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/SharedSource/Characters/Character.cs
+++ b/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/SharedSource/Characters/Character.cs
@@ -881,7 +881,25 @@ public bool IsDualWieldingRangedWeapons()
             
             return false;
         }
-
+        
+        public bool IsDualWieldingMeleeWeapons()
+        {
+            int meleeItemCount = 0;
+            foreach (var item in HeldItems)
+            {
+                if (item.GetComponent<MeleeWeapon>() != null)
+                {
+                    meleeItemCount++;
+                }
+                
+                if (meleeItemCount > 1)
+                {
+                    return true;
+                }
+            }
+            
+            return false;
+        }
         private float lowPassMultiplier;
         public float LowPassMultiplier
         {
diff --git a/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/SharedSource/Items/Components/Holdable/MeleeWeapon.cs b/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/SharedSource/Items/Components/Holdable/MeleeWeapon.cs
index 0fa4f918f3..13e3722d4a 100644
--- a/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/SharedSource/Items/Components/Holdable/MeleeWeapon.cs
+++ b/Barotrauma/BarotraumaShared/SharedSource/Items/Components/Holdable/MeleeWeapon.cs
@@ -54,8 +54,15 @@ public bool HitOnlyCharacters
         {
             get;
             set;
+        }		
+        
+        [Serialize(defaultValue: 1f, IsPropertySaveable.Yes, description: "Penalty multiplier to reload time when dual-wielding.")]
+        public float DualWieldReloadTimePenaltyMultiplier
+        {
+            get;
+            private set;
         }
-
+        
         [Editable, Serialize(true, IsPropertySaveable.No)]
         public bool Swing { get; set; }
 
@@ -88,11 +95,28 @@ public MeleeWeapon(Item item, ContentXElement element)
             PreferredContainedItems = element.GetAttributeIdentifierArray("preferredcontaineditems", Array.Empty<Identifier>()).ToImmutableHashSet();
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Lerps between the original penalty and a neutral value, which should be 1 for multipliers and 0 for additive penalties.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="character">The character to get stat values from</param>
+        /// <param name="originalPenalty">The original penalty value</param>
+        /// <param name="neutralValue">Neutral value to lerp towards. Should be 1 for multipliers and 0 for additives.</param>
+        /// <returns></returns>
+        private static float ApplyDualWieldPenaltyReduction(Character character, float originalPenalty, float neutralValue)
+        {
+            float statAdjustmentPrc = character.GetStatValue(StatTypes.DualWieldingPenaltyReduction);
+            statAdjustmentPrc = MathHelper.Clamp(statAdjustmentPrc, 0f, 1f);
+            float reducedPenaltyMultiplier = MathHelper.Lerp(originalPenalty, neutralValue, statAdjustmentPrc);
+            return reducedPenaltyMultiplier;
+        }
+
+
         public override void Equip(Character character)
         {
             base.Equip(character);
             //force a wait of at least 1 second when equipping the weapon, so you can't "rapid-fire" by swapping between weapons
             const float forcedDelayOnEquip = 1.0f;
+			
             reloadTimer = Math.Max(Math.Min(reload, forcedDelayOnEquip), reloadTimer);
             IsActive = true;
         }
@@ -117,6 +141,12 @@ public override bool Use(float deltaTime, Character character = null)
 
             if (Item.RequireAimToUse && hitPos < MathHelper.PiOver4) { return false; }
 
+			
+            if (character.IsDualWieldingMeleeWeapons()) 
+            { 
+                baseReloadTime *= Math.Max(1f, ApplyDualWieldPenaltyReduction(character, DualWieldReloadTimePenaltyMultiplier, neutralValue: 1f));
+            }
+
             ActivateNearbySleepingCharacters();
             reloadTimer = reload;
             reloadTimer /= 1f + character.GetStatValue(StatTypes.MeleeAttackSpeed);