diff --git a/src/Core/Entities/ShipEntity.m b/src/Core/Entities/ShipEntity.m
index ac34de16..d748b3ce 100644
--- a/src/Core/Entities/ShipEntity.m
+++ b/src/Core/Entities/ShipEntity.m
@@ -5678,7 +5678,7 @@ Vector positionOffsetForShipInRotationToAlignment(ShipEntity* ship, Quaternion q
 	ParticleEntity  *fragment;
 	OOCargoQuantity n_cargo = (ranrot_rand() % (likely_cargo + 1));
 	OOCargoQuantity cargo_to_go;
-
+	
 	if ([self status] == STATUS_DEAD)  return;
 	[self setStatus:STATUS_DEAD];
 	
@@ -5689,7 +5689,7 @@ Vector positionOffsetForShipInRotationToAlignment(ShipEntity* ship, Quaternion q
 			[[PlayerEntity sharedPlayer] setScriptTarget:self];
 			[self doScriptEvent:@"shipDied"];	// FIXME: params missing
 		}
-
+		
 		// two parts to the explosion:
 		// 1. fast sparks
 		float how_many = factor;
@@ -5709,8 +5709,7 @@ Vector positionOffsetForShipInRotationToAlignment(ShipEntity* ship, Quaternion q
 			[fragment release];
 			how_many -= 1.0f;
 		}
-
-
+		
 		// we need to throw out cargo at this point.
 		unsigned cargo_chance = 10;
 		if ([[name lowercaseString] rangeOfString:@"medical"].location != NSNotFound)
diff --git a/src/Core/Universe.m b/src/Core/Universe.m
index b73b459c..665abe16 100644
--- a/src/Core/Universe.m
+++ b/src/Core/Universe.m
@@ -4288,7 +4288,7 @@ static BOOL MaintainLinkedLists(Universe* uni)
 
 - (BOOL) removeEntity:(Entity *) entity
 {
-	if (entity)
+	if (entity != nil && ![entity isPlayer])
 	{
 		/*	Ensure entity won't actually be dealloced until the end of this
 			update (or the next update if none is in progress), because
@@ -5541,7 +5541,7 @@ OOINLINE BOOL EntityInRange(Vector p1, Entity *e2, float range)
 #ifndef NDEBUG
 				update_stage = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"update:entity[%@]", [thing shortDescription]];
 #endif
-				if (![thing isPlayer] && EXPECT_NOT([thing status] == STATUS_DEAD && ![entitiesDeadThisUpdate containsObject:thing]))
+				if (EXPECT_NOT([thing status] == STATUS_DEAD && ![entitiesDeadThisUpdate containsObject:thing] && ![thing isPlayer]))
 				{
 					if (zombies == nil)  zombies = [NSMutableSet set];
 					[zombies addObject:thing];