diff --git a/language.version b/language.version
index 8327382d6..07316d5ff 100644
--- a/language.version
+++ b/language.version
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 [default]
-SWWM_MODVER="\chSWWM \czGZ\c- \cw0.9.11b-pre r248 \cu(Mon  1 Feb 23:09:04 CET 2021)\c-";
-SWWM_SHORTVER="\cw0.9.11b-pre r248 \cu(2021-02-01 23:09:04)\c-";
+SWWM_MODVER="\chSWWM \czGZ\c- \cw0.9.11b-pre r249 \cu(Mon  1 Feb 23:09:20 CET 2021)\c-";
+SWWM_SHORTVER="\cw0.9.11b-pre r249 \cu(2021-02-01 23:09:20)\c-";
diff --git a/zscript/swwm_handler.zsc b/zscript/swwm_handler.zsc
index cce85336a..b2ed78261 100644
--- a/zscript/swwm_handler.zsc
+++ b/zscript/swwm_handler.zsc
@@ -1500,14 +1500,20 @@ Class SWWMHandler : EventHandler
 		{
 			tookdamage[e.Thing.PlayerNumber()] = true;
 			let s = SWWMStats.Find(e.Thing.player);
-			s.AddDamageTaken(e.Damage);
-			if ( e.Damage > s.toptaken ) s.toptaken = e.Damage;
+			if ( s )	// deathmatch telefrag-on-spawn may cause this to be null
+			{
+				s.AddDamageTaken(e.Damage);
+				if ( e.Damage > s.toptaken ) s.toptaken = e.Damage;
+			}
 		}
 		if ( e.DamageSource && e.DamageSource.player )
 		{
 			let s = SWWMStats.Find(e.DamageSource.player);
-			s.AddDamageDealt(e.Damage);
-			if ( e.Damage > s.topdealt ) s.topdealt = e.Damage;
+			if ( s )	// deathmatch telefrag-on-spawn may cause this to be null
+			{
+				s.AddDamageDealt(e.Damage);
+				if ( e.Damage > s.topdealt ) s.topdealt = e.Damage;
+			}
 		}
 	}