diff --git a/language.version b/language.version
index 6f6bce6d6..d915c86d1 100644
--- a/language.version
+++ b/language.version
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 [default]
-SWWM_MODVER="\cyDEMOLITIONIST \cw1.3pre r499 \cu(Sat 24 Sep 02:10:58 CEST 2022)\c-";
-SWWM_SHORTVER="\cw1.3pre r499 \cu(2022-09-24 02:10:58)\c-";
+SWWM_MODVER="\cyDEMOLITIONIST \cw1.3pre r500 \cu(Sat 24 Sep 02:11:07 CEST 2022)\c-";
+SWWM_SHORTVER="\cw1.3pre r500 \cu(2022-09-24 02:11:07)\c-";
diff --git a/zscript/utility/swwm_utility.zsc b/zscript/utility/swwm_utility.zsc
index 32b59b1c6..32ec5ddfd 100644
--- a/zscript/utility/swwm_utility.zsc
+++ b/zscript/utility/swwm_utility.zsc
@@ -2117,7 +2117,7 @@ Class SWWMUtility
 		int np = 0;
 		for ( int i=0; i<MAXPLAYERS; i++ )
 		{
-			if ( !playeringame[i] ) continue;
+			if ( !playeringame[i] || !players[i].mo ) continue;
 			np++;
 		}
 		int required = np;
@@ -2182,6 +2182,15 @@ Class SWWMUtility
 	// melee weapon + extra slot 2 guns
 	static Class<Weapon> PickSWWMSlot1()
 	{
+		// [GROSS HACK] default to a hammer if there are no players
+		// (this genuinely can happen, if player starts were placed AFTER the item)
+		int np = 0;
+		for ( int i=0; i<MAXPLAYERS; i++ )
+		{
+			if ( !playeringame[i] || !players[i].mo ) continue;
+			np++;
+		}
+		if ( np <= 0 ) return 'ItamexHammer';
 		// so the player can recover it if they decided to drop it in a previous map, or they didn't start with it
 		if ( CheckNeedsItem('DeepImpact') ) return 'DeepImpact';
 		if ( CheckNeedsItem('ItamexHammer') ) return 'ItamexHammer';