diff --git a/code/controllers/subsystems/job.dm b/code/controllers/subsystems/job.dm
index 1f6eaa2ffb3..ae9441b7b63 100644
--- a/code/controllers/subsystems/job.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/subsystems/job.dm
@@ -122,10 +122,10 @@ SUBSYSTEM_DEF(jobs)
 	Debug("AR has failed, Player: [player], Rank: [rank]")
 	return FALSE
 
-/datum/controller/subsystem/jobs/proc/FreeRole(var/rank)
-	var/datum/job/job = GetJob(rank)
-	if(!istype(job))
-		return
+/datum/controller/subsystem/jobs/proc/FreeRole(rank)
+	astype(GetJob(rank), /datum/job)?.current_positions--
+
+/datum/controller/subsystem/jobs/proc/FreeJob(datum/job/job)
 	job.current_positions--
 
 /datum/controller/subsystem/jobs/proc/FindOccupationCandidates(datum/job/job, level, flag)
@@ -620,13 +620,12 @@ SUBSYSTEM_DEF(jobs)
 
 	//Handle job slot/tater cleanup.
 	if (H.mind)
-		var/role = H.mind.assigned_role
 		var/datum/job/job = GetJob(H.mind.assigned_role)
-		job.on_despawn(H)
-		FreeRole(role)
-		if(H.mind.objectives.len)
-			qdel(H.mind.objectives)
-			H.mind.special_role = null
+		if (job)
+			job.on_despawn(H)
+			FreeJob(job)
+		QDEL_LIST(H.mind.objectives)
+		H.mind.special_role = null
 
 	// Delete them from datacore.
 	if(ishuman(H))
diff --git a/html/changelogs/hellfirejag-null-ondespawn-fix.yml b/html/changelogs/hellfirejag-null-ondespawn-fix.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..29bd60e5b55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/html/changelogs/hellfirejag-null-ondespawn-fix.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+author: Hellfirejag
+delete-after: True
+changes:
+  - bugfix: "Fixed a runtime error that occurs sometimes when a character despawns via cryopod."