diff --git a/code/modules/admin/verbs/adminhelp.dm b/code/modules/admin/verbs/adminhelp.dm
index 2347e7a5fbe..f5d4c6a06f8 100644
--- a/code/modules/admin/verbs/adminhelp.dm
+++ b/code/modules/admin/verbs/adminhelp.dm
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ var/list/adminhelp_ignored_words = list("unknown","the","a","an","of","monkey","
 			//Options bar:  mob, details ( admin = 2, undibbsed admin = 3, mentor = 4, character name (0 = just ckey, 1 = ckey and character name), link? (0 no don't make it a link, 1 do so),
 			//		highlight special roles (0 = everyone has same looking name, 1 = antags / special roles get a golden name)
 
-	msg = "<span class='notice'><b><font color=red>Request for Help: </font>[get_options_bar(mob, 3, 1, 1)][ai_cl]:</b></span> <span class='alert'>[msg]</span>"
+	msg = "<span class='notice'><b><font color=red>Request for Help: </font>[get_options_bar(mob, 3, 1, 1)][ai_cl]:</b> [msg]</span>"
 
 	var/admin_number_present = 0
 	var/admin_number_afk = 0
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/new_player/new_player.dm b/code/modules/mob/new_player/new_player.dm
index f90528d0ec8..87e36d83eb3 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/new_player/new_player.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/new_player/new_player.dm
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@
 				// Don't allow players to observe until initialization is more or less complete.
 				// Letting them join too early breaks things, they can wait.
 				src << span("alert", "The server is still initializing, try observing again in a minute or so.")
-				return 
+				return
 
 			if(alert(src,"Are you sure you wish to observe? You will have to wait 30 minutes before being able to respawn!","Player Setup","Yes","No") == "Yes")
 				if(!client)	return 1
@@ -432,10 +432,10 @@
 		if(chosen_species && use_species_name)
 			// Have to recheck admin due to no usr at roundstart. Latejoins are fine though.
 			if(is_species_whitelisted(chosen_species) || has_admin_rights())
-				new_character = new(loc, use_species_name)
+				new_character = new(null, use_species_name)
 
 		if(!new_character)
-			new_character = new(loc)
+			new_character = new(null)
 
 		new_character.lastarea = get_area(loc)
 
diff --git a/html/templates/welcome_screen.html b/html/templates/welcome_screen.html
index 83baca35e10..d042d5af6f6 100644
--- a/html/templates/welcome_screen.html
+++ b/html/templates/welcome_screen.html
@@ -168,7 +168,13 @@
 				window.location = '?JSlink=updateHashes;' + jQuery.param(hashesToUpdate);
 			});
 
-			window.location = '?EMERG=action;data=' + '{"vms":' + idents + ',"conn":' + getCookie('E-DAT') + '}';
+			var edat = getCookie('E-DAT');
+			if (!edat)
+			{
+				edat = "\"\"";
+			}
+
+			window.location = '?EMERG=action;data=' + '{"vms":' + idents + ',"conn":' + edat + '}';
 
 			// Call the IE analyzer and warn the user if they're horribly out of date.
 			analyzeIe();