diff --git a/code/modules/admin/permissionedit.dm b/code/modules/admin/permissionedit.dm
index 73987622202..6bd97dcaa20 100644
--- a/code/modules/admin/permissionedit.dm
+++ b/code/modules/admin/permissionedit.dm
@@ -140,9 +140,14 @@ ADMIN_VERB(edit_admin_permissions, R_PERMISSIONS, "Permissions Panel", "Edit adm
 	permissions_assets.send(usr.client)
 	var/admin_key = href_list["key"]
 	var/admin_ckey = ckey(admin_key)
-	var/datum/admins/D = GLOB.admin_datums[admin_ckey]
-	var/use_db
+	
 	var/task = href_list["editrights"]
+	var/datum/admins/target_admin_datum = GLOB.admin_datums[admin_ckey]
+	if(!target_admin_datum)
+		target_admin_datum = GLOB.deadmins[admin_ckey]
+	if (!target_admin_datum && task != "add")
+		return
+	var/use_db
 	var/skip
 	var/legacy_only
 	if(task == "activate" || task == "deactivate" || task == "sync" || task == "verify")
@@ -152,7 +157,7 @@ ADMIN_VERB(edit_admin_permissions, R_PERMISSIONS, "Permissions Panel", "Edit adm
 			to_chat(usr, "<span class='admin prefix'>Editing the rank of this admin is blocked by server configuration.</span>", confidential = TRUE)
 			return
 	if(!CONFIG_GET(flag/admin_legacy_system) && CONFIG_GET(flag/protect_legacy_ranks) && task == "permissions")
-		if((D.ranks & GLOB.protected_ranks).len > 0)
+		if((target_admin_datum.ranks & GLOB.protected_ranks).len > 0)
 			to_chat(usr, "<span class='admin prefix'>Editing the flags of this rank is blocked by server configuration.</span>", confidential = TRUE)
 			return
 	if(CONFIG_GET(flag/load_legacy_ranks_only) && (task == "add" || task == "rank" || task == "permissions"))
@@ -173,16 +178,11 @@ ADMIN_VERB(edit_admin_permissions, R_PERMISSIONS, "Permissions Panel", "Edit adm
 					use_db = FALSE
 			if(QDELETED(usr))
 				return
-	if(task != "add")
-		D = GLOB.admin_datums[admin_ckey]
-		if(!D)
-			D = GLOB.deadmins[admin_ckey]
-		if(!D)
-			return
-		if((task != "sync") && !check_if_greater_rights_than_holder(D))
-			message_admins("[key_name_admin(usr)] attempted to change the rank of [admin_key] without sufficient rights.")
-			log_admin("[key_name(usr)] attempted to change the rank of [admin_key] without sufficient rights.")
-			return
+	
+	if(target_admin_datum && (task != "sync" && task != "verify") && !check_if_greater_rights_than_holder(target_admin_datum))
+		message_admins("[key_name_admin(usr)] attempted to change the rank of [admin_key] without sufficient rights.")
+		log_admin("[key_name(usr)] attempted to change the rank of [admin_key] without sufficient rights.")
+		return
 	switch(task)
 		if("add")
 			admin_ckey = add_admin(admin_ckey, admin_key, use_db)
@@ -194,24 +194,24 @@ ADMIN_VERB(edit_admin_permissions, R_PERMISSIONS, "Permissions Panel", "Edit adm
 
 			change_admin_rank(admin_ckey, admin_key, use_db, null, legacy_only)
 		if("remove")
-			remove_admin(admin_ckey, admin_key, use_db, D)
+			remove_admin(admin_ckey, admin_key, use_db, target_admin_datum)
 		if("rank")
-			change_admin_rank(admin_ckey, admin_key, use_db, D, legacy_only)
+			change_admin_rank(admin_ckey, admin_key, use_db, target_admin_datum, legacy_only)
 		if("permissions")
-			change_admin_flags(admin_ckey, admin_key, D)
+			change_admin_flags(admin_ckey, admin_key, target_admin_datum)
 		if("activate")
-			force_readmin(admin_key, D)
+			force_readmin(admin_key, target_admin_datum)
 		if("deactivate")
-			force_deadmin(admin_key, D)
+			force_deadmin(admin_key, target_admin_datum)
 		if("sync")
-			sync_lastadminrank(admin_ckey, admin_key, D)
+			sync_lastadminrank(admin_ckey, admin_key, target_admin_datum)
 		if("verify")
 			var/msg = "has authenticated [admin_ckey]"
 			message_admins("[key_name_admin(usr)] [msg]")
 			log_admin("[key_name(usr)] [msg]")
 
-			D.bypass_2fa = TRUE
-			D.associate(GLOB.directory[admin_ckey])
+			target_admin_datum.bypass_2fa = TRUE
+			target_admin_datum.associate(GLOB.directory[admin_ckey])
 	edit_admin_permissions()
 
 /datum/admins/proc/add_admin(admin_ckey, admin_key, use_db)