diff --git a/code/controllers/subsystem/persistence/trophy_fishes.dm b/code/controllers/subsystem/persistence/trophy_fishes.dm
index e7e0b635a2b..211bb849c69 100644
--- a/code/controllers/subsystem/persistence/trophy_fishes.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/subsystem/persistence/trophy_fishes.dm
@@ -27,8 +27,9 @@
 	fish.update_size_and_weight(data[PERSISTENCE_FISH_SIZE], data[PERSISTENCE_FISH_WEIGHT])
 	var/material_path = text2path(data[PERSISTENCE_FISH_MATERIAL])
 	if(material_path)
-		//setting the list inside the proccall doesn't seem to work
-		var/list/mat_list = list(material_path = fish.weight)
+		//setting the list otherwise seems to cause some issues, thank you Byond.
+		var/list/mat_list = list()
+		mat_list[material_path] = fish.weight
 		fish.set_custom_materials(mat_list)
 	fish.persistence_load(data)
 	fish.name = data[PERSISTENCE_FISH_NAME]