diff --git a/code/modules/holodeck/area_copy.dm b/code/modules/holodeck/area_copy.dm
index b34c19b4e21..8b468020ed0 100644
--- a/code/modules/holodeck/area_copy.dm
+++ b/code/modules/holodeck/area_copy.dm
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-/proc/DuplicateObject(var/atom/original, var/perfectcopy = TRUE, var/sameloc = FALSE, var/atom/newloc = null, var/nerf = FALSE, var/holoitem=FALSE)
+//Vars that will not be copied when using /DuplicateObject
+GLOBAL_LIST_INIT(duplicate_forbidden_vars,list("area","type","loc","locs","vars", "parent","parent_type", "verbs","ckey","key","power_supply","contents","reagents","stat","x","y","z","group"))
+
+/proc/DuplicateObject(atom/original, perfectcopy = TRUE, sameloc = FALSE, atom/newloc = null, nerf = FALSE, holoitem=FALSE)
 	if(!original)
 		return null
 	var/atom/O
@@ -9,9 +12,7 @@
 		O = new original.type(newloc)
 
 	if(perfectcopy && O && original)
-		var/global/list/forbidden_vars = list("type","loc","locs","vars", "parent","parent_type", "verbs","ckey","key","power_supply","contents","reagents","stat","x","y","z","group")
-
-		for(var/V in original.vars - forbidden_vars)
+		for(var/V in original.vars - GLOB.duplicate_forbidden_vars)
 			if(istype(original.vars[V],/list))
 				var/list/L = original.vars[V]
 				O.vars[V] = L.Copy()
@@ -90,23 +91,24 @@
 		var/old_icon_state1 = T.icon_state
 		var/old_icon1 = T.icon
 
-		B.ChangeTurf(T.type)
+		B = B.ChangeTurf(T.type)
 		B.setDir(old_dir1)
 		B.icon = old_icon1
 		B.icon_state = old_icon_state1
 
 		for(var/obj/O in T)
 			var/obj/O2 = DuplicateObject(O , perfectcopy=TRUE, newloc = B, nerf=nerf_weapons, holoitem=TRUE)
-			if(!O2) continue
+			if(!O2) 
+				continue
 			copiedobjs += O2.GetAllContents()
 
 		for(var/mob/M in T)
-			if(istype(M, /mob/camera)) continue // If we need to check for more mobs, I'll add a variable
+			if(istype(M, /mob/camera)) 
+				continue // If we need to check for more mobs, I'll add a variable
 			var/mob/SM = DuplicateObject(M , perfectcopy=TRUE, newloc = B, holoitem=TRUE)
 			copiedobjs += SM.GetAllContents()
 
-		var/global/list/forbidden_vars = list("type","stat","loc","locs","vars", "parent", "parent_type","verbs","ckey","key","x","y","z","contents", "light_range", "light_power", "light_color", "light", "light_sources")
-		for(var/V in T.vars - forbidden_vars)
+		for(var/V in T.vars - GLOB.duplicate_forbidden_vars)
 			if(V == "air")
 				var/turf/open/O1 = B
 				var/turf/open/O2 = T
diff --git a/code/modules/holodeck/computer.dm b/code/modules/holodeck/computer.dm
index c5d7b56ca7b..18be292e97f 100644
--- a/code/modules/holodeck/computer.dm
+++ b/code/modules/holodeck/computer.dm
@@ -45,34 +45,42 @@
 	var/list/effects = list()
 	var/last_change = 0
 
-/obj/machinery/computer/holodeck/New()
-
-	if(ispath(holodeck_type,/area))
-		linked = locate(holodeck_type)
-	if(ispath(offline_program,/area))
-		offline_program = locate(offline_program)
-	// the following is necessary for power reasons
-	var/area/AS = get_area(src)
-	if(istype(AS,/area/holodeck))
-		log_world("### MAPPING ERROR")
-		log_world("Holodeck computer cannot be in a holodeck.")
-		log_world("This would cause circular power dependency.")
-		qdel(src)  // todo handle constructed computers
-		return	//l-lewd...
-	else
-		linked.linked = src // todo detect multiple/constructed computers
-	..()
+	
 
 /obj/machinery/computer/holodeck/Initialize(mapload)
 	. = mapload	//late-initialize, area_copy need turfs to have air
 	if(!mapload)
 		..()
+
+		if(ispath(holodeck_type,/area))
+			var/list/possible = get_areas(holodeck_type,subtypes = FALSE)
+			linked = pop(possible)
+		if(ispath(offline_program,/area))
+			var/list/possible = get_areas(offline_program,subtypes = FALSE)
+			offline_program = pop(possible)
+		// the following is necessary for power reasons
+		if(!linked || !offline_program)
+			log_world("No matching holodeck area found")
+			qdel(src)
+			return
+		var/area/AS = get_area(src)
+		if(istype(AS,/area/holodeck))
+			log_world("### MAPPING ERROR")
+			log_world("Holodeck computer cannot be in a holodeck.")
+			log_world("This would cause circular power dependency.")
+			qdel(src)  // todo handle constructed computers
+			return	//l-lewd...
+		else
+			linked.linked = src // todo detect multiple/constructed computers
+
 		program_cache = list()
 		emag_programs = list()
 		for(var/typekey in subtypesof(program_type))
 			var/area/holodeck/A = locate(typekey)
-			if(!A || A == offline_program) continue
-			if(A.contents.len == 0) continue // not loaded
+			if(!A || A == offline_program) 
+				continue
+			if(A.contents.len == 0) 
+				continue // not loaded
 			if(A.restricted)
 				emag_programs += A
 			else
@@ -191,8 +199,9 @@
 		nerf(!emagged)
 
 /obj/machinery/computer/holodeck/Destroy()
-	emergency_shutdown()
-	linked.linked = null
+	if(linked)
+		emergency_shutdown()
+		linked.linked = null
 	return ..()
 
 /obj/machinery/computer/holodeck/emp_act(severity)
diff --git a/code/modules/mapping/reader.dm b/code/modules/mapping/reader.dm
index 25a7e6366b2..4073a97e9ec 100644
--- a/code/modules/mapping/reader.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mapping/reader.dm
@@ -276,8 +276,13 @@ GLOBAL_DATUM_INIT(_preloader, /dmm_suite/preloader, new)
 	if(members[index] != /area/template_noop)
 		var/atom/instance
 		GLOB._preloader.setup(members_attributes[index])//preloader for assigning  set variables on atom creation
-
-		instance = locate(members[index])
+		var/atype = members[index]
+		for(var/area/A in world)
+			if(A.type == atype)
+				instance = A
+				break
+		if(!instance)
+			instance = new atype(null)
 		if(crds)
 			instance.contents.Add(crds)