diff --git a/code/controllers/subsystem/persistence.dm b/code/controllers/subsystem/persistence.dm
index e35a4573e8b..842877ed52d 100644
--- a/code/controllers/subsystem/persistence.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/subsystem/persistence.dm
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ var/datum/subsystem/persistence/SSpersistence
 	NEW_SS_GLOBAL(SSpersistence)
 
 /datum/subsystem/persistence/Initialize()
-	PlaceSecretSatchel()
+	if(!PlaceSecretSatchel())
+		PlaceFreeSatchel()
 	..()
 
 /datum/subsystem/persistence/proc/CollectData()
@@ -24,19 +25,20 @@ var/datum/subsystem/persistence/SSpersistence
 	satchel_blacklist = typecacheof(list(/obj/item/stack/tile/plasteel, /obj/item/weapon/crowbar))
 
 	secret_satchels >> old_secret_satchels
-	if(isnull(old_secret_satchels))
-		return
+	if(isnull(old_secret_satchels) || isemptylist(old_secret_satchels))
+		old_secret_satchels = list()
+		return 0
 
 	var/list/chosen_satchel
 	if(old_secret_satchels.len >= 20) //guards against low drop pools assuring that one player cannot reliably find his own gear.
 		chosen_satchel = pick_n_take(old_secret_satchels)
 	secret_satchels << old_secret_satchels
 	if(!chosen_satchel || chosen_satchel.len != 3) //Malformed
-		return
+		return 0
 
 	var/path = text2path(chosen_satchel[3]) //If the item no longer exist, this returns null
 	if(!path)
-		return
+		return 0
 
 	var/obj/item/weapon/storage/backpack/satchel/flat/F = new()
 	F.x = chosen_satchel[1]
@@ -46,6 +48,13 @@ var/datum/subsystem/persistence/SSpersistence
 		F.hide(1)
 	new path(F)
 
+/datum/subsystem/persistence/proc/PlaceFreeSatchel()
+	for(var/V in shuffle(get_area_turfs(pick(the_station_areas))))
+		var/turf/T = V
+		if(istype(T,/turf/open/floor) && !istype(T,/turf/open/floor/plating/))
+			new /obj/item/weapon/storage/backpack/satchel/flat/secret(T)
+			break
+
 /datum/subsystem/persistence/proc/CollectSecretSatchels()
 	for(var/A in new_secret_satchels)
 		var/obj/item/weapon/storage/backpack/satchel/flat/F = A
@@ -61,6 +70,9 @@ var/datum/subsystem/persistence/SSpersistence
 				savable_obj += O.type
 		if(savable_obj.len < 1)
 			continue
-		old_secret_satchels.len += 1
-		old_secret_satchels[old_secret_satchels.len] = list(F.x, F.y, "[pick(savable_obj)]")
+		if(isemptylist(old_secret_satchels))
+			old_secret_satchels = list(list(F.x, F.y, "[pick(savable_obj)]"))
+		else
+			old_secret_satchels.len += 1
+			old_secret_satchels[old_secret_satchels.len] = list(F.x, F.y, "[pick(savable_obj)]")
 	secret_satchels << old_secret_satchels