diff --git a/code/datums/action.dm b/code/datums/action.dm
index bce56831548..0e31fcc7957 100644
--- a/code/datums/action.dm
+++ b/code/datums/action.dm
@@ -400,16 +400,12 @@
 
 /datum/action/item_action/nano_picket_sign
 	name = "Retext Nano Picket Sign"
-	var/obj/item/picket_sign/S
-
-/datum/action/item_action/nano_picket_sign/New(Target)
-	..()
-	if(istype(Target, /obj/item/picket_sign))
-		S = Target
 
 /datum/action/item_action/nano_picket_sign/Trigger(trigger_flags)
-	if(istype(S))
-		S.retext(owner)
+	if(!istype(target, /obj/item/picket_sign))
+		return
+	var/obj/item/picket_sign/sign = target
+	sign.retext(owner)
 
 /datum/action/item_action/adjust
 
diff --git a/code/modules/mod/mod_actions.dm b/code/modules/mod/mod_actions.dm
index fa5caec72f8..70138d5959c 100644
--- a/code/modules/mod/mod_actions.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mod/mod_actions.dm
@@ -4,16 +4,17 @@
 	check_flags = AB_CHECK_CONSCIOUS
 	/// Whether this action is intended for the AI. Stuff breaks a lot if this is done differently.
 	var/ai_action = FALSE
-	/// The MODsuit linked to this action
-	var/obj/item/mod/control/mod
 
 /datum/action/item_action/mod/New(Target)
 	..()
-	mod = Target
+	if(!istype(Target, /obj/item/mod/control))
+		qdel(src)
+		return
 	if(ai_action)
 		background_icon_state = ACTION_BUTTON_DEFAULT_BACKGROUND
 
 /datum/action/item_action/mod/Grant(mob/user)
+	var/obj/item/mod/control/mod = target
 	if(ai_action && user != mod.ai)
 		return
 	else if(!ai_action && user == mod.ai)
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@
 	return ..()
 
 /datum/action/item_action/mod/Remove(mob/user)
+	var/obj/item/mod/control/mod = target
 	if(ai_action && user != mod.ai)
 		return
 	else if(!ai_action && user == mod.ai)
@@ -30,6 +32,7 @@
 /datum/action/item_action/mod/Trigger(trigger_flags)
 	if(!IsAvailable())
 		return FALSE
+	var/obj/item/mod/control/mod = target
 	if(mod.malfunctioning && prob(75))
 		mod.balloon_alert(usr, "button malfunctions!")
 		return FALSE
@@ -44,6 +47,7 @@
 	. = ..()
 	if(!.)
 		return
+	var/obj/item/mod/control/mod = target
 	if(trigger_flags & TRIGGER_SECONDARY_ACTION)
 		mod.quick_deploy(usr)
 	else
@@ -71,6 +75,7 @@
 		UpdateButtonIcon()
 		addtimer(CALLBACK(src, .proc/reset_ready), 3 SECONDS)
 		return
+	var/obj/item/mod/control/mod = target
 	reset_ready()
 	mod.toggle_activate(usr)
 
@@ -94,6 +99,7 @@
 	. = ..()
 	if(!.)
 		return
+	var/obj/item/mod/control/mod = target
 	mod.quick_module(usr)
 
 /datum/action/item_action/mod/module/ai
@@ -108,6 +114,7 @@
 	. = ..()
 	if(!.)
 		return
+	var/obj/item/mod/control/mod = target
 	mod.ui_interact(usr)
 
 /datum/action/item_action/mod/panel/ai
@@ -119,8 +126,8 @@
 	var/override = FALSE
 	/// Module we are linked to.
 	var/obj/item/mod/module/module
-	/// Mob we are pinned to.
-	var/mob/pinner
+	/// A ref to the mob we are pinned to.
+	var/pinner_ref
 
 /datum/action/item_action/mod/pinned_module/New(Target, obj/item/mod/module/linked_module, mob/user)
 	if(isAI(user))
@@ -131,13 +138,21 @@
 	desc = "Quickly activate [linked_module]."
 	icon_icon = linked_module.icon
 	button_icon_state = linked_module.icon_state
-	pinner = user
 	RegisterSignal(linked_module, COMSIG_MODULE_ACTIVATED, .proc/on_module_activate)
 	RegisterSignal(linked_module, COMSIG_MODULE_DEACTIVATED, .proc/on_module_deactivate)
 	RegisterSignal(linked_module, COMSIG_MODULE_USED, .proc/on_module_use)
 
+/datum/action/item_action/mod/pinned_module/Destroy()
+	module.pinned_to -= pinner_ref
+	module = null
+	return ..()
+
 /datum/action/item_action/mod/pinned_module/Grant(mob/user)
-	if(user != pinner)
+	var/user_ref = REF(user)
+	if(!pinner_ref)
+		pinner_ref = user_ref
+		module.pinned_to[pinner_ref] = src
+	else if(pinner_ref != user_ref)
 		return
 	return ..()
 
@@ -145,6 +160,7 @@
 	. = ..()
 	if(!.)
 		return
+	var/obj/item/mod/control/mod = target
 	if(!mod.active)
 		mod.balloon_alert(usr, "suit not on!")
 	module.on_select()
@@ -153,6 +169,7 @@
 	. = ..(current_button, force = TRUE)
 	if(override)
 		return
+	var/obj/item/mod/control/mod = target
 	if(module == mod.selected_module)
 		current_button.add_overlay(image(icon = 'icons/hud/radial.dmi', icon_state = "module_selected", layer = FLOAT_LAYER-0.1))
 	else if(module.active)
diff --git a/code/modules/mod/mod_control.dm b/code/modules/mod/mod_control.dm
index 0dd1c923ff7..43646be6e9b 100644
--- a/code/modules/mod/mod_control.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mod/mod_control.dm
@@ -566,11 +566,11 @@
 	new_module.on_install()
 	if(wearer)
 		new_module.on_equip()
-		var/datum/action/item_action/mod/pinned_module/action = new_module.pinned_to[wearer]
+		var/datum/action/item_action/mod/pinned_module/action = new_module.pinned_to[REF(wearer)]
 		if(action)
 			action.Grant(wearer)
 	if(ai)
-		var/datum/action/item_action/mod/pinned_module/action = new_module.pinned_to[ai]
+		var/datum/action/item_action/mod/pinned_module/action = new_module.pinned_to[REF(ai)]
 		if(action)
 			action.Grant(ai)
 	if(user)
@@ -585,16 +585,7 @@
 		old_module.on_suit_deactivation()
 		if(old_module.active)
 			old_module.on_deactivation(display_message = TRUE)
-	if(wearer)
-		old_module.on_unequip()
-		var/datum/action/item_action/mod/pinned_module/action = old_module.pinned_to[wearer]
-		if(action)
-			action.Remove(wearer)
-	if(ai)
-		var/datum/action/item_action/mod/pinned_module/action = old_module.pinned_to[ai]
-		if(action)
-			action.Remove(ai)
-	old_module.pinned_to.Cut()
+	QDEL_LIST(old_module.pinned_to)
 	old_module.on_uninstall()
 	old_module.mod = null
 
diff --git a/code/modules/mod/modules/_module.dm b/code/modules/mod/modules/_module.dm
index 2060a668cb5..86cb365b1f5 100644
--- a/code/modules/mod/modules/_module.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mod/modules/_module.dm
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 	var/cooldown_time = 0
 	/// The mouse button needed to use this module
 	var/used_signal
-	/// List of mobs we are pinned to, linked with their action buttons
+	/// List of REF()s mobs we are pinned to, linked with their action buttons
 	var/list/pinned_to = list()
 	/// If we're allowed to use this module while phased out.
 	var/allowed_in_phaseout = FALSE
@@ -289,14 +289,12 @@
 
 /// Pins the module to the user's action buttons
 /obj/item/mod/module/proc/pin(mob/user)
-	var/datum/action/item_action/mod/pinned_module/action = pinned_to[user]
+	var/datum/action/item_action/mod/pinned_module/action = pinned_to[REF(user)]
 	if(action)
 		qdel(action)
-		pinned_to[user] = null
 	else
 		action = new(mod, src, user)
 		action.Grant(user)
-		pinned_to[user] = action
 
 ///Anomaly Locked - Causes the module to not function without an anomaly.
 /obj/item/mod/module/anomaly_locked
diff --git a/code/modules/mod/modules/module_pathfinder.dm b/code/modules/mod/modules/module_pathfinder.dm
index f37ee7e1b8e..35a288c540e 100644
--- a/code/modules/mod/modules/module_pathfinder.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mod/modules/module_pathfinder.dm
@@ -150,17 +150,18 @@
 	button_icon_state = "recall"
 	/// The cooldown for the recall.
 	COOLDOWN_DECLARE(recall_cooldown)
-	/// The implant we are linked to.
-	var/obj/item/implant/mod/implant
 
 /datum/action/item_action/mod_recall/New(Target)
 	..()
-	implant = Target
+	if(!istype(Target, /obj/item/implant/mod))
+		qdel(src)
+		return
 
 /datum/action/item_action/mod_recall/Trigger(trigger_flags)
 	. = ..()
 	if(!.)
 		return
+	var/obj/item/implant/mod/implant = target
 	if(!COOLDOWN_FINISHED(src, recall_cooldown))
 		implant.balloon_alert(implant.imp_in, "on cooldown!")
 		return