diff --git a/code/game/objects/effects/portals.dm b/code/game/objects/effects/portals.dm
index 992ed0d142d..5fe12b40f38 100644
--- a/code/game/objects/effects/portals.dm
+++ b/code/game/objects/effects/portals.dm
@@ -183,4 +183,5 @@
 
 /obj/effect/portal/permanent/one_way/one_use/teleport(atom/movable/M, force = FALSE)
 	. = ..()
-	qdel(src)
+	if (. && !isdead(M))
+		qdel(src)