diff --git a/code/game/jobs/whitelist.dm b/code/game/jobs/whitelist.dm
index b47da0e77d..1f0463e319 100644
--- a/code/game/jobs/whitelist.dm
+++ b/code/game/jobs/whitelist.dm
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ var/list/whitelist
 		return 0
 	return ("[M.ckey]" in whitelist)
 
+var/list/alien_whitelist
+
 proc/load_alienwhitelist()
 	var/text = file2text("config/alienwhitelist.txt")
 	if (!text)
@@ -23,15 +25,14 @@ proc/load_alienwhitelist()
 
 /proc/is_alien_whitelisted(mob/M, var/species)
 	if(!alien_whitelist)
-		return
-	if((M.client) && (M.client.holder) && (M.client.holder.level) && (M.client.holder.level >= 5))
-		return 1
-	if(M && species)
+		return 0
+	if((M.client) && (M.client.holder) && (M.client.holder.level) && (M.client.holder.level >= 5))		return 1	if(M && species)
 		for (var/s in alien_whitelist)
 			if(findtext(s,"[M.ckey] - [species]"))
 				return 1
 			if(findtext(s,"[M.ckey] - All"))
 				return 1
-		return 0
+
+	return 0
 
 #undef WHITELISTFILE
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/code/global.dm b/code/global.dm
index 3f10c8f749..dcb1dc0bb2 100644
--- a/code/global.dm
+++ b/code/global.dm
@@ -106,7 +106,6 @@ var/list/prisonsecuritywarp = list()	//prison security goes to these
 var/list/prisonwarped = list()	//list of players already warped
 var/list/blobstart = list()
 //	list/traitors = list()	//traitor list
-var/list/alien_whitelist = list(  )
 var/list/cardinal = list( NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, WEST )
 var/list/alldirs = list(NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, WEST, NORTHEAST, NORTHWEST, SOUTHEAST, SOUTHWEST)
 
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/new_player/preferences.dm b/code/modules/mob/new_player/preferences.dm
index 2990baa20d..b80e1eda23 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/new_player/preferences.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/new_player/preferences.dm
@@ -739,12 +739,13 @@ datum/preferences
 							if(is_alien_whitelisted(user, "Skrell")) //Check for Skrell and admins
 								new_species += "Skrell"
 								whitelisted = 1
+
+							if(!whitelisted)
+								alert(user, "You cannot change your species as you need to be whitelisted. If you wish to be whitelisted contact an admin in-game, on the forums, or on IRC.")
 						else //Not using the whitelist? Aliens for everyone!
 							new_species += "Tajaran"
 							new_species += "Soghun"
 							new_species += "Skrell"
-						if(!whitelisted && config.usealienwhitelist)
-							alert(user, "You cannot change your species as you need to be whitelisted. If you wish to be whitelisted contact an admin in-game, on the forums, or on IRC.")
 						species = input("Please select a species", "Character Generation", null) in new_species
 						if(prev_species != species)
 							//grab one of the valid hair styles for the newly chosen species
diff --git a/code/world.dm b/code/world.dm
index 387ffdd5e3..7b1dc82980 100644
--- a/code/world.dm
+++ b/code/world.dm
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 	investigate_reset()
 	if (config.usewhitelist)
 		load_whitelist()
+	if (config.usealienwhitelist)
+		load_alienwhitelist()
 	LoadBansjob()
 	Get_Holiday()	//~Carn, needs to be here when the station is named so :P
 	src.update_status()