diff --git a/code/datums/chat_message.dm b/code/datums/chat_message.dm
index b5583cfa2b..c448851d5f 100644
--- a/code/datums/chat_message.dm
+++ b/code/datums/chat_message.dm
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ var/list/runechat_image_cache = list()
 	/// If we are currently processing animation and cleanup at EOL
 	var/ending_life
 
+	/// deletion timer
+	var/timer_delete
+
 /**
   * Constructs a chat message overlay
   *
@@ -72,11 +75,14 @@ var/list/runechat_image_cache = list()
 	generate_image(text, target, owner, extra_classes, lifespan)
 
 /datum/chatmessage/Destroy()
-	if(owned_by)
+	if(timer_delete)
+		deltimer(timer_delete)
+		timer_delete = null
+	if(!QDELETED(owned_by))
 		UnregisterSignal(owned_by, COMSIG_PARENT_QDELETING)
 		LAZYREMOVEASSOC(owned_by.seen_messages, message_loc, src)
 		owned_by.images.Remove(message)
-	if(message_loc)
+	if(!QDELETED(message_loc))
 		UnregisterSignal(message_loc, COMSIG_PARENT_QDELETING)
 	owned_by = null
 	message_loc = null
@@ -219,8 +225,7 @@ var/list/runechat_image_cache = list()
 		return
 	ending_life = TRUE
 	animate(message, alpha = 0, time = fadetime, flags = ANIMATION_PARALLEL)
-	spawn(fadetime)
-		qdel(src)
+	timer_delete = QDEL_IN_STOPPABLE(src, fadetime)
 
 /**
   * Creates a message overlay at a defined location for a given speaker
diff --git a/modular_chomp/code/game/objects/structures/gargoyle.dm b/modular_chomp/code/game/objects/structures/gargoyle.dm
index 3e1ffa9e57..747c17b488 100644
--- a/modular_chomp/code/game/objects/structures/gargoyle.dm
+++ b/modular_chomp/code/game/objects/structures/gargoyle.dm
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@
 	original_int = obj_integrity
 	name = "[identifier] of [H.name]"
 	desc = "A very lifelike [identifier] made of [material]."
-	stored_examine = H.examine()
+	stored_examine = H.examine(H)
 	description_fluff = H.get_description_fluff()
 
 	if (H.buckled)
@@ -140,10 +140,9 @@
 	if (!gargoyle)
 		return ..()
 	if (can_revert)
-		unpetrify(deleting = TRUE)
+		unpetrify(deleting = FALSE) //don't delete if we're already deleting!
 	else
 		visible_message("<span class='warning'>The [identifier] loses shape and crumbles into a pile of [material]!</span>")
-		QDEL_NULL(gargoyle)
 	. = ..()
 
 /obj/structure/gargoyle/process()
@@ -151,7 +150,7 @@
 		qdel(src)
 	if (gargoyle.loc != src)
 		can_revert = TRUE //something's gone wrong, they escaped, lets not qdel them
-		unpetrify(FALSE)
+		unpetrify(deal_damage = FALSE, deleting = TRUE)
 
 /obj/structure/gargoyle/examine_icon()
 	var/icon/examine_icon = ..()