diff --git a/code/WorkInProgress/detective_work.dm b/code/WorkInProgress/detective_work.dm
index c50e43b6c4..48e741c729 100644
--- a/code/WorkInProgress/detective_work.dm
+++ b/code/WorkInProgress/detective_work.dm
@@ -718,9 +718,7 @@ turf/proc/add_bloody_footprints(mob/living/carbon/human/M,leaving,d,info)
 			this.blood_DNA.len++
 			this.blood_DNA[this.blood_DNA.len] = list(M.dna.unique_enzymes,M.dna.b_type)
 		else
-			var/list/blood_DNA_temp[1]
-			blood_DNA_temp[1] = list(M.dna.unique_enzymes, M.dna.b_type)
-			this.blood_DNA = blood_DNA_temp
+			this.blood_DNA = list(list(M.dna.unique_enzymes,M.dna.b_type))
 
 proc/get_tracks(mob/M)
 	if(istype(M,/mob/living))
diff --git a/code/defines/atom.dm b/code/defines/atom.dm
index fde7511d3b..5db2913830 100644
--- a/code/defines/atom.dm
+++ b/code/defines/atom.dm
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 	var/list/fingerprints = list()
 	var/list/fingerprintshidden = new/list()
 	var/fingerprintslast = null
-	var/list/blood_DNA = list()
+	var/list/blood_DNA = null
 	var/last_bumped = 0
 	var/pass_flags = 0
 
diff --git a/code/game/magic/cultist/ritual.dm b/code/game/magic/cultist/ritual.dm
index 990fb85e4e..919c535d74 100644
--- a/code/game/magic/cultist/ritual.dm
+++ b/code/game/magic/cultist/ritual.dm
@@ -559,9 +559,7 @@ var/engwords = list("travel", "blood", "join", "hell", "destroy", "technology",
 					R.blood_DNA.len++
 					R.blood_DNA[R.blood_DNA.len] = list(H.dna.unique_enzymes, H.dna.b_type)
 				else
-					var/list/blood_DNA_temp[1]
-					blood_DNA_temp[1] = list(H.dna.unique_enzymes, H.dna.b_type)
-					R.blood_DNA = blood_DNA_temp
+					R.blood_DNA = list(list(H.dna.unique_enzymes, H.dna.b_type))
 			return
 		else
 			user << "The book seems full of illegible scribbles. Is this a joke?"
@@ -606,9 +604,7 @@ var/engwords = list("travel", "blood", "join", "hell", "destroy", "technology",
 			var/obj/effect/rune/R = new /obj/effect/rune
 			if(istype(user, /mob/living/carbon/human))
 				var/mob/living/carbon/human/H = user
-				var/list/blood_DNA_temp[1]
-				blood_DNA_temp[1] = list(H.dna.unique_enzymes, H.dna.b_type)
-				R.blood_DNA = blood_DNA_temp
+				R.blood_DNA = list(list(H.dna.unique_enzymes, H.dna.b_type))
 			switch(r)
 				if("teleport")
 					var/list/words = list("ire", "ego", "nahlizet", "certum", "veri", "jatkaa", "balaq", "mgar", "karazet", "geeri")