diff --git a/code/datums/chatmessage.dm b/code/datums/chatmessage.dm
index 22089a16..695c1477 100644
--- a/code/datums/chatmessage.dm
+++ b/code/datums/chatmessage.dm
@@ -55,6 +55,14 @@
 	message = null
 	return ..()
 
+/**
+  * Calls qdel on the chatmessage when its parent is deleted, used to register qdel signal
+  */
+/datum/chatmessage/proc/on_parent_qdel()
+	qdel(src)
+
+
+
 /**
   * Generates a chat message image representation
   *
@@ -108,7 +116,7 @@
 	// BYOND Bug #2563917
 	// Construct text
 	var/static/regex/html_metachars = new(@"&[A-Za-z]{1,7};", "g")
-	var/complete_text = "<span class='center maptext [extra_classes != null ? extra_classes.Join(" ") : ""]' style='color: [tgt_color]'>[text]</span>"
+	var/complete_text = "<span class='center maptext [extra_classes.Join(" ")]' style='color: [tgt_color]'>[text]</span>"
 	var/mheight = WXH_TO_HEIGHT(owned_by.MeasureText(replacetext(complete_text, html_metachars, "m"), null, CHAT_MESSAGE_WIDTH))
 	approx_lines = max(1, mheight / CHAT_MESSAGE_APPROX_LHEIGHT)