diff --git a/code/modules/mob/hear_say.dm b/code/modules/mob/hear_say.dm
index 34176d34108..9264feaa869 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/hear_say.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/hear_say.dm
@@ -110,7 +110,8 @@
 		if(hard_to_hear)
 			message = stars(message)
 
-	var/speaker_name = speaker.name
+	var/speaker_name = "unknown"
+	if(speaker) speaker_name = speaker.name
 
 	if(vname)
 		speaker_name = vname
@@ -168,7 +169,7 @@
 				track = "<a href='byond://?src=\ref[src];trackname=[html_encode(speaker_name)];track=\ref[speaker]'>[speaker_name] ([jobname])</a>"
 
 	if(istype(src, /mob/dead/observer))
-		if(speaker_name != speaker.real_name && !isAI(speaker)) //Announce computer and various stuff that broadcasts doesn't use it's real name but AI's can't pretend to be other mobs.
+		if(speaker && (speaker_name != speaker.real_name) && !isAI(speaker)) //Announce computer and various stuff that broadcasts doesn't use it's real name but AI's can't pretend to be other mobs.
 			speaker_name = "[speaker.real_name] ([speaker_name])"
 		track = "[speaker_name] ([ghost_follow_link(follow_target, ghost=src)])"