diff --git a/code/modules/client/preference/preferences.dm b/code/modules/client/preference/preferences.dm
index 20cdd45d20a..c0f97c074f8 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/preference/preferences.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/preference/preferences.dm
@@ -2022,11 +2022,6 @@ var/global/list/special_role_times = list( //minimum age (in days) for accounts
 	ShowChoices(user)
 	return 1
 
-/datum/preferences/proc/copy_to_mind(datum/mind/M)
-	if(species == "Grey")
-		if(speciesprefs)
-			M.speech_span = "wingdings"
-
 /datum/preferences/proc/copy_to(mob/living/carbon/human/character)
 	var/datum/species/S = all_species[species]
 	character.change_species(species) // Yell at me if this causes everything to melt
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/species/station.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/species/station.dm
index 5bde6ce8e5b..1c55b10a921 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/species/station.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/species/station.dm
@@ -722,6 +722,11 @@
 		genemutcheck(C,REMOTETALKBLOCK,null,MUTCHK_FORCED)
 	..()
 
+/datum/species/grey/equip(var/mob/living/carbon/human/H)
+	var/speech_pref = H.client.prefs.speciesprefs
+	if(speech_pref)
+		H.mind.speech_span = "wingdings"
+
 /datum/species/diona
 	name = "Diona"
 	name_plural = "Dionaea"
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/new_player/new_player.dm b/code/modules/mob/new_player/new_player.dm
index d18bad69475..bccd7990de9 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/new_player/new_player.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/new_player/new_player.dm
@@ -506,7 +506,6 @@
 			new_character.real_name = pick(diona_names)	//I hate this being here of all places but unfortunately dna is based on real_name!
 			new_character.rename_self("diona")
 		mind.original = new_character
-		client.prefs.copy_to_mind(mind)
 		mind.transfer_to(new_character)					//won't transfer key since the mind is not active