diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/species/_species.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/species/_species.dm
index 3e8ebcb21d8..7d18e244adf 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/species/_species.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/species/_species.dm
@@ -270,8 +270,8 @@
 
 /datum/species/proc/breathe(mob/living/carbon/human/H)
 	var/datum/organ/lungs/lung = H.get_int_organ_datum(ORGAN_DATUM_LUNGS)
-	if(HAS_TRAIT(H, TRAIT_NOBREATH) && lung)
-		lung.clear_alerts(H)
+	if(HAS_TRAIT(H, TRAIT_NOBREATH))
+		lung?.clear_alerts(H)
 		return TRUE
 
 ////////////////