diff --git a/code/controllers/subsystem/SSdebugview.dm b/code/controllers/subsystem/SSdebugview.dm
index 73f2ad09cbc..6b145b416be 100644
--- a/code/controllers/subsystem/SSdebugview.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/subsystem/SSdebugview.dm
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ SUBSYSTEM_DEF(debugview)
 /datum/controller/subsystem/debugview/proc/stop_processing(client/C)
 	processing -= C
 	C.screen -= C.debug_text_overlay
-	qdel(C.debug_text_overlay)
+	QDEL_NULL(C.debug_text_overlay)
 
 /obj/screen/debugtextholder
 	icon = 'icons/mob/screen_full.dmi'