diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/human_defense.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/human_defense.dm
index 26adcda712f..88ced1da73b 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/human_defense.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/human_defense.dm
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ emp_act
 
 	var/datum/organ/external/organ = get_organ(check_zone(def_zone))
 
-	var/armor = checkarmor(organ, "bullet")
+	var/armor = getarmor_organ(organ, "bullet")
 
 	if((P.embed && prob(20 + max(P.damage - armor, -10))) && P.damage_type == BRUTE)
 		var/obj/item/weapon/shard/shrapnel/SP = new()
@@ -113,19 +113,20 @@ emp_act
 
 	if(def_zone)
 		if(isorgan(def_zone))
-			return checkarmor(def_zone, type)
-		var/datum/organ/external/affecting = get_organ(ran_zone(def_zone))
-		return checkarmor(affecting, type)
+			return getarmor_organ(def_zone, type)
+		var/datum/organ/external/affecting = get_organ(def_zone)
+		return getarmor_organ(affecting, type)
 		//If a specific bodypart is targetted, check how that bodypart is protected and return the value.
 
 	//If you don't specify a bodypart, it checks ALL your bodyparts for protection, and averages out the values
 	for(var/datum/organ/external/organ in organs)
-		armorval += checkarmor(organ, type)
+		armorval += getarmor_organ(organ, type)
 		organnum++
 	return (armorval/max(organnum, 1))
 
 
-/mob/living/carbon/human/proc/checkarmor(var/datum/organ/external/def_zone, var/type)
+//this proc returns the armour value for a particular external organ.
+/mob/living/carbon/human/proc/getarmor_organ(var/datum/organ/external/def_zone, var/type)
 	if(!type)	return 0
 	var/protection = 0
 	var/list/body_parts = list(head, wear_mask, wear_suit, w_uniform)
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/living_defense.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/living_defense.dm
index 3aae384a0db..d15c2cf6dc9 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/living_defense.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/living_defense.dm
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 	return 0
 
 
+//if null is passed for def_zone, then this should return something appropriate for all zones (e.g. area effect damage)
 /mob/living/proc/getarmor(var/def_zone, var/type)
 	return 0
 
diff --git a/code/modules/reagents/reagent_containers/syringes.dm b/code/modules/reagents/reagent_containers/syringes.dm
index c36190f45f8..a7332fc5b92 100644
--- a/code/modules/reagents/reagent_containers/syringes.dm
+++ b/code/modules/reagents/reagent_containers/syringes.dm
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@
 
 		if(istype(target, /mob/living/carbon/human))
 
-			var/target_zone = check_zone(user.zone_sel.selecting, target)
+			var/target_zone = ran_zone(check_zone(user.zone_sel.selecting, target))
 			var/datum/organ/external/affecting = target:get_organ(target_zone)
 
 			if (!affecting)