diff --git a/code/modules/client/preference/character.dm b/code/modules/client/preference/character.dm
index 679a8cbbe19..0e3ce0c8d62 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/preference/character.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/preference/character.dm
@@ -463,7 +463,8 @@
 	metadata = sanitize_text(metadata, initial(metadata))
 	real_name = reject_bad_name(real_name, TRUE)
 
-	if(isnull(species))
+	if(isnull(species) || isnull(SP))
+		SP = GLOB.all_species["Human"]
 		species = "Human"
 		stack_trace("Character doesn't have a species, character name is [real_name]. Defaulting to human.")