diff --git a/code/modules/research/xenoarchaeology/machinery/artifact_analyser.dm b/code/modules/research/xenoarchaeology/machinery/artifact_analyser.dm
index 7daa0a665aa..3d2ec6c32c1 100644
--- a/code/modules/research/xenoarchaeology/machinery/artifact_analyser.dm
+++ b/code/modules/research/xenoarchaeology/machinery/artifact_analyser.dm
@@ -92,13 +92,14 @@
 			reconnect_scanner()
 		if(owned_scanner)
 			var/artifact_in_use = 0
+			scanned_object = null
 			for(var/obj/O in owned_scanner.loc)
 				if(O == owned_scanner)
 					continue
 				if(O.invisibility)
 					continue
-				if(istype(scanned_object, /obj/machinery/artifact))
-					var/obj/machinery/artifact/A = scanned_object
+				if(istype(O, /obj/machinery/artifact))
+					var/obj/machinery/artifact/A = O
 					if(A.being_used)
 						artifact_in_use = 1
 					else