diff --git a/code/modules/client/preference/character.dm b/code/modules/client/preference/character.dm
index 234cffb78eb..013e3404ddc 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/preference/character.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/preference/character.dm
@@ -457,11 +457,15 @@
 
 	//Sanitize
 	var/datum/species/SP = GLOB.all_species[species]
+	if(!SP)
+		stack_trace("Couldn't find a species matching [species], character name is [real_name].")
+
 	metadata = sanitize_text(metadata, initial(metadata))
 	real_name = reject_bad_name(real_name, TRUE)
 
 	if(isnull(species))
 		species = "Human"
+		stack_trace("Character doesn't have a species, character name is [real_name]. Defaulting to human.")
 
 	if(isnull(language))
 		language = "None"