diff --git a/code/game/objects/items.dm b/code/game/objects/items.dm
index a6b2f0116e1..545daacb2dd 100644
--- a/code/game/objects/items.dm
+++ b/code/game/objects/items.dm
@@ -652,7 +652,7 @@ GLOBAL_DATUM_INIT(fire_overlay, /image, image("icon" = 'icons/goonstation/effect
 		return hit_atom.hitby(src, 0, itempush, throwingdatum = throwingdatum)
 
 /obj/item/throw_at(atom/target, range, speed, mob/thrower, spin=1, diagonals_first = 0, datum/callback/callback, force)
-	thrownby = thrower.UID()
+	thrownby = thrower?.UID()
 	callback = CALLBACK(src, .proc/after_throw, callback) //replace their callback with our own
 	. = ..(target, range, speed, thrower, spin, diagonals_first, callback, force)