diff --git a/code/__HELPERS/text.dm b/code/__HELPERS/text.dm
index 19ed2c06383..3fe80b245e9 100644
--- a/code/__HELPERS/text.dm
+++ b/code/__HELPERS/text.dm
@@ -401,7 +401,9 @@ proc/checkhtml(var/t)
 		var/keylength = length(char)
 		while(index)
 			log_debug("Bad string given to dmm encoder! [text]")
-			text = copytext(text, 1, index) + copytext(text, index+keylength)
+			// Replace w/ underscore to prevent "&#3{4;" from cheesing the radar
+			// Should probably also use canon text replacing procs
+			text = copytext(text, 1, index) + "_" + copytext(text, index+keylength)
 			index = findtext(text, char)
 
 	// Then, replace characters as normal
diff --git a/code/modules/awaymissions/maploader/reader.dm b/code/modules/awaymissions/maploader/reader.dm
index 55125186da9..9cb75d4a22b 100644
--- a/code/modules/awaymissions/maploader/reader.dm
+++ b/code/modules/awaymissions/maploader/reader.dm
@@ -385,7 +385,10 @@ var/global/dmm_suite/preloader/_preloader = new
 				var/endquote = findtext(trim_right,quote,-1)
 				if(!endquote)
 					log_debug("Terminating quote not found!")
-				trim_right = copytext(trim_right,2,endquote)
+				// Our map writer escapes quotes and curly brackets to avoid
+				// letting our simple parser choke on meanly-crafted names/etc
+				// - so we decode it here so it's back to good ol' legibility
+				trim_right = dmm_decode(copytext(trim_right,2,endquote))
 
 			//Check for number
 			else if(isnum(text2num(trim_right)))
@@ -450,18 +453,18 @@ var/global/dmm_suite/preloader/_preloader = new
 /dmm_suite/preloader/proc/load(atom/what)
 	if(json_ready)
 		var/json_data = attributes["map_json_data"]
+		attributes -= "map_json_data"
 		json_data = dmm_decode(json_data)
 		try
 			what.deserialize(json_decode(json_data))
 		catch(var/exception/e)
 			log_debug("Bad json data: '[json_data]'")
 			throw e
-	else
-		for(var/attribute in attributes)
-			var/value = attributes[attribute]
-			if(islist(value))
-				value = deepCopyList(value)
-			what.vars[attribute] = value
+	for(var/attribute in attributes)
+		var/value = attributes[attribute]
+		if(islist(value))
+			value = deepCopyList(value)
+		what.vars[attribute] = value
 	use_preloader = FALSE
 
 // If the map loader fails, make this safe
diff --git a/code/modules/awaymissions/maploader/writer.dm b/code/modules/awaymissions/maploader/writer.dm
index 3de76ccefa7..c5cac261c46 100644
--- a/code/modules/awaymissions/maploader/writer.dm
+++ b/code/modules/awaymissions/maploader/writer.dm
@@ -5,10 +5,9 @@
 #define DMM_IGNORE_PLAYERS 16
 #define DMM_IGNORE_MOBS 24
 #define DMM_USE_JSON 32
-dmm_suite{
-	var{
-		quote = "\""
-		list/letter_digits = list(
+/dmm_suite
+	var/quote = "\""
+	var/list/letter_digits = list(
 			"a","b","c","d","e",
 			"f","g","h","i","j",
 			"k","l","m","n","o",
@@ -22,180 +21,191 @@ dmm_suite{
 			"U","V","W","X","Y",
 			"Z"
 			)
-		}
-	save_map(var/turf/t1 as turf, var/turf/t2 as turf, var/map_name as text, var/flags as num){
-		//Check for illegal characters in file name... in a cheap way.
-		if(!((ckeyEx(map_name)==map_name) && ckeyEx(map_name))){
-			CRASH("Invalid text supplied to proc save_map, invalid characters or empty string.")
-			}
-		//Check for valid turfs.
-		if(!isturf(t1) || !isturf(t2)){
-			CRASH("Invalid arguments supplied to proc save_map, arguments were not turfs.")
-			}
-		var/map_prefix = "_maps/quicksave/"
-		var/map_path = "[map_prefix][map_name].dmm"
-		if(fexists(map_path)){
-			fdel(map_path)
-			}
-		var/saved_map = file(map_path) // We give the map writer the file directly
-		// Because repeated string appending is super murder for performance
-		var/map_text = write_map(t1,t2,flags,saved_map)
-		saved_map << map_text
-		return saved_map
-		}
-	write_map(var/turf/t1 as turf, var/turf/t2 as turf, var/flags as num, var/map_file as file){
-		//Check for valid turfs.
-		if(!isturf(t1) || !isturf(t2)){
-			CRASH("Invalid arguments supplied to proc write_map, arguments were not turfs.")
-			}
-		var/turf/ne = locate(max(t1.x,t2.x),max(t1.y,t2.y),max(t1.z,t2.z)) // Outer corner
-		var/turf/sw = locate(min(t1.x,t2.x),min(t1.y,t2.y),min(t1.z,t2.z)) // Inner corner
-		var/list/templates[0]
-		var/template_buffer = {""}
-		var/buffer_line = {""}
-		var/dmm_text = {""}
 
-		for(var/pos_z in sw.z to ne.z){
-			for(var/pos_y = ne.y, pos_y >= sw.y, pos_y--){ // We're reversing this because the map format is silly
-				for(var/pos_x in sw.x to ne.x){
-					var/turf/test_turf = locate(pos_x,pos_y,pos_z)
-					var/test_template = make_template(test_turf, flags)
-					var/template_number = templates.Find(test_template)
-					if(!template_number){
-						templates.Add(test_template)
-						template_number = templates.len
-						}
-					buffer_line += "[template_number],"
-					CHECK_TICK
-					}
-				template_buffer += "[buffer_line];"
-				buffer_line = ""
-				}
-			template_buffer += "."
-			}
-		if(templates.len == 0)
-			CRASH("No templates found!")
-		var/key_length = round/*floor*/(log(letter_digits.len,templates.len-1)+1)
-		var/list/keys[templates.len]
-		for(var/key_pos in 1 to templates.len){
-			keys[key_pos] = get_model_key(key_pos,key_length)
-			dmm_text += {""[keys[key_pos]]" = ([templates[key_pos]])\n"}
-			}
-		var/z_level = 0
-		for(var/z_pos=1;TRUE;z_pos=findtext(template_buffer,".",z_pos)+1){
-			if(z_pos>=length(template_buffer)){break}
-			if(z_level){dmm_text += {"\n"}}
-			dmm_text += {"\n(1,1,[++z_level]) = {"\n"}
-			var/z_block = copytext(template_buffer,z_pos,findtext(template_buffer,".",z_pos))
-			for(var/y_pos=1;TRUE;y_pos=findtext(z_block,";",y_pos)+1){
-				if(y_pos>=length(z_block)){break}
-				var/y_block = copytext(z_block,y_pos,findtext(z_block,";",y_pos))
-				for(var/x_pos=1;TRUE;x_pos=findtext(y_block,",",x_pos)+1){
-					if(x_pos>=length(y_block)){break}
-					var/x_block = copytext(y_block,x_pos,findtext(y_block,",",x_pos))
-					var/key_number = text2num(x_block)
-					var/temp_key = keys[key_number]
-					buffer_line += temp_key
-					CHECK_TICK
-					}
-				dmm_text += {"[buffer_line]\n"}
-				buffer_line = ""
-				}
-			dmm_text += {"\"}"}
-			}
-		return dmm_text
-		}
-	proc{
-		make_template(var/turf/model as turf, var/flags as num){
-			var/use_json = 0
-			if(flags & DMM_USE_JSON)
-				use_json = 1
-			var/template = ""
-			var/obj_template = ""
-			var/mob_template = ""
-			var/turf_template = ""
-			if(!(flags & DMM_IGNORE_TURFS)){
-				turf_template = "[model.type][check_attributes(model,use_json=use_json)],"
-				} else{ turf_template = "[world.turf],"}
-			var/area_template = ""
-			if(!(flags & DMM_IGNORE_OBJS)){
-				for(var/obj/O in model.contents){
-					if(O.dont_save)
-						continue
-					obj_template += "[O.type][check_attributes(O,use_json=use_json)],"
-					}
-				}
-			for(var/mob/M in model.contents){
-				if(M.dont_save)
-					continue
-				if(M.client){
-					if(!(flags & DMM_IGNORE_PLAYERS)){
-						mob_template += "[M.type][check_attributes(M,use_json=use_json)],"
-						}
-					}
-				else{
-					if(!(flags & DMM_IGNORE_NPCS)){
-						mob_template += "[M.type][check_attributes(M,use_json=use_json)],"
-						}
-					}
-				}
-			if(!(flags & DMM_IGNORE_AREAS)){
-				var/area/m_area = model.loc
-				area_template = "[m_area.type][check_attributes(m_area,use_json=use_json)]"
-				} else{ area_template = "[world.area]"}
-			template = "[obj_template][mob_template][turf_template][area_template]"
-			return template
-			}
-		check_attributes(var/atom/A,use_json=0){
-			var/attributes_text = {"{"}
-			if(!use_json){
-				for(var/V in A.vars){
-					sleep(-1)
-					if((!issaved(A.vars[V])) || (A.vars[V]==initial(A.vars[V]))){continue}
-					if(istext(A.vars[V])){
-						attributes_text += {"[V] = "[A.vars[V]]""}
-						}
-					else if(isnum(A.vars[V])||ispath(A.vars[V])){
-						attributes_text += {"[V] = [A.vars[V]]"}
-						}
-					else if(isicon(A.vars[V])||isfile(A.vars[V])){
-						attributes_text += {"[V] = '[A.vars[V]]'"}
-						}
-					else{
-						continue
-						}
-					if(attributes_text != {"{"}){
-						attributes_text+={"; "}
-						}
-					}
-				} else {
-				var/list/yeah = A.serialize()
-				// Remove useless info
-				yeah -= "type"
-				if(yeah.len) {
-					var/json_stuff = json_encode(yeah)
-					json_stuff = dmm_encode(json_stuff)
-					attributes_text += {"map_json_data = "[json_stuff]""}
-					}
-				}
-			if(attributes_text=={"{"}){
-				return
-				}
-			if(copytext(attributes_text, length(attributes_text)-1, 0) == {"; "}){
-				attributes_text = copytext(attributes_text, 1, length(attributes_text)-1)
-				}
-			attributes_text += {"}"}
-			return attributes_text
-			}
-		get_model_key(var/which as num, var/key_length as num){
-			var/key = ""
-			var/working_digit = which-1
-			for(var/digit_pos in key_length to 1 step -1){
-				var/place_value = round/*floor*/(working_digit/(letter_digits.len**(digit_pos-1)))
-				working_digit-=place_value*(letter_digits.len**(digit_pos-1))
-				key = "[key][letter_digits[place_value+1]]"
-				}
-			return key
-			}
-		}
-	}
+/dmm_suite/save_map(var/turf/t1 as turf, var/turf/t2 as turf, var/map_name as text, var/flags as num)
+	//Check for illegal characters in file name... in a cheap way.
+	if(!((ckeyEx(map_name)==map_name) && ckeyEx(map_name)))
+		CRASH("Invalid text supplied to proc save_map, invalid characters or empty string.")
+	//Check for valid turfs.
+	if(!isturf(t1) || !isturf(t2))
+		CRASH("Invalid arguments supplied to proc save_map, arguments were not turfs.")
+
+	var/map_prefix = "_maps/quicksave/"
+	var/map_path = "[map_prefix][map_name].dmm"
+	if(fexists(map_path))
+		fdel(map_path)
+	var/saved_map = file(map_path)
+	var/map_text = write_map(t1,t2,flags,saved_map)
+	saved_map << map_text
+	return saved_map
+
+/dmm_suite/write_map(var/turf/t1 as turf, var/turf/t2 as turf, var/flags as num)
+	//Check for valid turfs.
+	if(!isturf(t1) || !isturf(t2))
+		CRASH("Invalid arguments supplied to proc write_map, arguments were not turfs.")
+
+	var/turf/ne = locate(max(t1.x,t2.x),max(t1.y,t2.y),max(t1.z,t2.z)) // Outer corner
+	var/turf/sw = locate(min(t1.x,t2.x),min(t1.y,t2.y),min(t1.z,t2.z)) // Inner corner
+	var/list/templates[0]
+	var/template_buffer = ""
+	var/buffer_line = ""
+	var/dmm_text = ""
+
+	var/total_timer = start_watch()
+	var/timer = start_watch()
+	log_debug("Reading turfs...")
+	// Read the contents of all the turfs we were given
+	for(var/pos_z in sw.z to ne.z)
+		for(var/pos_y = ne.y, pos_y >= sw.y, pos_y--) // We're reversing this because the map format is silly
+			for(var/pos_x in sw.x to ne.x)
+				var/turf/test_turf = locate(pos_x,pos_y,pos_z)
+				var/test_template = make_template(test_turf, flags)
+				var/template_number = templates.Find(test_template)
+				if(!template_number)
+					templates.Add(test_template)
+					template_number = templates.len
+				buffer_line += "[template_number],"
+				CHECK_TICK
+
+			template_buffer += "[buffer_line];"
+			buffer_line = ""
+
+		template_buffer += "."
+	log_debug("Reading turfs took [stop_watch(timer)]s.")
+
+	if(templates.len == 0)
+		CRASH("No templates found!")
+	var/key_length = round/*floor*/(log(letter_digits.len,templates.len-1)+1)
+	var/list/keys[templates.len]
+	// Write the list of key/model pairs to the file
+	timer = start_watch()
+	log_debug("Writing out key/model pairs to file header...")
+	for(var/key_pos in 1 to templates.len)
+		keys[key_pos] = get_model_key(key_pos,key_length)
+		dmm_text += "\"[keys[key_pos]]\" = ([templates[key_pos]])\n"
+	log_debug("Writing key/model pairs complete, took [stop_watch(timer)]s.")
+
+	var/z_level = 0
+	// Loop over all z in our zone
+	timer = start_watch()
+	log_debug("Writing out key map...")
+	for(var/z_pos=1;TRUE;z_pos=findtext(template_buffer,".",z_pos)+1)
+		if(z_pos>=length(template_buffer))	break
+		if(z_level)	dmm_text += "\n"
+		dmm_text += "\n(1,1,[++z_level]) = {\"\n"
+		var/z_block = copytext(template_buffer,z_pos,findtext(template_buffer,".",z_pos))
+		for(var/y_pos=1;TRUE;y_pos=findtext(z_block,";",y_pos)+1)
+			if(y_pos>=length(z_block))	break
+			var/y_block = copytext(z_block,y_pos,findtext(z_block,";",y_pos))
+			// A row of keys
+			for(var/x_pos=1;TRUE;x_pos=findtext(y_block,",",x_pos)+1)
+				if(x_pos>=length(y_block))	break
+				var/x_block = copytext(y_block,x_pos,findtext(y_block,",",x_pos))
+				var/key_number = text2num(x_block)
+				var/temp_key = keys[key_number]
+				buffer_line += temp_key
+				CHECK_TICK
+			dmm_text += "[buffer_line]\n"
+			buffer_line = ""
+		dmm_text += "\"}"
+	log_debug("Writing key map complete, took [stop_watch(timer)]s.")
+	log_debug("TOTAL TIME: [stop_watch(total_timer)]s.")
+	return dmm_text
+
+/dmm_suite/proc/make_template(var/turf/model as turf, var/flags as num)
+	var/use_json = 0
+	if(flags & DMM_USE_JSON)
+		use_json = 1
+	var/template = ""
+	var/turf_template = ""
+	var/obj_template = ""
+	var/mob_template = ""
+	var/area_template = ""
+
+	// Turf
+	if(!(flags & DMM_IGNORE_TURFS))
+		turf_template = "[model.type][check_attributes(model,use_json=use_json)],"
+	else	turf_template = "[world.turf],"
+
+	// Objects loop
+	if(!(flags & DMM_IGNORE_OBJS))
+		for(var/obj/O in model.contents)
+			if(O.dont_save || !isnull(O.gcDestroyed))
+				continue
+			obj_template += "[O.type][check_attributes(O,use_json=use_json)],"
+
+	// Mobs Loop
+	for(var/mob/M in model.contents)
+		if(M.dont_save || !isnull(M.gcDestroyed))
+			continue
+		if(M.client)
+			if(!(flags & DMM_IGNORE_PLAYERS))
+				mob_template += "[M.type][check_attributes(M,use_json=use_json)],"
+		else
+			if(!(flags & DMM_IGNORE_NPCS))
+				mob_template += "[M.type][check_attributes(M,use_json=use_json)],"
+
+	// Area
+	if(!(flags & DMM_IGNORE_AREAS))
+		var/area/m_area = model.loc
+		area_template = "[m_area.type][check_attributes(m_area,use_json=use_json)]"
+	else	area_template = "[world.area]"
+
+	template = "[obj_template][mob_template][turf_template][area_template]"
+	return template
+
+/dmm_suite/proc/check_attributes(var/atom/A,use_json=0)
+	var/attributes_text = "{"
+	if(!use_json)
+		for(var/V in A.vars)
+			sleep(-1)
+			if((!issaved(A.vars[V])) || (A.vars[V]==initial(A.vars[V])))	continue
+			attributes_text += var_to_dmm(A.vars[V], V)
+	else
+		var/list/yeah = A.serialize()
+		// We'll want to write out vars that are important to the editor
+		// So that the map is legible as before
+		for(var/thing in A.map_important_vars())
+			// Save vars that are important for the map editor, so that
+			// json-encoded maps are legible for standard editors
+			if(A.vars[thing] != initial(A.vars[thing]))
+				yeah -= thing
+				attributes_text += var_to_dmm(A.vars[thing],thing)
+
+		// Remove useless info
+		yeah -= "type"
+		if(yeah.len)
+			var/json_stuff = json_encode(yeah)
+			attributes_text += var_to_dmm(json_stuff, "map_json_data")
+	if(attributes_text == "{")
+		return
+
+	// Trim a trailing semicolon - `var_to_dmm` always appends a semicolon,
+	// so the last one will be trailing.
+	if(copytext(attributes_text, length(attributes_text)-1, 0) == "; ")
+		attributes_text = copytext(attributes_text, 1, length(attributes_text)-1)
+	attributes_text += "}"
+	return attributes_text
+
+
+/dmm_suite/proc/get_model_key(var/which as num, var/key_length as num)
+	var/key = ""
+	var/working_digit = which-1
+	for(var/digit_pos in key_length to 1 step -1)
+		var/place_value = round/*floor*/(working_digit/(letter_digits.len**(digit_pos-1)))
+		working_digit-=place_value*(letter_digits.len**(digit_pos-1))
+		key = "[key][letter_digits[place_value+1]]"
+	return key
+
+
+/dmm_suite/proc/var_to_dmm(attr, name)
+	if(istext(attr))
+		// dmm_encode will strip out characters that would be capable of disrupting
+		// parsing - namely, quotes and curly braces
+		return "[name] = \"[dmm_encode(attr)]\"; "
+	else if(isnum(attr)||ispath(attr))
+		return "[name] = [attr]; "
+	else if(isicon(attr)||isfile(attr))
+		return "[name] = '[attr]'; "
+	else
+		return ""
diff --git a/code/modules/persistence/persistence.dm b/code/modules/persistence/persistence.dm
index a803d6b2eb4..e6de3f5d138 100644
--- a/code/modules/persistence/persistence.dm
+++ b/code/modules/persistence/persistence.dm
@@ -21,20 +21,37 @@
 /datum/proc/deserialize(var/list/data)
 	return
 
-
 /atom
-	// This is so specific atoms can override these, and ignore certain ones
-	var/list/vars_to_save = list("dir","name","color","icon","icon_state", "pixel_x", "pixel_y")
+	// This var isn't actually used for anything, but is present so that
+	// DM's map reader doesn't forfeit on reading a JSON-serialized map
+	var/map_json_data
+
+// This is so specific atoms can override these, and ignore certain ones
+/atom/proc/vars_to_save()
+ 	return list("dir","name","color","icon","icon_state", "pixel_x", "pixel_y")
+
+/atom/proc/map_important_vars()
+	// A list of important things to save in the map editor
+	return list("dir","name","color","icon","icon_state", "pixel_x", "pixel_y")
+
+/area/map_important_vars()
+	// Keep the area default icons, to keep things nice and legible
+	return list("name")
+
+// No need to save any state of an area by default
+/area/vars_to_save()
+	return list("name")
+
 /atom/serialize()
 	var/list/data = ..()
-	for(var/thing in vars_to_save)
+	for(var/thing in vars_to_save())
 		if(vars[thing] != initial(vars[thing]))
 			data[thing] = vars[thing]
 	return data
 
 
 /atom/deserialize(var/list/data)
-	for(var/thing in vars_to_save)
+	for(var/thing in vars_to_save())
 		if(thing in data)
 			vars[thing] = data[thing]
 	..()