diff --git a/code/modules/events/sentience.dm b/code/modules/events/sentience.dm
index cfa0d24d98e..f926f8b6aea 100644
--- a/code/modules/events/sentience.dm
+++ b/code/modules/events/sentience.dm
@@ -13,12 +13,12 @@
 		if(!(L in player_list) && !L.mind && (L.sentience_type == sentience_type))
 			potential += L
 
+	if(!candidates.len || !potential.len) //if there are no players or simple animals to choose from, then end
+		return FALSE
+
 	var/mob/living/simple_animal/SA = pick(potential)
 	var/mob/SG = pick(candidates)
 
-	if(!SA || !SG) //if you can't find either a simple animal or a player, end
-		return FALSE
-
 	var/sentience_report = "<font size=3><b>[command_name()] Medium-Priority Update</b></font>"
 
 	var/data = pick("scans from our long-range sensors", "our sophisticated probabilistic models", "our omnipotence", "the communications traffic on your station", "energy emissions we detected", "\[REDACTED\]", "Steve")