diff --git a/code/__HELPERS/text.dm b/code/__HELPERS/text.dm
index 4f3eeced157..d937c83fffa 100644
--- a/code/__HELPERS/text.dm
+++ b/code/__HELPERS/text.dm
@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@
 	if(no_trim)
 		return copytext(html_encode(name), 1, max_length)
 	else
+		if(isnull(name))
+			return null
 		return trim(html_encode(name), max_length)
 
 //Runs byond's sanitization proc along-side strip_html_simple