diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/say.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/say.dm
index 7d5e6b30a78..63982b86948 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/say.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/say.dm
@@ -105,7 +105,9 @@
 /mob/living/carbon/human/handle_speech_problems(var/message, var/verb)
 	var/list/returns[3]
 	var/speech_problem_flag = 0
-	var/span = mind.speech_span
+	var/span = ""
+	if(mind)
+		span = mind.speech_span
 
 	if(silent || (disabilities & MUTE))
 		message = ""
@@ -228,4 +230,4 @@
 	if(istype(r_ear, /obj/item/device/radio/headset))
 		R = r_ear
 		if(R.translate_binary)
-			. = TRUE
\ No newline at end of file
+			. = TRUE