diff --git a/code/modules/client/preferences.dm b/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
index c86266be227..fcbd8902638 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ datum/preferences
 	var/religion = "None"               //Religious association.
 
 		//Mob preview
+	var/mob/living/carbon/human/dummy //the mannequin
 	var/icon/preview_icon = null
 	var/icon/preview_icon_front = null
 	var/icon/preview_icon_side = null
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/new_player/new_player.dm b/code/modules/mob/new_player/new_player.dm
index d233ecea400..fe1a86648da 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/new_player/new_player.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/new_player/new_player.dm
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 	var/spawning = 0//Referenced when you want to delete the new_player later on in the code.
 	var/totalPlayers = 0		 //Player counts for the Lobby tab
 	var/totalPlayersReady = 0
+
 	universal_speak = 1
 
 	invisibility = 101
@@ -130,6 +131,8 @@
 
 				if(client.prefs.be_random_name)
 					client.prefs.real_name = random_name(client.prefs.gender)
+				if(client.prefs.dummy)
+					qdel(client.prefs.dummy)
 				observer.real_name = client.prefs.real_name
 				observer.name = observer.real_name
 				if(!client.holder && !config.antag_hud_allowed)           // For new ghosts we remove the verb from even showing up if it's not allowed.
@@ -449,7 +452,8 @@
 			client.prefs.randomize_appearance_for(new_character)
 		else
 			client.prefs.copy_to(new_character)
-
+		if(client.prefs.dummy)
+			qdel(client.prefs.dummy)
 		src << sound(null, repeat = 0, wait = 0, volume = 85, channel = 1) // MAD JAMS cant last forever yo
 
 		if(mind)
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/new_player/preferences_setup.dm b/code/modules/mob/new_player/preferences_setup.dm
index 0c10ee54c00..6970dd721cf 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/new_player/preferences_setup.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/new_player/preferences_setup.dm
@@ -178,11 +178,11 @@ datum/preferences
 		b_skin = blue
 
 
-	proc/update_preview_icon()		//seriously. This is horrendous.
-		var/mob/living/carbon/human/H = new(null,species)
-//		H.set_species(species)
-		H.flags |= GODMODE
-		copy_to(H)
+	proc/update_preview_icon()		//seriously. This is horrendous. //less so now
+		if(!dummy)
+			dummy = new(null, species)
+		dummy.flags |= GODMODE
+		copy_to(dummy)
 
 		var/jobflag
 		var/dept
@@ -201,17 +201,17 @@ datum/preferences
 				if((J.department_flag & dept) && (J.flag & jobflag))
 					var/alt = GetPlayerAltTitle(J)
 					if(alt)	//more hacks
-						H.mind = new
-						H.mind.role_alt_title = alt
-					J.equip(H)
+						if(!dummy.mind)
+							dummy.mind = new
+						dummy.mind.role_alt_title = alt
+					J.equip(dummy)
 					break
-		H.update_eyes()
-		H.force_update_limbs()
-		H.regenerate_icons()
-		preview_icon = icon(H.icon)
-		for(var/image/I in H.overlays_standing)
+		dummy.update_eyes()
+		dummy.force_update_limbs()
+		dummy.regenerate_icons()
+		preview_icon = icon(dummy.icon)
+		for(var/image/I in dummy.overlays_standing)
 			if(I && I.icon)
 				preview_icon.Blend(icon(I.icon, I.icon_state), ICON_OVERLAY)
 		preview_icon_front = new(preview_icon, dir = SOUTH)
-		preview_icon_side = new(preview_icon, dir = WEST)
-		del(H) //RIP
+		preview_icon_side = new(preview_icon, dir = WEST)
\ No newline at end of file