diff --git a/code/modules/hydroponics/seed_controller.dm b/code/modules/hydroponics/seed_controller.dm
index 82b2f62abd..6a743d4a1c 100644
--- a/code/modules/hydroponics/seed_controller.dm
+++ b/code/modules/hydroponics/seed_controller.dm
@@ -90,10 +90,10 @@ var/global/datum/controller/plants/plant_controller // Set in New().
 	var/list/plant_traits = ALL_GENES
 	while(plant_traits && plant_traits.len)
 		var/gene_tag = pick(plant_traits)
-		var/gene_mask = "[uppertext(num2hex(rand(0,255)))]"
+		var/gene_mask = "[uppertext(num2hex(rand(0,255), 2))]"
 
 		while(gene_mask in used_masks)
-			gene_mask = "[uppertext(num2hex(rand(0,255)))]"
+			gene_mask = "[uppertext(num2hex(rand(0,255), 2))]"
 
 		var/decl/plantgene/G
 
diff --git a/code/modules/xenobio2/controller.dm b/code/modules/xenobio2/controller.dm
index 112d667c0f..bcd13bb602 100644
--- a/code/modules/xenobio2/controller.dm
+++ b/code/modules/xenobio2/controller.dm
@@ -34,10 +34,10 @@ var/global/datum/controller/xenobio/xenobio_controller // Set in New().
 	var/list/xenobio_traits = ALL_XENO_GENES
 	while(xenobio_traits && xenobio_traits.len)
 		var/gene_tag = pick(xenobio_traits)
-		var/gene_mask = "[uppertext(num2hex(rand(0,255)))]"
+		var/gene_mask = "[uppertext(num2hex(rand(0,255), 2))]"
 
 		while(gene_mask in used_masks)
-			gene_mask = "[uppertext(num2hex(rand(0,255)))]"
+			gene_mask = "[uppertext(num2hex(rand(0,255), 2))]"
 
 		used_masks += gene_mask
 		xenobio_traits -= gene_tag