diff --git a/code/modules/client/client defines.dm b/code/modules/client/client defines.dm
index 0a0810a54a..b6b8d1b14d 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/client defines.dm	
+++ b/code/modules/client/client defines.dm	
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@
 	var/related_accounts_cid = "(Requires database)"	//So admins know why it isn't working - Used to determine what other accounts previously logged in from this computer id
 	var/account_join_date = "(Requires database)"
 	var/account_age = "(Requires database)"
-	var/list/department_hours	// VOREStation Edit - Track hours of leave accured for each department.
-	var/list/play_hours	// VOREStation Edit - Tracks total playtime hours for each departments.
+	var/list/department_hours = list()	// VOREStation Edit - Track hours of leave accured for each department.
+	var/list/play_hours	= list() // VOREStation Edit - Tracks total playtime hours for each departments.
 
 	preload_rsc = PRELOAD_RSC
 
diff --git a/code/modules/client/client procs.dm b/code/modules/client/client procs.dm
index 335e74e9e3..36f11e736f 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/client procs.dm	
+++ b/code/modules/client/client procs.dm	
@@ -359,14 +359,16 @@
 			log_admin("Couldn't perform IP check on [key] with [address]")
 
 	// VOREStation Edit Start - Department Hours
-	if(config.time_off)
-		var/DBQuery/query_hours = dbcon.NewQuery("SELECT department, hours, total_hours FROM vr_player_hours WHERE ckey = '[sql_ckey]'")
-		query_hours.Execute()
-		LAZYINITLIST(department_hours)
-		LAZYINITLIST(play_hours)
+	var/DBQuery/query_hours = dbcon.NewQuery("SELECT department, hours, total_hours FROM vr_player_hours WHERE ckey = '[sql_ckey]'")
+	if(query_hours.Execute())
 		while(query_hours.NextRow())
 			department_hours[query_hours.item[1]] = text2num(query_hours.item[2])
 			play_hours[query_hours.item[1]] = text2num(query_hours.item[3])
+	else
+		var/error_message = query_hours.ErrorMsg() // Need this out here since the spawn below will split the stack and who knows what'll happen by the time it runs
+		log_debug("Error loading play hours for [ckey]: [error_message]")
+		spawn(0)
+			alert(src, "The query to load your existing playtime failed. Screenshot this, give the screenshot to a developer, and reconnect, otherwise you may lose any recorded play hours (which may limit access to jobs). ERROR: [error_message]", "PROBLEMS!!")
 	// VOREStation Edit End - Department Hours
 
 	if(sql_id)