diff --git a/code/modules/client/preferences.dm b/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
index 240b275084..2efc7f8cd3 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
@@ -2737,13 +2737,14 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_EMPTY(preferences_datums)
 	character.dna.update_body_size(old_size)
 
 	//speech stuff
-	var/new_tongue = GLOB.roundstart_tongues[custom_tongue]
-	if(new_tongue)
-		var/obj/item/organ/tongue/T = character.getorganslot(ORGAN_SLOT_TONGUE)
-		if(T)
-			qdel(T)
-		var/obj/item/organ/tongue/new_custom_tongue = new new_tongue
-		new_custom_tongue.Insert(character)
+	if(custom_tongue != "default")
+		var/new_tongue = GLOB.roundstart_tongues[custom_tongue]
+		if(new_tongue)
+			var/obj/item/organ/tongue/T = character.getorganslot(ORGAN_SLOT_TONGUE)
+			if(T)
+				qdel(T)
+			var/obj/item/organ/tongue/new_custom_tongue = new new_tongue
+			new_custom_tongue.Insert(character)
 	if(custom_speech_verb != "default")
 		character.dna.species.say_mod = custom_speech_verb
 
diff --git a/code/modules/client/preferences_savefile.dm b/code/modules/client/preferences_savefile.dm
index efcba9bd3e..3a8e7582cb 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/preferences_savefile.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/preferences_savefile.dm
@@ -325,7 +325,6 @@ SAVEFILE UPDATING/VERSIONING - 'Simplified', or rather, more coder-friendly ~Car
 	modless_key_bindings 	= sanitize_islist(modless_key_bindings, list())
 
 	verify_keybindings_valid()		// one of these days this will runtime and you'll be glad that i put it in a different proc so no one gets their saves wiped
-	sanitize_speech_and_tongue()
 
 	return 1
 
@@ -347,12 +346,6 @@ SAVEFILE UPDATING/VERSIONING - 'Simplified', or rather, more coder-friendly ~Car
 		if(!GLOB.keybindings_by_name[bindname])
 			modless_key_bindings -= key
 
-/datum/preferences/proc/sanitize_speech_and_tongue()
-	if(!(custom_speech_verb in GLOB.speech_verbs))
-		custom_speech_verb = GLOB.speech_verbs[1]
-	if(!(custom_tongue in GLOB.roundstart_tongues))
-		custom_tongue = GLOB.roundstart_tongues[1]
-
 /datum/preferences/proc/save_preferences()
 	if(!path)
 		return 0
@@ -702,6 +695,8 @@ SAVEFILE UPDATING/VERSIONING - 'Simplified', or rather, more coder-friendly ~Car
 	features["balls_visibility"]	= sanitize_inlist(features["balls_visibility"], safe_visibilities, GEN_VISIBLE_NO_UNDIES)
 	features["vag_visibility"]		= sanitize_inlist(features["vag_visibility"], safe_visibilities, GEN_VISIBLE_NO_UNDIES)
 
+	custom_speech_verb				= sanitize_inlist(custom_speech_verb, GLOB.speech_verbs, "default")
+	custom_tongue					= sanitize_inlist(custom_tongue, GLOB.roundstart_tongues, "default")
 
 	features["flavor_text"]			= copytext(features["flavor_text"], 1, MAX_FLAVOR_LEN)
 	features["silicon_flavor_text"]			= copytext(features["silicon_flavor_text"], 1, MAX_FLAVOR_LEN)