diff --git a/code/controllers/configuration.dm b/code/controllers/configuration.dm
index b3d4324959..c32c481291 100644
--- a/code/controllers/configuration.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/configuration.dm
@@ -87,9 +87,8 @@
 
 	var/check_randomizer = 0
 
-	var/allow_panic_bunker_bounce = 0 //Send new players somewhere else
-	var/panic_server_name = "somewhere else"
-	var/panic_address = "byond://" //Reconnect a player this linked server if this server isn't accepting new players
+	var/panic_server_name
+	var/panic_address //Reconnect a player this linked server if this server isn't accepting new players
 
 	//IP Intel vars
 	var/ipintel_email
@@ -455,11 +454,12 @@
 				if("cross_comms_name")
 					cross_name = value
 				if("panic_server_name")
-					panic_server_name = value
+					if (value != "\[Put the name here\]")
+						panic_server_name = value
 				if("panic_server_address")
-					panic_address = value
-					if(value != "byond:\\address:port")
-						allow_panic_bunker_bounce = 1
+					if(value != "byond://address:port")
+						panic_address = value
+
 				if("medal_hub_address")
 					global.medal_hub = value
 				if("medal_hub_password")
diff --git a/code/modules/client/client_procs.dm b/code/modules/client/client_procs.dm
index 8b16fd1d68..aa54bb224e 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/client_procs.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/client_procs.dm
@@ -284,17 +284,6 @@ GLOBAL_LIST(external_rsc_urls)
 	if (isnum(cached_player_age) && cached_player_age == -1) //first connection
 		player_age = 0
 	if (isnum(cached_player_age) && cached_player_age == -1) //first connection
-		if (config.panic_bunker && !holder && !(ckey in GLOB.deadmins))
-			log_access("Failed Login: [key] - New account attempting to connect during panic bunker")
-			message_admins("<span class='adminnotice'>Failed Login: [key] - New account attempting to connect during panic bunker</span>")
-			to_chat(src, "Sorry but the server is currently not accepting connections from never before seen players.")
-			if(config.allow_panic_bunker_bounce && tdata != "redirect")
-				to_chat(src, "<span class='notice'>Sending you to [config.panic_server_name].</span>")
-				winset(src, null, "command=.options")
-				src << link("[config.panic_address]?redirect")
-			qdel(src)
-			return 0
-
 		if (config.notify_new_player_age >= 0)
 			message_admins("New user: [key_name_admin(src)] is connecting here for the first time.")
 			if (config.irc_first_connection_alert)
@@ -446,6 +435,18 @@ GLOBAL_LIST(external_rsc_urls)
 	if(!query_client_in_db.Execute())
 		return
 	if(!query_client_in_db.NextRow())
+		if (config.panic_bunker && !holder && !(ckey in GLOB.deadmins))
+			log_access("Failed Login: [key] - New account attempting to connect during panic bunker")
+			message_admins("<span class='adminnotice'>Failed Login: [key] - New account attempting to connect during panic bunker</span>")
+			to_chat(src, "Sorry but the server is currently not accepting connections from never before seen players.")
+			var/list/connectiontopic_a = params2list(connectiontopic)
+			if(config.panic_address && !connectiontopic_a["redirect"])
+				to_chat(src, "<span class='notice'>Sending you to [config.panic_server_name ? config.panic_server_name : config.panic_address].</span>")
+				winset(src, null, "command=.options")
+				src << link("[config.panic_address]?redirect=1")
+			qdel(src)
+			return
+
 		new_player = 1
 		account_join_date = sanitizeSQL(findJoinDate())
 		var/datum/DBQuery/query_add_player = SSdbcore.NewQuery("INSERT INTO [format_table_name("player")] (`ckey`, `firstseen`, `lastseen`, `ip`, `computerid`, `lastadminrank`, `accountjoindate`) VALUES ('[sql_ckey]', Now(), Now(), INET_ATON('[sql_ip]'), '[sql_computerid]', '[sql_admin_rank]', [account_join_date ? "'[account_join_date]'" : "NULL"])")
diff --git a/config/config.txt b/config/config.txt
index f37be01b10..7497404a89 100644
--- a/config/config.txt
+++ b/config/config.txt
@@ -262,10 +262,10 @@ NOTIFY_NEW_PLAYER_ACCOUNT_AGE 1
 
 ## If panic bunker is on and a player is rejected (see above), attempt to send them to this connected server (see below) instead.
 ##	You probably want this to be the same as CROSS_SERVER_ADDRESS
-PANIC_SERVER_ADDRESS byond://address:port
+#PANIC_SERVER_ADDRESS byond://address:port
 
 ##Name of the place to send people rejected by the bunker
-PANIC_SERVER_NAME [Put the name here]
+#PANIC_SERVER_NAME [Put the name here]
 
 ## Uncomment to have the changelog file automatically open when a user connects and hasn't seen the latest changelog
 #AGGRESSIVE_CHANGELOG