diff --git a/code/__DEFINES/misc.dm b/code/__DEFINES/misc.dm
index 709a4daeba..be58b64f41 100644
--- a/code/__DEFINES/misc.dm
+++ b/code/__DEFINES/misc.dm
@@ -474,4 +474,6 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_INIT(pda_styles, list(MONO, VT, ORBITRON, SHARE))
 #define CLIENT_FROM_VAR(I) (ismob(I) ? I:client : (istype(I, /client) ? I : (istype(I, /datum/mind) ? I:current?:client : null)))
 
 #define AREASELECT_CORNERA "corner A"
-#define AREASELECT_CORNERB "corner B"
\ No newline at end of file
+#define AREASELECT_CORNERB "corner B"
+
+#define PREF_SAVELOAD_COOLDOWN 5
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/code/modules/client/preferences.dm b/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
index b1ab4e6886..8e4891fb70 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
@@ -21,6 +21,12 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_EMPTY(preferences_datums)
 	var/last_ip
 	var/last_id
 
+	//Cooldowns for saving/loading. These are four are all separate due to loading code calling these one after another
+	var/saveprefcooldown
+	var/loadprefcooldown
+	var/savecharcooldown
+	var/loadcharcooldown
+
 	//game-preferences
 	var/lastchangelog = ""				//Saved changlog filesize to detect if there was a change
 	var/ooccolor = null
diff --git a/code/modules/client/preferences_savefile.dm b/code/modules/client/preferences_savefile.dm
index 6d165bc531..39b44f1ab9 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/preferences_savefile.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/preferences_savefile.dm
@@ -58,6 +58,11 @@ SAVEFILE UPDATING/VERSIONING - 'Simplified', or rather, more coder-friendly ~Car
 /datum/preferences/proc/load_preferences()
 	if(!path)
 		return 0
+	if(world.time < loadprefcooldown)
+		if(istype(parent))
+			to_chat(parent, "<span class='warning'>You're attempting to load your preferences a little too fast. Wait half a second, then try again.</span>")
+		return 0
+	loadprefcooldown = world.time + PREF_SAVELOAD_COOLDOWN
 	if(!fexists(path))
 		return 0
 
@@ -152,6 +157,11 @@ SAVEFILE UPDATING/VERSIONING - 'Simplified', or rather, more coder-friendly ~Car
 /datum/preferences/proc/save_preferences()
 	if(!path)
 		return 0
+	if(world.time < saveprefcooldown)
+		if(istype(parent))
+			to_chat(parent, "<span class='warning'>You're attempting to save your preferences a little too fast. Wait half a second, then try again.</span>")
+		return 0
+	saveprefcooldown = world.time + PREF_SAVELOAD_COOLDOWN
 	var/savefile/S = new /savefile(path)
 	if(!S)
 		return 0
@@ -204,6 +214,11 @@ SAVEFILE UPDATING/VERSIONING - 'Simplified', or rather, more coder-friendly ~Car
 /datum/preferences/proc/load_character(slot)
 	if(!path)
 		return 0
+	if(world.time < loadcharcooldown) //This is before the check to see if the filepath exists to ensure that BYOND can't get hung up on read attempts when the hard drive is a little slow
+		if(istype(parent))
+			to_chat(parent, "<span class='warning'>You're attempting to load your character a little too fast. Wait half a second, then try again.</span>")
+		return "SLOW THE FUCK DOWN" //the reason this isn't null is to make sure that people don't have their character slots overridden by random chars if they accidentally double-click a slot
+	loadcharcooldown = world.time + PREF_SAVELOAD_COOLDOWN
 	if(!fexists(path))
 		return 0
 	var/savefile/S = new /savefile(path)
@@ -418,6 +433,11 @@ SAVEFILE UPDATING/VERSIONING - 'Simplified', or rather, more coder-friendly ~Car
 /datum/preferences/proc/save_character()
 	if(!path)
 		return 0
+	if(world.time < savecharcooldown)
+		if(istype(parent))
+			to_chat(parent, "<span class='warning'>You're attempting to save your character a little too fast. Wait half a second, then try again.</span>")
+		return 0
+	savecharcooldown = world.time + PREF_SAVELOAD_COOLDOWN
 	var/savefile/S = new /savefile(path)
 	if(!S)
 		return 0