diff --git a/code/_onclick/hud/new_player.dm b/code/_onclick/hud/new_player.dm
index a56e6414a7..b426db1aac 100644
--- a/code/_onclick/hud/new_player.dm
+++ b/code/_onclick/hud/new_player.dm
@@ -1,10 +1,6 @@
 /datum/hud/new_player
 
-/datum/hud/new_player/New(mob/dead/new_player/owner)
-	..()
-	//This shouldn't happen like this but, age_verify sleeps, and they'll get the buttons when it's done.
-	if (!owner.age_verify())
-		return
+/datum/hud/new_player/proc/populate_buttons(mob/dead/new_player/owner)
 	var/list/buttons = subtypesof(/atom/movable/screen/lobby)
 	for(var/button_type in buttons)
 		var/atom/movable/screen/lobby/lobbyscreen = new button_type()
@@ -14,6 +10,7 @@
 		if(istype(lobbyscreen, /atom/movable/screen/lobby/button))
 			var/atom/movable/screen/lobby/button/lobby_button = lobbyscreen
 			lobby_button.owner = REF(owner)
+	show_hud(hud_version)
 
 /atom/movable/screen/lobby
 	plane = SPLASHSCREEN_PLANE
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/dead/new_player/login.dm b/code/modules/mob/dead/new_player/login.dm
index af840fafc3..dbcc2cb2b4 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/dead/new_player/login.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/dead/new_player/login.dm
@@ -9,6 +9,12 @@
 
 	..()
 
+	if(!age_verify())
+		return
+
+	if(!client) //client can end up null as a result of age_verify() kicking those who fail
+		return
+
 	var/motd = global.config.motd
 	if(motd)
 		to_chat(src, "<div class=\"motd\">[motd]</div>", handle_whitespace=FALSE)
@@ -35,3 +41,7 @@
 		else
 			postfix = "soon"
 		to_chat(src, "Please set up your character and select \"Ready\". The game will start [postfix].")
+
+	var/datum/hud/new_player/NH = hud_used
+	if(istype(NH))
+		NH.populate_buttons(src)
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/dead/new_player/new_player.dm b/code/modules/mob/dead/new_player/new_player.dm
index d3d0af1d91..3441810d0d 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/dead/new_player/new_player.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/dead/new_player/new_player.dm
@@ -89,6 +89,9 @@
 		if(!(client.prefs.db_flags & DB_FLAG_AGE_CONFIRMATION_INCOMPLETE)) //completed? Skip
 			return TRUE
 
+		if(!client)
+			return FALSE
+
 		var/age_verification = age_gate()
 		//ban them and kick them
 		if(age_verification != 1)
@@ -165,7 +168,7 @@
 		return 0
 
 	//don't let people get to this unless they are specifically not verified
-	if(href_list["Month"] && (CONFIG_GET(flag/age_verification) && !check_rights_for(client, R_ADMIN) && !(client.ckey in GLOB.bunker_passthrough)))
+	if(href_list["Month"] && (CONFIG_GET(flag/age_verification) && /*!check_rights_for(client, R_ADMIN) &&*/ !(client.ckey in GLOB.bunker_passthrough)))
 		var/player_month = text2num(href_list["Month"])
 		var/player_year = text2num(href_list["Year"])