diff --git a/src/dehacked.c b/src/dehacked.c
index acf68a58..bbc78d15 100644
--- a/src/dehacked.c
+++ b/src/dehacked.c
@@ -877,38 +877,32 @@ static void readfollower(MYFILE *f)
 	}
 
 	strcpy(followers[numfollowers].skinname, testname);
+	strcpy(dname, followers[numfollowers].skinname);	// display name, just used for printing succesful stuff or errors later down the line.
 
-	// get ready to print the name...
-	strcpy(dname, followers[numfollowers].skinname);
+	// now that the skin name is ready, post process the actual name to turn the underscores into spaces!
+	for (INT32 i = 0; followers[numfollowers].name[i]; i++)
+	{
+		if (followers[numfollowers].name[i] == '_')
+			followers[numfollowers].name[i] = ' ';
+	}
 
-	if (followers[numfollowers].dist < 0)
-		followers[numfollowers].dist = 0;
+	// fallbacks for variables
+	// Print a warning if the variable is on a weird value and set it back to the minimum available if that's the case.
+#define FALLBACK(field, field2, threshold, set) \
+if (followers[numfollowers].field < threshold) \
+{ \
+	followers[numfollowers].field = set; \
+	deh_warning("Follower '%s': Value for '%s' is too low! Minimum should be %d. Value was overwritten to %d.", dname, field2, set, set); \
+} \
 
-	if (followers[numfollowers].zoffs < 0)
-		followers[numfollowers].zoffs = 0;
-
-	// HORZLAG and VERTLAG must ABSOLUTELY be higher than 0. If 0, the game crashes, if negative, weird shit happens!
-	if (followers[numfollowers].horzlag <= 0)
-		followers[numfollowers].horzlag = 1;
-
-	if (followers[numfollowers].vertlag <= 0)
-		followers[numfollowers].vertlag = 1;
-
-	// scale must be positive for obvious reasons, and so must both of the bob related variables
-	if (followers[numfollowers].scale <= 0)
-		followers[numfollowers].scale = 1;
-
-	// Bob amplitude can totally be 0
-	if (followers[numfollowers].bobamp < 0)
-		followers[numfollowers].bobamp = 1;
-
-	// so can bob speed
-	if (followers[numfollowers].bobspeed < 0)
-		followers[numfollowers].bobspeed = 1;
-
-	// hit confirm time must be > 0
-	if (followers[numfollowers].hitconfirmtime < 1)
-		followers[numfollowers].hitconfirmtime = 1;
+	FALLBACK(dist, "DIST", 0, 0);
+	FALLBACK(zoffs, "ZOFFS", 0, 0);
+	FALLBACK(horzlag, "HORZLAG", 1, 1);
+	FALLBACK(vertlag, "VERTLAG", 1, 1);
+	FALLBACK(bobamp, "BOBAMP", 0, 0);
+	FALLBACK(bobspeed, "BOBSPEED", 0, 0);
+	FALLBACK(hitconfirmtime, "HITCONFIRMTIME", 1, 1);
+#undef FALLBACK
 
 	// also check if we forgot states. If we did, we will set any missing state to the follower's idlestate.
 	// Print a warning in case we don't have a fallback and set the state to S_INVISIBLE (rather than S_NULL) if unavailable.
@@ -918,15 +912,15 @@ if (!followers[numfollowers].field) \
 { \
 	followers[numfollowers].field = fallbackstate ? fallbackstate : S_INVISIBLE; \
 	if (!fallbackstate) \
-		deh_warning("Follower %s is missing state definition for %s, no idlestate fallback was found", dname, field2); \
+		deh_warning("Follower '%s' is missing state definition for '%s', no idlestate fallback was found", dname, field2); \
 } \
 
-	NOSTATE(idlestate, "idlestate");
-	NOSTATE(followstate, "followstate");
-	NOSTATE(hurtstate, "hurtstate");
-	NOSTATE(losestate, "losestate");
-	NOSTATE(winstate, "winstate");
-	NOSTATE(hitconfirmstate, "hitconfirmstate");
+	NOSTATE(idlestate, "IDLESTATE");
+	NOSTATE(followstate, "FOLLOWSTATE");
+	NOSTATE(hurtstate, "HURTSTATE");
+	NOSTATE(losestate, "LOSESTATE");
+	NOSTATE(winstate, "WINSTATE");
+	NOSTATE(hitconfirmstate, "HITCONFIRMSTATE");
 #undef NOSTATE
 
 	CONS_Printf("Added follower '%s'\n", dname);
diff --git a/src/p_mobj.c b/src/p_mobj.c
index fd42a1d7..461f50aa 100644
--- a/src/p_mobj.c
+++ b/src/p_mobj.c
@@ -6556,6 +6556,13 @@ void P_MobjThinker(mobj_t *mobj)
 #endif
 		switch (mobj->type)
 		{
+			case MT_FOLLOWER:
+				// small thinker for follower:
+				// We cleanse ourselves from existence if our target player doesn't exist for whatever reason. (generally players leaving)
+				if (!mobj->target || P_MobjWasRemoved(mobj->target) || !mobj->target->player || mobj->target->player->spectator || mobj->target->player->followerskin < 0)
+					P_RemoveMobj(mobj);
+				
+				return;
 			case MT_HOOP:
 				if (mobj->fuse > 1)
 					P_MoveHoop(mobj);
@@ -10962,6 +10969,8 @@ void P_SpawnPlayer(INT32 playernum)
 	//awayview stuff
 	p->awayviewmobj = NULL;
 	p->awayviewtics = 0;
+	
+	p->follower = NULL;	// cleanse follower from existence
 
 	// set the scale to the mobj's destscale so settings get correctly set.  if we don't, they sometimes don't.
 	if (cv_kartdebugshrink.value && !modeattacking && !p->bot)
diff --git a/src/p_setup.c b/src/p_setup.c
index 1acfb7a3..7334ba78 100644
--- a/src/p_setup.c
+++ b/src/p_setup.c
@@ -2356,6 +2356,9 @@ static void P_LevelInitStuff(void)
 
 		// and this stupid flag as a result
 		players[i].pflags &= ~PF_TRANSFERTOCLOSEST;
+
+		// Wipe follower from existence to avoid crashes
+		players[i].follower = NULL;
 	}
 
 	// SRB2Kart: map load variables
diff --git a/src/p_user.c b/src/p_user.c
index f062a461..5b187d71 100644
--- a/src/p_user.c
+++ b/src/p_user.c
@@ -8960,7 +8960,7 @@ static void P_HandleFollower(player_t *player)
 	// How about making sure our follower exists and is added before trying to spawn it n' all?
 	if (player->followerskin > numfollowers-1 || player->followerskin < -1)
 	{
-		CONS_Printf("Follower skin invlaid. Setting to -1.\n");
+		//CONS_Printf("Follower skin invlaid. Setting to -1.\n");
 		player->followerskin = -1;
 		return;
 	}
@@ -8970,7 +8970,6 @@ static void P_HandleFollower(player_t *player)
 		return;
 	if (player->followerskin < 0)
 		return;
-
 	// Before we do anything, let's be sure of where we're supposed to be
 	fl = followers[player->followerskin];
 
@@ -9029,12 +9028,17 @@ static void P_HandleFollower(player_t *player)
 		P_SetScale(player->follower, FixedMul(fl.scale, player->mo->scale));
 		K_MatchGenericExtraFlags(player->follower, player->mo);
 
+		// For comeback in battle.
+		player->follower->flags2 = (player->follower->flags2 & ~MF2_SHADOW)|(player->mo->flags2 & MF2_SHADOW);
+
 		// Make the follower invisible if we no contest'd rather than removing it. No one will notice the diff seriously.
 
 		if (player->pflags & PF_TIMEOVER)	// there is more to it than that to check for a full no contest but this isn't used for anything else.
 			player->follower->flags2 &= MF2_DONTDRAW;
 
-
+		if (player->speed)
+			player->follower->angle = R_PointToAngle2(0, 0, player->follower->momx, player->follower->momy);
+			// if we're moving let's make the angle the direction we're moving towards. This is to avoid drifting / reverse looking awkward.
 
 		// handle follower animations. Yes, it looks like very bad kiddie script so what, do you have any better idea genius? Go get a life instead of criticizing my unpaid work!!!!!!
 		// hurt or dead
@@ -9061,8 +9065,6 @@ static void P_HandleFollower(player_t *player)
 		}
 		else if (player->speed > 10*player->mo->scale)	// animation for moving fast enough
 		{
-			// if we're moving fast enough, let's make the angle the direction we're moving towards. This is to avoid drifting looking awkward.
-			player->follower->angle = R_PointToAngle2(0, 0, player->follower->momx, player->follower->momy);
 
 			if (player->follower->extravalue1 != 1)
 			{