diff --git a/src/k_kart.c b/src/k_kart.c
index 5d4ffe3f..ea80d65c 100644
--- a/src/k_kart.c
+++ b/src/k_kart.c
@@ -3872,11 +3872,17 @@ void K_DropItems(player_t *player)
 
 void K_DropRocketSneaker(player_t *player)
 {
+	if (!(player->mo && !P_MobjWasRemoved(player->mo) && player->mo->hnext && !P_MobjWasRemoved(player->mo->hnext)))
+		return;
+
 	mobj_t *shoe = player->mo;
 	fixed_t flingangle;
 	boolean leftshoe = true; //left shoie is first
 	while ((shoe = shoe->hnext) && !P_MobjWasRemoved(shoe))
 	{
+		if (shoe->type != MT_ROCKETSNEAKER)
+			return; //woah, not a rocketsneaker, bail! safeguard in case this gets used when you're holding non-rocketsneakers
+
 		shoe->flags2 &= ~MF2_DONTDRAW;
 		shoe->flags &= ~MF_NOGRAVITY;
 		shoe->angle += ANGLE_45;
diff --git a/src/p_inter.c b/src/p_inter.c
index 54fe0103..2a781d0a 100644
--- a/src/p_inter.c
+++ b/src/p_inter.c
@@ -408,9 +408,7 @@ void P_TouchSpecialThing(mobj_t *special, mobj_t *toucher, boolean heightcheck)
 			}
 			else
 			{
-				if (player->kartstuff[k_rocketsneakertimer])
-					K_DropRocketSneaker(player);
-
+				K_DropRocketSneaker(player);
 				K_DropItems(player); //K_StripItems(player);
 				//K_StripOther(player);
 				player->kartstuff[k_itemroulette] = 1;