diff --git a/src/g_ai.c b/src/g_ai.c
index f9bf069..5a0d43f 100644
--- a/src/g_ai.c
+++ b/src/g_ai.c
@@ -1596,8 +1596,15 @@ ai_run(edict_t *self, float dist)
 		return;
 	}
 
+	tempgoal = G_SpawnOptional();
+
+	if (!tempgoal)
+	{
+		M_MoveToGoal(self, dist);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	save = self->goalentity;
-	tempgoal = G_Spawn();
 	self->goalentity = tempgoal;
 
 	new = false;
diff --git a/src/g_misc.c b/src/g_misc.c
index 59e9625..2dfb34a 100644
--- a/src/g_misc.c
+++ b/src/g_misc.c
@@ -178,14 +178,19 @@ ThrowGib(edict_t *self, char *gibname, int damage, int type)
 		return;
 	}
 
-	gibsthisframe++;
-
 	if (gibsthisframe > MAX_GIBS)
 	{
 		return;
 	}
 
-	gib = G_Spawn();
+	gib = G_SpawnOptional();
+
+	if (!gib)
+	{
+		return;
+	}
+
+	gibsthisframe++;
 
 	VectorScale(self->size, 0.5, size);
 	VectorAdd(self->absmin, size, origin);
@@ -353,14 +358,20 @@ ThrowDebris(edict_t *self, char *modelname, float speed, vec3_t origin)
 		return;
 	}
 
-	debristhisframe++;
-
 	if (debristhisframe > MAX_DEBRIS)
 	{
 		return;
 	}
 
-	chunk = G_Spawn();
+	chunk = G_SpawnOptional();
+
+	if (!chunk)
+	{
+		return;
+	}
+
+	debristhisframe++;
+
 	VectorCopy(origin, chunk->s.origin);
 	gi.setmodel(chunk, modelname);
 	v[0] = 100 * crandom();
diff --git a/src/g_utils.c b/src/g_utils.c
index 5f20871..ca3f008 100644
--- a/src/g_utils.c
+++ b/src/g_utils.c
@@ -669,40 +669,66 @@ G_InitEdict(edict_t *e)
 }
 
 /*
- * Either finds a free edict, or allocates a new one.
- * Try to avoid reusing an entity that was recently freed,
- * because it can cause the client to think the entity
- * morphed into something else instead of being removed
- * and recreated, which can cause interpolated angles and
- * bad trails.
+ * Either finds a free edict, or allocates a
+ * new one.  Try to avoid reusing an entity
+ * that was recently freed, because it can
+ * cause the client to think the entity
+ * morphed into something else instead of
+ * being removed and recreated, which can
+ * cause interpolated angles and bad trails.
  */
-edict_t *
-G_Spawn(void)
+#define POLICY_DEFAULT		0
+#define POLICY_DESPERATE	1
+
+static edict_t *
+G_FindFreeEdict(int policy)
 {
-	int i;
 	edict_t *e;
 
-	e = &g_edicts[(int)maxclients->value + 1];
-
-	for (i = maxclients->value + 1; i < globals.num_edicts; i++, e++)
+	for (e = g_edicts + game.maxclients + 1 ; e < &g_edicts[globals.num_edicts] ; e++)
 	{
 		/* the first couple seconds of server time can involve a lot of
-		   freeing and allocating, so relax the replacement policy */
-		if (!e->inuse &&
-			((e->freetime < 2) || (level.time - e->freetime > 0.5)))
+		   freeing and allocating, so relax the replacement policy
+		*/
+		if (!e->inuse && (policy == POLICY_DESPERATE || e->freetime < 2.0f || (level.time - e->freetime) > 0.5f))
 		{
-			G_InitEdict(e);
+			G_InitEdict (e);
 			return e;
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (i == game.maxentities)
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+edict_t *
+G_SpawnOptional(void)
+{
+	edict_t	*e = G_FindFreeEdict (POLICY_DEFAULT);
+
+	if (e)
 	{
-		gi.error("ED_Alloc: no free edicts");
+		return e;
 	}
 
-	globals.num_edicts++;
-	G_InitEdict(e);
+	if (globals.num_edicts >= game.maxentities)
+	{
+		return G_FindFreeEdict (POLICY_DESPERATE);
+	}
+
+	e = &g_edicts[globals.num_edicts++];
+	G_InitEdict (e);
+
+	return e;
+}
+
+edict_t *
+G_Spawn(void)
+{
+	edict_t *e = G_SpawnOptional();
+
+	if (!e)
+		gi.error ("ED_Alloc: no free edicts");
+
 	return e;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/header/local.h b/src/header/local.h
index ec37ed8..a32ec85 100644
--- a/src/header/local.h
+++ b/src/header/local.h
@@ -722,6 +722,7 @@ void G_UseTargets(edict_t *ent, edict_t *activator);
 void G_SetMovedir(vec3_t angles, vec3_t movedir);
 
 void G_InitEdict(edict_t *e);
+edict_t *G_SpawnOptional(void);
 edict_t *G_Spawn(void);
 void G_FreeEdict(edict_t *e);