diff --git a/src/serializer.cpp b/src/serializer.cpp
index 8b8b68f8a..320388e58 100644
--- a/src/serializer.cpp
+++ b/src/serializer.cpp
@@ -2145,19 +2145,14 @@ template<> FSerializer &Serialize(FSerializer &arc, const char *key, FFont *&fon
 {
 	if (arc.isWriting())
 	{
-		FName n = font->GetName();
+		FName n = font? font->GetName() : NAME_None;
 		return arc(key, n);
 	}
 	else
 	{
 		FName n = NAME_None;
 		arc(key, n);
-		font = V_GetFont(n);
-		if (font == nullptr)
-		{
-			Printf(TEXTCOLOR_ORANGE "Could not load font %s\n", n.GetChars());
-			font = SmallFont;
-		}
+		font = n == NAME_None? nullptr : V_GetFont(n);
 		return arc;
 	}