diff --git a/src/b_game.cpp b/src/b_game.cpp
index 5f852d043..44545f73d 100644
--- a/src/b_game.cpp
+++ b/src/b_game.cpp
@@ -369,14 +369,6 @@ bool FCajunMaster::DoAddBot (BYTE *info, botskill_t skill)
 
 	D_ReadUserInfoStrings (bnum, &info, false);
 
-	if (!deathmatch && playerstarts[bnum].type == 0)
-	{
-		Printf ("%s tried to join, but there was no player %d start\n",
-			players[bnum].userinfo.GetName(), bnum+1);
-		ClearPlayer (bnum, false);	// Make the bot inactive again
-		return false;
-	}
-
 	multiplayer = true; //Prevents cheating and so on; emulates real netgame (almost).
 	players[bnum].Bot = new DBot;
 	players[bnum].Bot->player = &players[bnum];
diff --git a/src/g_game.cpp b/src/g_game.cpp
index c97ea2198..7ca8b2b35 100644
--- a/src/g_game.cpp
+++ b/src/g_game.cpp
@@ -1422,6 +1422,8 @@ bool G_CheckSpot (int playernum, FPlayerStart *mthing)
 	fixed_t z, oldz;
 	int i;
 
+	if (mthing->type == 0) return false;
+
 	x = mthing->x;
 	y = mthing->y;
 	z = mthing->z;
@@ -1573,6 +1575,11 @@ void G_DeathMatchSpawnPlayer (int playernum)
 //
 FPlayerStart *G_PickPlayerStart(int playernum, int flags)
 {
+	if (AllPlayerStarts.Size() == 0) // No starts to pick
+	{
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
 	if ((level.flags2 & LEVEL2_RANDOMPLAYERSTARTS) || (flags & PPS_FORCERANDOM) ||
 		playerstarts[playernum].type == 0)
 	{
diff --git a/src/g_level.cpp b/src/g_level.cpp
index 43a07a475..d799cc893 100644
--- a/src/g_level.cpp
+++ b/src/g_level.cpp
@@ -1195,74 +1195,83 @@ void G_FinishTravel ()
 	TThinkerIterator<APlayerPawn> it (STAT_TRAVELLING);
 	APlayerPawn *pawn, *pawndup, *oldpawn, *next;
 	AInventory *inv;
+	FPlayerStart *start;
+	int pnum;
 
 	next = it.Next ();
 	while ( (pawn = next) != NULL)
 	{
 		next = it.Next ();
+		pnum = (pawn->player - players);
 		pawn->ChangeStatNum (STAT_PLAYER);
 		pawndup = pawn->player->mo;
+		start = NULL;
 		assert (pawn != pawndup);
 		if (pawndup == NULL)
 		{ // Oh no! there was no start for this player!
-			pawn->flags |= MF_NOSECTOR|MF_NOBLOCKMAP;
-			pawn->Destroy ();
+			start = G_PickPlayerStart(pnum, PPS_FORCERANDOM); 
+			if (start != NULL) pawndup = P_SpawnPlayer(start, pnum, (level.flags2 & LEVEL2_PRERAISEWEAPON) ? SPF_WEAPONFULLYUP : 0);
+			if (pawndup == NULL)
+			{
+				pawn->flags |= MF_NOSECTOR | MF_NOBLOCKMAP;
+				pawn->Destroy();
+				continue;
+			}
 		}
-		else
+
+		if (start == NULL) start = G_PickPlayerStart(pnum, 0);
+		oldpawn = pawndup;
+
+		// The player being spawned here is a short lived dummy and
+		// must not start any ENTER script or big problems will happen.
+		pawndup = P_SpawnPlayer(start, pnum, SPF_TEMPPLAYER);
+		if (!(changeflags & CHANGELEVEL_KEEPFACING))
 		{
-			oldpawn = pawndup;
+			pawn->angle = pawndup->angle;
+			pawn->pitch = pawndup->pitch;
+		}
+		pawn->SetXYZ(pawndup->X(), pawndup->Y(), pawndup->Z());
+		pawn->velx = pawndup->velx;
+		pawn->vely = pawndup->vely;
+		pawn->velz = pawndup->velz;
+		pawn->Sector = pawndup->Sector;
+		pawn->floorz = pawndup->floorz;
+		pawn->ceilingz = pawndup->ceilingz;
+		pawn->dropoffz = pawndup->dropoffz;
+		pawn->floorsector = pawndup->floorsector;
+		pawn->floorpic = pawndup->floorpic;
+		pawn->floorterrain = pawndup->floorterrain;
+		pawn->ceilingsector = pawndup->ceilingsector;
+		pawn->ceilingpic = pawndup->ceilingpic;
+		pawn->floorclip = pawndup->floorclip;
+		pawn->waterlevel = pawndup->waterlevel;
+		pawn->target = NULL;
+		pawn->lastenemy = NULL;
+		pawn->player->mo = pawn;
+		pawn->player->camera = pawn;
+		pawn->player->viewheight = pawn->ViewHeight;
+		pawn->flags2 &= ~MF2_BLASTED;
+		DObject::StaticPointerSubstitution (oldpawn, pawn);
+		oldpawn->Destroy();
+		pawndup->Destroy ();
+		pawn->LinkToWorld ();
+		pawn->AddToHash ();
+		pawn->SetState(pawn->SpawnState);
+		pawn->player->SendPitchLimits();
 
-			// The player being spawned here is a short lived dummy and
-			// must not start any ENTER script or big problems will happen.
-			pawndup = P_SpawnPlayer (&playerstarts[pawn->player - players], int(pawn->player - players), SPF_TEMPPLAYER);
-			if (!(changeflags & CHANGELEVEL_KEEPFACING))
-			{
-				pawn->angle = pawndup->angle;
-				pawn->pitch = pawndup->pitch;
-			}
-			pawn->SetXYZ(pawndup->X(), pawndup->Y(), pawndup->Z());
-			pawn->velx = pawndup->velx;
-			pawn->vely = pawndup->vely;
-			pawn->velz = pawndup->velz;
-			pawn->Sector = pawndup->Sector;
-			pawn->floorz = pawndup->floorz;
-			pawn->ceilingz = pawndup->ceilingz;
-			pawn->dropoffz = pawndup->dropoffz;
-			pawn->floorsector = pawndup->floorsector;
-			pawn->floorpic = pawndup->floorpic;
-			pawn->floorterrain = pawndup->floorterrain;
-			pawn->ceilingsector = pawndup->ceilingsector;
-			pawn->ceilingpic = pawndup->ceilingpic;
-			pawn->floorclip = pawndup->floorclip;
-			pawn->waterlevel = pawndup->waterlevel;
-			pawn->target = NULL;
-			pawn->lastenemy = NULL;
-			pawn->player->mo = pawn;
-			pawn->player->camera = pawn;
-			pawn->player->viewheight = pawn->ViewHeight;
-			pawn->flags2 &= ~MF2_BLASTED;
-			DObject::StaticPointerSubstitution (oldpawn, pawn);
-			oldpawn->Destroy();
-			pawndup->Destroy ();
-			pawn->LinkToWorld ();
-			pawn->AddToHash ();
-			pawn->SetState(pawn->SpawnState);
-			pawn->player->SendPitchLimits();
-
-			for (inv = pawn->Inventory; inv != NULL; inv = inv->Inventory)
-			{
-				inv->ChangeStatNum (STAT_INVENTORY);
-				inv->LinkToWorld ();
-				inv->Travelled ();
-			}
-			if (ib_compatflags & BCOMPATF_RESETPLAYERSPEED)
-			{
-				pawn->Speed = pawn->GetDefault()->Speed;
-			}
-			if (level.FromSnapshot)
-			{
-				FBehavior::StaticStartTypedScripts (SCRIPT_Return, pawn, true);
-			}
+		for (inv = pawn->Inventory; inv != NULL; inv = inv->Inventory)
+		{
+			inv->ChangeStatNum (STAT_INVENTORY);
+			inv->LinkToWorld ();
+			inv->Travelled ();
+		}
+		if (ib_compatflags & BCOMPATF_RESETPLAYERSPEED)
+		{
+			pawn->Speed = pawn->GetDefault()->Speed;
+		}
+		if (level.FromSnapshot)
+		{
+			FBehavior::StaticStartTypedScripts (SCRIPT_Return, pawn, true);
 		}
 	}