diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/sectors_d.cpp b/source/games/duke/src/sectors_d.cpp
index 7265b7f9d..a2256d407 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/sectors_d.cpp
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/sectors_d.cpp
@@ -1720,7 +1720,7 @@ void checksectors_d(int snum)
 						p->cursectnum = j;
 
 						// parallaxtype = 2;
-						p->newowner = i;
+						p->newowner = acti->GetIndex();
 						return;
 					}
 				}
diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/spawn_d.cpp b/source/games/duke/src/spawn_d.cpp
index 73a31a414..37c201d25 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/spawn_d.cpp
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/spawn_d.cpp
@@ -50,8 +50,8 @@ int spawn_d(int j, int pn)
     i &= 0xffffff;
     auto act = &hittype[i];
     auto sp = &act->s;
-    auto actj = &hittype[j];
-    auto spj = &actj->s;
+    auto actj = j == -1 ? nullptr : &hittype[j];
+    auto spj = j == -1 ? nullptr : &actj->s;
     auto t = act->temp_data;
     int sect = sp->sectnum;