diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/source/lunatic/con_lang.lua b/polymer/eduke32/source/lunatic/con_lang.lua
index 9eb68ab0c..ddb14bbd6 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/source/lunatic/con_lang.lua
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/source/lunatic/con_lang.lua
@@ -559,7 +559,7 @@ local PlayerLabels = {
     ohoriz = PL".ohoriz",
     ohorizoff = PL".ohorizoff",
 
-    newowner = { PL".newowner" },
+    newowner = PL".newowner",
 
     jumping_counter = PL".jumping_counter",
     airleft = PL".airleft",
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/source/lunatic/defs.ilua b/polymer/eduke32/source/lunatic/defs.ilua
index af6c93a01..69b8b009c 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/source/lunatic/defs.ilua
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/source/lunatic/defs.ilua
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ __attribute__((packed)) struct {
     int16_t pyoff, opyoff;
 
     int16_t horiz, horizoff, ohoriz, ohorizoff;
-    const int16_t newowner;
+    const<I-> int16_t newowner;
     int16_t jumping_counter, airleft;
     int16_t fta;
     const<Q> int16_t ftq;
@@ -1470,7 +1470,7 @@ local player_mt = {
         local allowneg = DukePlayer_prot_allowneg[key]
         assert(type(allowneg)=="boolean")
 
-        if (allowneg==false or not (val < 0)) then
+        if (allowneg==false or not (val == -1)) then
             DukePlayer_prot_chkfunc[key](val)
         end
         ffi.cast(player_ptr_ct, p)[key] = val