diff --git a/src/r_main.cpp b/src/r_main.cpp
index f80181fc4..8adb6ab5e 100644
--- a/src/r_main.cpp
+++ b/src/r_main.cpp
@@ -1438,7 +1438,13 @@ boolean R_ViewpointHasChasecam(player_t *player)
 
 boolean R_IsViewpointThirdPerson(player_t *player, boolean skybox)
 {
-	boolean chasecam = R_ViewpointHasChasecam(player);
+	boolean chasecam = false;
+
+	// Prevent game crash if player is ever invalid.
+	if (!player)
+		return false;
+
+	chasecam = R_ViewpointHasChasecam(player);
 
 	// cut-away view stuff
 	if (player->awayviewtics || skybox)
diff --git a/src/st_stuff.c b/src/st_stuff.c
index c9e9777b8..d108a1c9c 100644
--- a/src/st_stuff.c
+++ b/src/st_stuff.c
@@ -918,10 +918,7 @@ void ST_Drawer(void)
 			stplyr = &players[displayplayers[i]];
 			stplyrnum = i;
 			R_SetViewContext(VIEWCONTEXT_PLAYER1 + i);
-
-			// HACK: This can possibly crash the game in R_IsViewpointThirdPerson during first two tics if the player object doesn't exist.
-			if (stplyr->mo)
-				R_InterpolateView(rendertimefrac); // to assist with object tracking
+			R_InterpolateView(rendertimefrac); // to assist with object tracking
 			ST_overlayDrawer();
 		}