diff --git a/src/k_battle.c b/src/k_battle.c
index c95455925..0e4f8b368 100644
--- a/src/k_battle.c
+++ b/src/k_battle.c
@@ -487,22 +487,13 @@ void K_SpawnPlayerBattleBumpers(player_t *p)
 	}
 }
 
-void K_BattleInit(UINT8 numPlayers)
+void K_BattleInit(boolean singleplayercontext)
 {
-	if ((gametyperules & GTR_ITEMBREAKER) && !itembreaker && !bossinfo.boss)
+	if ((gametyperules & GTR_ITEMBREAKER) && singleplayercontext && !itembreaker && !bossinfo.boss)
 	{
-		if (modeattacking != ATTACKING_ITEMBREAK)
-		{
-			if (K_CanChangeRules() && !cv_kartitembreaker.value)
-				goto afteritembreaker;
-
-			if (numPlayers > 1)
-				goto afteritembreaker;
-		}
-
-		itembreaker = true;
+		if (!(K_CanChangeRules() && !cv_kartitembreaker.value))
+			itembreaker = true;
 	}
-afteritembreaker:
 
 	if (gametyperules & GTR_BUMPERS)
 	{
diff --git a/src/k_battle.h b/src/k_battle.h
index 0ef5b52ef..1e6aa9d75 100644
--- a/src/k_battle.h
+++ b/src/k_battle.h
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ void K_CheckBumpers(void);
 UINT8 K_NumEmeralds(player_t *player);
 void K_RunPaperItemSpawners(void);
 void K_SpawnPlayerBattleBumpers(player_t *p);
-void K_BattleInit(UINT8 numPlayers);
+void K_BattleInit(boolean singleplayercontext);
 void K_RespawnBattleBoxes(void);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/src/k_kart.c b/src/k_kart.c
index f4b13f00f..fb5ae7262 100644
--- a/src/k_kart.c
+++ b/src/k_kart.c
@@ -101,7 +101,9 @@ vector3_t clusterpoint, clusterdtf;
 void K_TimerInit(void)
 {
 	UINT8 i;
-	UINT8 numPlayers = 0;//, numspec = 0;
+	UINT8 numPlayers = 0;
+	boolean singleplayercontext = ((modeattacking != ATTACKING_NONE)
+		|| (grandprixinfo.gp == true && grandprixinfo.eventmode != GPEVENT_NONE));
 
 	starttime = introtime = 0;
 
@@ -111,20 +113,22 @@ void K_TimerInit(void)
 	}
 	else if (bossinfo.boss == false)
 	{
-		for (i = 0; i < MAXPLAYERS; i++)
+		if (!singleplayercontext)
 		{
-			if (!playeringame[i])
+			for (i = 0; i < MAXPLAYERS; i++)
 			{
-				continue;
+				if (!playeringame[i] || players[i].spectator)
+				{
+					continue;
+				}
+
+				numPlayers++;
 			}
 
-			if (players[i].spectator == true)
+			if (numPlayers < 2)
 			{
-				//numspec++;
-				continue;
+				singleplayercontext = true;
 			}
-
-			numPlayers++;
 		}
 
 		introtime = (108) + 5; // 108 for rotation, + 5 for white fade
@@ -136,13 +140,10 @@ void K_TimerInit(void)
 		}
 	}
 
-	// NOW you can try to setup Item Breaker, if there's not enough players for a match
-	K_BattleInit(numPlayers);
-
 	timelimitintics = extratimeintics = secretextratime = 0;
 	if ((gametyperules & GTR_TIMELIMIT) && !bossinfo.boss)
 	{
-		if (!K_CanChangeRules())
+		if (singleplayercontext)
 		{
 			if (grandprixinfo.gp)
 			{
@@ -161,6 +162,8 @@ void K_TimerInit(void)
 			timelimitintics = cv_timelimit.value * (60*TICRATE);
 		}
 	}
+
+	K_BattleInit(singleplayercontext);
 }
 
 UINT32 K_GetPlayerDontDrawFlag(player_t *player)