diff --git a/source/src/client.cpp b/source/src/client.cpp
index 788fdd04..6ce5e2e5 100644
--- a/source/src/client.cpp
+++ b/source/src/client.cpp
@@ -339,6 +339,7 @@ void c2sinfo(playerent *d)                  // send update to the server
     if(d->state==CS_ALIVE || d->state==CS_EDITING)
     {
         ENetPacket *packet = enet_packet_create(NULL, 100, 0);
+        ucharbuf q(packet->data, packet->dataLength);
         int cn = d->clientnum,
             x = (int)(d->o.x*DMF),          // quantize coordinates to 1/16th of a cube, between 1 and 3 bytes
             y = (int)(d->o.y*DMF),
@@ -364,35 +365,33 @@ void c2sinfo(playerent *d)                  // send update to the server
             dz >= -8 && dz <= 7)
         { // compact POS packet
             bool noroll = !r, novel = !dx && !dy && !dz;
-            bitbuf q(packet->data, packet->dataLength);
+            bitbuf b(&q);
             putint(q, SV_POSC);
-            q.putbits(5, cn);
-            q.putbits(sfactor + 4, x);
-            q.putbits(sfactor + 4, y);
-            q.putbits(9, ya);
-            q.putbits(8, pi + 128);
-            q.putbits(1, noroll ? 1 : 0);
-            if(!noroll) q.putbits(6, r + 32);
-            q.putbits(1, novel ? 1 : 0);
+            b.putbits(5, cn);
+            b.putbits(sfactor + 4, x);
+            b.putbits(sfactor + 4, y);
+            b.putbits(9, ya);
+            b.putbits(8, pi + 128);
+            b.putbits(1, noroll ? 1 : 0);
+            if(!noroll) b.putbits(6, r + 32);
+            b.putbits(1, novel ? 1 : 0);
             if(!novel)
             {
-                q.putbits(4, dx + 8);
-                q.putbits(4, dy + 8);
-                q.putbits(4, dz + 8);
+                b.putbits(4, dx + 8);
+                b.putbits(4, dy + 8);
+                b.putbits(4, dz + 8);
             }
-            q.putbits(8, f);
-            q.putbits(1, z < 0 ? 1 : 0);
+            b.putbits(8, f);
+            b.putbits(1, z < 0 ? 1 : 0);
             if(z < 0) z = -z;                 // z is encoded with 3..10 bits minimum (fitted to byte boundaries), or full 11 bits if necessary
-            int s = (q.rembits() - 1 + 8) % 8;
+            int s = (b.rembits() - 1 + 8) % 8;
             if(s < 3) s += 8;
             if(z >= (1 << s)) s = 11;
-            q.putbits(1, s == 11 ? 1 : 0);
-            q.putbits(s, z);
-            enet_packet_resize(packet, q.length());
+            b.putbits(1, s == 11 ? 1 : 0);
+            b.putbits(s, z);
         }
         else
         { // classic POS packet
-            ucharbuf q(packet->data, packet->dataLength);
             putint(q, SV_POS);
             putint(q, d->clientnum);
             putuint(q, x);
@@ -405,8 +404,8 @@ void c2sinfo(playerent *d)                  // send update to the server
             putint(q, dy);
             putint(q, dz);
             putuint(q, f);
-            enet_packet_resize(packet, q.length());
         }
+        enet_packet_resize(packet, q.length());
         sendpackettoserv(0, packet);
     }
 
diff --git a/source/src/clients2c.cpp b/source/src/clients2c.cpp
index f060e292..5174fb80 100644
--- a/source/src/clients2c.cpp
+++ b/source/src/clients2c.cpp
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ void parsepositions(ucharbuf &p)
             float yaw, pitch, roll;
             if(type == SV_POSC)
             {
-                bitbuf q(p.buf + p.length(), p.remaining());
+                bitbuf q(&p);
                 cn = q.getbits(5);
                 o.x = q.getbits(sfactor + 4) / DMF;
                 o.y = q.getbits(sfactor + 4) / DMF;
@@ -137,7 +137,6 @@ void parsepositions(ucharbuf &p)
                 int z = q.getbits(s);
                 if(negz) z = -z;
                 o.z = z / DMF;
-                p.len += q.length();
             }
             else
             {
diff --git a/source/src/server.cpp b/source/src/server.cpp
index 3b582737..74de4791 100644
--- a/source/src/server.cpp
+++ b/source/src/server.cpp
@@ -2447,7 +2447,7 @@ void process(ENetPacket *packet, int sender, int chan)
                     bool spawn = false;
                     if(team_isspect(cl->team))
                     {
-                        if(numclients() < 2 && !m_demo)
+                        if(numclients() < 2 && !m_demo && mastermode != MM_MATCH)
                         { // spawn on empty servers
                             spawn = updateclientteam(cl->clientnum, TEAM_ANYACTIVE, FTR_INFO);
                         }
@@ -2667,7 +2667,7 @@ void process(ENetPacket *packet, int sender, int chan)
 
             case SV_POSC:
             {
-                bitbuf q(p.buf + p.length(), p.remaining());
+                bitbuf q(&p);
                 int cn = q.getbits(5);
                 if(cn!=sender)
                 {
@@ -2690,8 +2690,7 @@ void process(ENetPacket *packet, int sender, int chan)
                 int z = q.getbits(s);
                 if(negz) z = -z;
                 cl->state.o[2] = z/DMF;
-                p.len += q.length();
-                if(!cl->isonrightmap) break;
+                if(!cl->isonrightmap || p.remaining() || p.overread()) { p.flags = 0; break; }
                 if(cl->type==ST_TCPIP && (cl->state.state==CS_ALIVE || cl->state.state==CS_EDITING))
                 {
                     cl->position.setsizenodelete(0);
diff --git a/source/src/tools.h b/source/src/tools.h
index 9c291847..763d9285 100644
--- a/source/src/tools.h
+++ b/source/src/tools.h
@@ -193,22 +193,22 @@ struct databuf
 typedef databuf<char> charbuf;
 typedef databuf<uchar> ucharbuf;
 
-struct bitbuf : ucharbuf
+struct bitbuf
 {
+    ucharbuf *q;
     int blen;
-    uchar *cur;
 
-    bitbuf(unsigned char *buf, int maxlen) : ucharbuf(buf, maxlen), blen(0) {}
+    bitbuf(ucharbuf *oq) : q(oq), blen(0) {}
 
     int getbits(int n)
     {
         int res = 0, p = 0;
         while(n > 0)
         {
-            if(!blen) cur = (uchar *)&get();
+            if(!blen) q->get();
             int r = 8 - blen;
             if(r > n) r = n;
-            res |= ((*cur >> blen) & ((1 << r) - 1)) << p;
+            res |= ((q->buf[q->len - 1] >> blen) & ((1 << r) - 1)) << p;
             n -= r; p += r;
             blen = (blen + r) % 8;
         }
@@ -217,20 +217,18 @@ struct bitbuf : ucharbuf
 
     void putbits(int n, int v)
     {
-        if(8 * remaining() < n) { flags |= OVERWROTE; return; }
         while(n > 0)
         {
-            if(!blen) put(0);
-            cur = (uchar *)buf + len - 1;
+            if(!blen) { q->put(0); if(q->overwrote()) return; }
             int r = 8 - blen;
             if(r > n) r = n;
-            *cur |= (v & ((1 << r) - 1)) << blen;
+            q->buf[q->len - 1] |= (v & ((1 << r) - 1)) << blen;
             n -= r; v >>= r;
             blen = (blen + r) % 8;
         }
     }
 
-    int rembits() { return (8 - blen) % 8; }
+    int rembits() { return (8 - blen) % 8; }   // 0..7 bits remaining in current byte
 };
 
 template <class T> struct vector