diff --git a/source/src/entities.cpp b/source/src/entities.cpp
index 901a9e16..cabd04f5 100644
--- a/source/src/entities.cpp
+++ b/source/src/entities.cpp
@@ -368,9 +368,8 @@ void flagscore(int fln)
 void flagstolen(int flag, int act)
 {
 	playerent *actor = act == getclientnum() ? player1 : getclient(act);
-	if(!actor) return;
 	flaginfo &f = flaginfos[flag];
-	f.actor = actor;
+	f.actor = actor; // could be NULL if we just connected
 	f.actor_cn = act;
 	f.flagent->spawned = false;
 	f.ack = true;
diff --git a/source/src/server.cpp b/source/src/server.cpp
index fb32754b..540ada64 100644
--- a/source/src/server.cpp
+++ b/source/src/server.cpp
@@ -2440,6 +2440,8 @@ void process(ENetPacket *packet, int sender, int chan)   // sender may be -1
     int curmsg;
     while((curmsg = p.length()) < p.maxlen) 
     {
+        DEBUG("processing message");
+
         type = checktype(getint(p), cl);
         
         #ifdef _DEBUG