diff --git a/src/bzflag/BackgroundRenderer.cxx b/src/bzflag/BackgroundRenderer.cxx
index be8c67ec77..4f13a7f86f 100644
--- a/src/bzflag/BackgroundRenderer.cxx
+++ b/src/bzflag/BackgroundRenderer.cxx
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include "MainWindow.h"
 #include "SceneNode.h"
 #include "effectsRenderer.h"
+#include "World.h"
 
 static const GLfloat    squareShape[4][2] =
 {
@@ -664,7 +665,8 @@ void BackgroundRenderer::renderGroundEffects(SceneRenderer& renderer,
 
     if (!blank)
     {
-        if (doShadows && shadowsVisible && !drawingMirror)
+        const World *_world = World::getWorld();
+        if (doShadows && shadowsVisible && !drawingMirror && _world)
             drawGroundShadows(renderer);
 
         // draw light receivers on ground (little meshes under light sources so
diff --git a/src/bzflag/SceneRenderer.cxx b/src/bzflag/SceneRenderer.cxx
index 2b7fee1bc6..28ada97f32 100644
--- a/src/bzflag/SceneRenderer.cxx
+++ b/src/bzflag/SceneRenderer.cxx
@@ -866,6 +866,9 @@ void SceneRenderer::renderScene(bool UNUSED(_lastFrame), bool UNUSED(_sameFrame)
     int i;
     const bool lightLists = BZDB.isTrue("lightLists");
 
+    const World* world = World::getWorld();
+
+
     // avoid OpenGL calls as long as possible -- there's a good
     // chance we're waiting on the vertical retrace.
 
@@ -873,7 +876,8 @@ void SceneRenderer::renderScene(bool UNUSED(_lastFrame), bool UNUSED(_sameFrame)
     getLights();
 
     // get the obstacle sceneNodes and shadowNodes
-    getRenderNodes();
+    if (world)
+        getRenderNodes();
 
     // prepare transforms
     // note -- lights should not be positioned before view is set
@@ -1000,17 +1004,16 @@ void SceneRenderer::renderScene(bool UNUSED(_lastFrame), bool UNUSED(_sameFrame)
         if (useHiddenLineOn)
             glEnable(GL_POLYGON_OFFSET_FILL);
 
-
         ///////////////////////
         // THE BIG RENDERING //
         ///////////////////////
-        doRender();
+        if (world)
+            doRender();
 
 
         if (scene && BZDBCache::showCullingGrid)
             scene->drawCuller();
 
-        const World* world = World::getWorld();
         if (scene && BZDBCache::showCollisionGrid && (world != NULL))
             world->drawCollisionGrid();
 
diff --git a/src/bzflag/playing.cxx b/src/bzflag/playing.cxx
index 6065c9d620..d6212952e4 100644
--- a/src/bzflag/playing.cxx
+++ b/src/bzflag/playing.cxx
@@ -2016,6 +2016,7 @@ static void     handleServerMessage(bool human, uint16_t code,
 {
     bool checkScores = false;
     static WordFilter *wordfilter = (WordFilter *)BZDB.getPointer("filter");
+    const World *_world = World::getWorld();
 
     switch (code)
     {
@@ -2340,7 +2341,10 @@ static void     handleServerMessage(bool human, uint16_t code,
         for (int i = 0; i < numTeams; i++)
         {
             msg = nboUnpackUShort(msg, team);
-            msg = teams[int(team)].unpack(msg);
+            Team uTeam;
+            msg = uTeam.unpack(msg);
+            if (_world)
+                teams[int(team)] = uTeam;
         }
         checkScores = true;
         break;
@@ -5745,8 +5749,10 @@ static void drawUI()
         hud->setFrameRadarTriangleCount(0);
     }
 
+    const World *_world = World::getWorld();
+
     // update the HUD (player list, alerts)
-    if (World::getWorld() && hud)
+    if (_world && hud)
         hud->render(*sceneRenderer);
 
     // draw the control panel
@@ -5754,7 +5760,7 @@ static void drawUI()
         controlPanel->render(*sceneRenderer);
 
     // draw the radar
-    if (radar)
+    if (radar && _world)
     {
         const bool showBlankRadar = !myTank || (myTank && myTank->isPaused());
         const bool observer = myTank && (myTank->getTeam() == ObserverTeam);
@@ -6124,7 +6130,8 @@ void drawFrame(const float dt)
 
         // add dynamic nodes
         SceneDatabase* scene = sceneRenderer->getSceneDatabase();
-        if (scene && myTank && world)
+        World *_world = World::getWorld();
+        if (scene && myTank && _world)
         {
 
             int i;
@@ -7324,7 +7331,7 @@ static void     playingLoop()
         }
 
         // do motion
-        if (myTank && world)
+        if (myTank && _world)
         {
             if (myTank->isAlive() && !myTank->isPaused())
             {
@@ -7374,7 +7381,7 @@ static void     playingLoop()
 #endif
 
         // adjust properties based on flags (dimensions, cloaking, etc...)
-        if (myTank)
+        if (myTank && _world)
             myTank->updateTank(dt, true);
         for (i = 0; i < curMaxPlayers; i++)
         {