diff --git a/src/engine/graph_node.c b/src/engine/graph_node.c
index 846be0cd..44379e0f 100644
--- a/src/engine/graph_node.c
+++ b/src/engine/graph_node.c
@@ -756,6 +756,10 @@ void geo_obj_init_spawninfo(struct GraphNodeObject *graphNode, struct SpawnInfo
  * Initialize the animation of an object node
  */
 void geo_obj_init_animation(struct GraphNodeObject *graphNode, struct Animation **animPtrAddr) {
+    if (graphNode == NULL)    { return; }
+    if (animPtrAddr == NULL)  { return; }
+    if (*animPtrAddr == NULL) { return; }
+
     struct Animation **animSegmented = segmented_to_virtual(animPtrAddr);
     struct Animation *anim = segmented_to_virtual(*animSegmented);
 
@@ -771,6 +775,10 @@ void geo_obj_init_animation(struct GraphNodeObject *graphNode, struct Animation
  * Initialize the animation of an object node
  */
 void geo_obj_init_animation_accel(struct GraphNodeObject *graphNode, struct Animation **animPtrAddr, u32 animAccel) {
+    if (graphNode == NULL)    { return; }
+    if (animPtrAddr == NULL)  { return; }
+    if (*animPtrAddr == NULL) { return; }
+
     struct Animation **animSegmented = segmented_to_virtual(animPtrAddr);
     struct Animation *anim = segmented_to_virtual(*animSegmented);
 
diff --git a/src/game/obj_behaviors.c b/src/game/obj_behaviors.c
index 98b07007..e3857742 100644
--- a/src/game/obj_behaviors.c
+++ b/src/game/obj_behaviors.c
@@ -555,6 +555,10 @@ struct MarioState* nearest_mario_state_to_object(struct Object *obj) {
         checkActive = FALSE;
     } while (nearest == NULL);
 
+    if (nearest == NULL) {
+        nearest = &gMarioStates[0];
+    }
+
     return nearest;
 }