diff --git a/server/plugin/control/control.go b/server/plugin/control/control.go
index de93fda..ca0c48f 100644
--- a/server/plugin/control/control.go
+++ b/server/plugin/control/control.go
@@ -112,10 +112,6 @@ func (m *Match) MatchJoin(ctx context.Context, logger runtime.Logger, db *sql.DB
 		logger.Info("Ran loadplayer method!")
 
 		if loadPlayerErr != nil {
-			logger.Error(loadPlayerErr.Error())
-			player.X = 16
-			player.Y = 16
-		} else {
 			logger.Error(loadPlayerErr.Error())
 			player = &entities.PlayerEntity{
 				X:        16,
@@ -123,6 +119,13 @@ func (m *Match) MatchJoin(ctx context.Context, logger runtime.Logger, db *sql.DB
 				Name:     "ERROR",
 				Presence: precense,
 			}
+		} else {
+			if player != nil {
+				player.X = 16
+				player.Y = 16
+			} else {
+				logger.Error("Tried to access nil player object!")
+			}
 		}
 		logger.Info("Successfully loaded player object from storage!")
 
diff --git a/server/plugin/entities/entities.go b/server/plugin/entities/entities.go
index 81c71f0..2454320 100644
--- a/server/plugin/entities/entities.go
+++ b/server/plugin/entities/entities.go
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ func PlayerDataExists(ctx context.Context, nk runtime.NakamaModule, userID strin
 
 // LoadPlayer creates player object
 func LoadPlayer(ctx context.Context, nk runtime.NakamaModule, presence runtime.Presence) (*PlayerEntity, error) {
-	player := PlayerEntity{Presence: presence}
+	player := &PlayerEntity{Presence: presence}
 
 	// Read storage
 	PlayerReads := []*runtime.StorageRead{
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ func LoadPlayer(ctx context.Context, nk runtime.NakamaModule, presence runtime.P
 	}
 	records, err := nk.StorageRead(ctx, PlayerReads)
 	if err != nil {
-		return &player, err
+		return player, err
 	}
 
 	// Load storage records into object
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ func LoadPlayer(ctx context.Context, nk runtime.NakamaModule, presence runtime.P
 			responseData := PlayerSaveData{}
 			err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(record.Value), &responseData)
 			if err != nil {
-				return &player, err
+				return player, err
 			}
 			player.Name = responseData.Name
 			player.Faction = gameworld.Faction(responseData.Faction)
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ func LoadPlayer(ctx context.Context, nk runtime.NakamaModule, presence runtime.P
 			player.Y = 16.0
 		}
 	}
-	return &player, nil
+	return player, nil
 }
 
 // GetPosJSON returns the player's position as a JSON object