diff --git a/src/lib/player/accept.c b/src/lib/player/accept.c
index aa9ee30e..cd31de67 100644
--- a/src/lib/player/accept.c
+++ b/src/lib/player/accept.c
@@ -77,10 +77,18 @@ player_new(int s, struct sockaddr_in *sin)
     struct hostent *hostp;
 
     lp = (struct player *)malloc(sizeof(struct player));
+    if (!lp)
+      return NULL;
     memset(lp, 0, sizeof(struct player));
     if (sin) {
-	/* update uses dummy player */
-	/* so does the market updater */
+	/* real player, not dummy created by update and market update */
+	lp->iop = io_open(s,
+			  IO_READ | IO_WRITE | IO_NBLOCK,
+			  IO_BUFSIZE, 0, 0);
+	if (!lp->iop) {
+	    free(lp);
+	    return NULL;
+	}
 	emp_insque(&lp->queue, &Players);
 	strcpy(lp->hostaddr, inet_ntoa(sin->sin_addr));
 #ifdef RESOLVE_IPADDRESS
@@ -93,8 +101,6 @@ player_new(int s, struct sockaddr_in *sin)
 	lp->cnum = 255;
 	lp->curid = -1;
 	time(&lp->curup);
-	lp->iop = io_open(s, IO_READ | IO_WRITE | IO_NBLOCK,
-			  IO_BUFSIZE, 0, 0);
     }
     return lp;
 }
@@ -260,6 +266,11 @@ player_accept(void *argv)
 	    continue;
 	}
 	np = player_new(ns, &sin);
+	if (!np) {
+	    logerror("can't create player for fd %d", ns);
+ 	    close(ns);
+ 	    continue;
+ 	}
 	/* XXX may not be big enough */
 	stacksize = 100000
 /* budget */  + max(WORLD_X * WORLD_Y / 2 * sizeof(int) * 7,
diff --git a/src/server/marketup.c b/src/server/marketup.c
index dacf515a..1f015eb5 100644
--- a/src/server/marketup.c
+++ b/src/server/marketup.c
@@ -77,8 +77,12 @@ void *argv;
 	time(&now);
 /*	logerror("Checking the world markets at %s", ctime(&now));*/
 	dp = player_new(0, 0);
-	empth_create(PP_UPDATE, check_all_markets, (50 * 1024), 0,
-		     "MarketCheck", "Checks the world markets", dp);
+	if (dp) {
+	    empth_create(PP_UPDATE, check_all_markets, (50 * 1024), 0,
+			 "MarketCheck", "Checks the world markets", dp);
+	} else {
+	    logerror("can't create dummy player for market update");
+	}
 	now = now + 300;	/* Every 5 minutes */
 	empth_sleep(now);
     }
diff --git a/src/server/update.c b/src/server/update.c
index f519dad8..a3f9a8ad 100644
--- a/src/server/update.c
+++ b/src/server/update.c
@@ -142,6 +142,10 @@ void *argv;
 	 * in the land so it can finish before it yields.
 	 */
 	dp = player_new(0, 0);
+	if (!dp) {
+	    logerror("can't create dummy player for update");
+	    continue;
+	}
 	stacksize = 100000 +
 /* finish_sects */ WORLD_X * WORLD_Y * (2 * sizeof(double) +
 					sizeof(s_char *));