diff --git a/TShockAPI/BackupManager.cs b/TShockAPI/BackupManager.cs
index e56bbffa..bd2e6f56 100644
--- a/TShockAPI/BackupManager.cs
+++ b/TShockAPI/BackupManager.cs
@@ -69,7 +69,8 @@ namespace TShockAPI
 
                 foreach (TSPlayer player in TShock.Players)
                 {
-                    if (player.IsLoggedIn)
+                    // prevent null point exceptions
+                    if (player != null && player.IsLoggedIn)
                     {
                         TShock.InventoryDB.InsertPlayerData(player);
                     }
diff --git a/TShockAPI/DB/RegionManager.cs b/TShockAPI/DB/RegionManager.cs
index da2f7246..44bcdb91 100644
--- a/TShockAPI/DB/RegionManager.cs
+++ b/TShockAPI/DB/RegionManager.cs
@@ -618,6 +618,7 @@ namespace TShockAPI.DB
             DisableBuild = true;
             WorldID = string.Empty;
             AllowedIDs = new List<int>();
+            AllowedGroups = new List<string>();
         }
 
         public bool InArea(Rectangle point)
@@ -662,15 +663,19 @@ namespace TShockAPI.DB
             AllowedIDs = id_list;
         }
 
-		public void SetAllowedGroups( String groups )
-		{
-			List<String> groupArr = groups.Split(',').ToList();
-			
-			for (int i = 0; i < groupArr.Count; i++)
-				groupArr[i] = groupArr[i].Trim();
+	public void SetAllowedGroups( String groups )
+	{
+            // prevent null pointer exceptions
+            if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(groups))
+            {
+                List<String> groupArr = groups.Split(',').ToList();
 
-			AllowedGroups = groupArr;
-		}
+                for (int i = 0; i < groupArr.Count; i++)
+                    groupArr[i] = groupArr[i].Trim();
+
+                AllowedGroups = groupArr;
+            }
+	}
 
         public void RemoveID(int id)
         {
diff --git a/TShockAPI/TSPlayer.cs b/TShockAPI/TSPlayer.cs
index d38c13fd..def97382 100644
--- a/TShockAPI/TSPlayer.cs
+++ b/TShockAPI/TSPlayer.cs
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ namespace TShockAPI
         public override void SendMessage(string msg, byte red, byte green, byte blue)
         {
             Console.WriteLine(msg);
-            RconHandler.Response += msg + "\n";
+            //RconHandler.Response += msg + "\n";
         }
         
         public void SetFullMoon(bool fullmoon)