diff --git a/src/k_follower.c b/src/k_follower.c
index 0a8869077..f0a1d7748 100644
--- a/src/k_follower.c
+++ b/src/k_follower.c
@@ -315,7 +315,8 @@ void K_HandleFollower(player_t *player)
 
 	// don't do anything if we can't have a follower to begin with.
 	// (It gets removed under those conditions)
-	if (player->spectator || player->followerskin < 0)
+	if (player->spectator || player->followerskin < 0
+	|| player->mo == NULL || P_MobjWasRemoved(player->mo))
 	{
 		if (player->follower)
 		{
@@ -377,12 +378,15 @@ void K_HandleFollower(player_t *player)
 	// Set follower colour
 	color = K_GetEffectiveFollowerColor(player->followercolor, player->skincolor);
 
-	if (player->follower == NULL) // follower doesn't exist / isn't valid
+	if (player->follower == NULL || P_MobjWasRemoved(player->follower)) // follower doesn't exist / isn't valid
 	{
 		//CONS_Printf("Spawning follower...\n");
 
 		// so let's spawn one!
 		P_SetTarget(&player->follower, P_SpawnMobj(sx, sy, sz, MT_FOLLOWER));
+		if (player->follower == NULL)
+			return;
+
 		K_UpdateFollowerState(player->follower, fl.idlestate, FOLLOWERSTATE_IDLE);
 
 		P_SetTarget(&player->follower->target, player->mo); // we need that to know when we need to disappear
@@ -402,11 +406,9 @@ void K_HandleFollower(player_t *player)
 	}
 	else // follower exists, woo!
 	{
-		// Safety net (2)
-
-		if (P_MobjWasRemoved(player->follower))
+		if (player->follower->hitlag != 0)
 		{
-			P_SetTarget(&player->follower, NULL); // Remove this and respawn one, don't crash the game if Lua decides to P_RemoveMobj this thing.
+			// Don't update frames in hitlag
 			return;
 		}
 
@@ -625,4 +627,11 @@ void K_HandleFollower(player_t *player)
 			K_UpdateFollowerState(player->follower, fl.idlestate, FOLLOWERSTATE_IDLE);
 		}
 	}
+
+	if (player->mo->hitlag)
+	{
+		player->follower->hitlag = player->mo->hitlag;
+		player->follower->eflags |= (player->mo->eflags & MFE_DAMAGEHITLAG);
+		return;
+	}
 }