diff --git a/src/k_kart.c b/src/k_kart.c
index 3804235c5..5cb6235c9 100644
--- a/src/k_kart.c
+++ b/src/k_kart.c
@@ -125,11 +125,6 @@ void K_TimerReset(void)
 	g_pointlimit = 0;
 }
 
-boolean K_ShouldSpawnDuelItems(void)
-{
-	return (inDuel == true || (grandprixinfo.gp && grandprixinfo.eventmode == GPEVENT_BONUS));
-}
-
 static void K_SpawnItemCapsules(void)
 {
 	mapthing_t *mt = mapthings;
@@ -281,7 +276,10 @@ void K_TimerInit(void)
 	timelimitintics = K_TimeLimitForGametype();
 	g_pointlimit = K_PointLimitForGametype();
 
-	if (K_ShouldSpawnDuelItems())
+	// K_TimerInit is called after all mapthings are spawned,
+	// so they didn't know if it's supposed to be a duel
+	// (inDuel is always false before K_TimerInit is called).
+	if (inDuel)
 	{
 		K_SpawnDuelOnlyItems();
 	}
diff --git a/src/k_kart.h b/src/k_kart.h
index 3224e1256..ec4fe9fa1 100644
--- a/src/k_kart.h
+++ b/src/k_kart.h
@@ -233,8 +233,6 @@ void K_KartEbrakeVisuals(player_t *p);
 void K_HandleDirectionalInfluence(player_t *player);
 fixed_t K_DefaultPlayerRadius(player_t *player);
 
-boolean K_ShouldSpawnDuelItems(void);
-
 // sound stuff for lua
 void K_PlayAttackTaunt(mobj_t *source);
 void K_PlayBoostTaunt(mobj_t *source);
diff --git a/src/p_mobj.c b/src/p_mobj.c
index ce279a0d4..497275b93 100644
--- a/src/p_mobj.c
+++ b/src/p_mobj.c
@@ -12486,12 +12486,18 @@ static boolean P_AllowMobjSpawn(mapthing_t* mthing, mobjtype_t i)
 			break;
 	}
 
-	if (!K_ShouldSpawnDuelItems())
+	// This duel check is tricky.
+	// At map load, inDuel is always false, because
+	// K_TimerInit is called afterward. K_TimerInit will then
+	// spawn all the duel mode objects itself, which ends up
+	// calling this function again.
+	// So that's why this check is even here.
+	if (inDuel == false && (grandprixinfo.gp == false || grandprixinfo.eventmode != GPEVENT_BONUS))
 	{
 		if (K_IsDuelItem(i) == true
 			&& K_DuelItemAlwaysSpawns(mthing) == false)
 		{
-			// Only spawns in Duels.
+			// Only spawns in Duels or GP bonus rounds.
 			return false;
 		}
 	}