diff --git a/src/d_netcmd.c b/src/d_netcmd.c
index 9a60a7a0a..247b3e151 100644
--- a/src/d_netcmd.c
+++ b/src/d_netcmd.c
@@ -1499,14 +1499,11 @@ static void SendNameAndColor(UINT8 n)
 	if (!cv_followercolor[n].value)
 		CV_StealthSet(&cv_followercolor[n], "Match"); // set it to "Match". I don't care about your stupidity!
 
-	// so like, this is sent before we even use anything like cvars or w/e so it's possible that follower is set to a pretty yikes value, so let's fix that before we send garbage that could crash the game:
-	if (cv_follower[n].value >= numfollowers || cv_follower[n].value < -1)
-		CV_StealthSet(&cv_follower[n], "None");
-
 	if (!strcmp(cv_playername[n].string, player_names[playernum])
 		&& cv_playercolor[n].value == player->skincolor
-		&& !strcmp(cv_skin[n].string, skins[player->skin].name)
-		&& cv_follower[n].value == player->followerskin
+		&& !stricmp(cv_skin[n].string, skins[player->skin].name)
+		&& !stricmp(cv_follower[n].string,
+			(player->followerskin < 0 ? "None" : followers[player->followerskin].name))
 		&& cv_followercolor[n].value == player->followercolor)
 		return;
 
@@ -6060,6 +6057,7 @@ static void Name_OnChange(void)
 	{
 		CONS_Alert(CONS_NOTICE, M_GetText("You may not change your name when chat is muted.\n"));
 		CV_StealthSet(&cv_playername[0], player_names[consoleplayer]);
+		return;
 	}
 	else
 		SendNameAndColor(0);
@@ -6169,7 +6167,9 @@ static void Skin_OnChange(void)
 	}
 
 	if (CanChangeSkinWhilePlaying(consoleplayer))
+	{
 		SendNameAndColor(0);
+	}
 	else
 	{
 		CONS_Alert(CONS_NOTICE, M_GetText("You can't change your skin at the moment.\n"));
diff --git a/src/k_menufunc.c b/src/k_menufunc.c
index 4c3b6c5c1..74135465d 100644
--- a/src/k_menufunc.c
+++ b/src/k_menufunc.c
@@ -1583,6 +1583,9 @@ void M_Ticker(void)
 {
 	INT32 i;
 
+	if (!menuactive)
+		return;
+
 	if (menutransition.tics != 0 || menutransition.dest != 0)
 	{
 		noFurtherInput = true;
@@ -3095,8 +3098,6 @@ static void M_MPConfirmCharacterSelection(void)
 
 	for (i = 0; i < splitscreen +1; i++)
 	{
-		char cmd[MAXSTRINGLENGTH];
-
 		// colour
 		// (convert the number that's saved to a string we can use)
 		col = setup_player[i].color;
@@ -3108,18 +3109,14 @@ static void M_MPConfirmCharacterSelection(void)
 		else
 			CV_StealthSet(&cv_follower[i], followers[setup_player[i].followern].name);
 
-		// follower color
-		CV_StealthSetValue(&cv_followercolor[i], setup_player[i].followercolor);
-
 		// finally, call the skin[x] console command.
 		// This will call SendNameAndColor which will synch everything we sent here and apply the changes!
 
-		// This is a hack to make sure we call Skin[x]_OnChange afterwards
-		CV_StealthSetValue(&cv_skin[i], -1);
+		CV_StealthSet(&cv_skin[i], skins[setup_player[i].skin].name);
 
-		strcpy(cmd, cv_skin[i].name);
-		strcat(cmd, va(" %s", skins[setup_player[i].skin].name));
-		COM_ImmedExecute(cmd);
+		// ...actually, let's do this last - Skin_OnChange has some return-early occasions
+		// follower color
+		CV_SetValue(&cv_followercolor[i], setup_player[i].followercolor);
 
 	}
 	M_ClearMenus(true);