diff --git a/src/game/characters.h b/src/game/characters.h
index ece148ab2..bf87f3103 100644
--- a/src/game/characters.h
+++ b/src/game/characters.h
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 #include "types.h"
 // NOTE: do not include any additional headers
 
+#define PALETTE_MAX 24
+
 enum CharacterType {
     CT_MARIO,
     CT_LUIGI,
diff --git a/src/game/mario_misc.c b/src/game/mario_misc.c
index 6eed1766b..673042a41 100644
--- a/src/game/mario_misc.c
+++ b/src/game/mario_misc.c
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ struct GraphNodeObject gMirrorMario[MAX_PLAYERS];  // copy of Mario's geo node f
         gdSPDefLights1((pr >> 1), (pg >> 1), (pb >> 1), pr, pg, pb, 0x28, 0x28, 0x28), \
     }
 
-struct PlayerColor gPlayerColors[] = {
+struct PlayerColor gPlayerColors[PALETTE_MAX] = {
     // default mario
     DEFINE_PLAYER_COLOR(0xff, 0x00, 0x00, /**/ 0x00, 0x00, 0xff),
     // default luigi
diff --git a/src/pc/djui/djui_panel_player.c b/src/pc/djui/djui_panel_player.c
index fa968c3e4..d91bebee2 100644
--- a/src/pc/djui/djui_panel_player.c
+++ b/src/pc/djui/djui_panel_player.c
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ void djui_panel_player_create(struct DjuiBase* caller) {
         djui_base_set_size(&selectionbox1->base, 1.0f, 32);
         djui_interactable_hook_value_change(&selectionbox1->base, djui_panel_player_value_changed);
 
-        char* paletteChoices[24] = {
+        char* paletteChoices[PALETTE_MAX] = {
             "Mario",
             "Luigi",
             "Waluigi",
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ void djui_panel_player_create(struct DjuiBase* caller) {
             "Fire Waluigi",
             "Fire Wario",
         };
-        struct DjuiSelectionbox* selectionbox2 = djui_selectionbox_create(&body->base, "Palette", paletteChoices, 24, &configPlayerPalette);
+        struct DjuiSelectionbox* selectionbox2 = djui_selectionbox_create(&body->base, "Palette", paletteChoices, PALETTE_MAX, &configPlayerPalette);
         djui_base_set_size_type(&selectionbox2->base, DJUI_SVT_RELATIVE, DJUI_SVT_ABSOLUTE);
         djui_base_set_size(&selectionbox2->base, 1.0f, 32);
         djui_interactable_hook_value_change(&selectionbox2->base, djui_panel_player_value_changed);
diff --git a/src/pc/network/packets/packet_player_settings.c b/src/pc/network/packets/packet_player_settings.c
index cb684a9ad..45cd6e14e 100644
--- a/src/pc/network/packets/packet_player_settings.c
+++ b/src/pc/network/packets/packet_player_settings.c
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ void network_receive_player_settings(struct Packet* p) {
         return;
     }
 
+    // sanity check
+    if (playerModel >= CT_MAX) { playerModel = CT_MARIO; }
+    if (playerPalette >= PALETTE_MAX) { playerPalette = 0; }
+
     struct NetworkPlayer* np = network_player_from_global_index(globalId);
     snprintf(np->name, MAX_PLAYER_STRING, "%s", playerName);
     np->modelIndex = playerModel;
diff --git a/src/pc/pc_main.c b/src/pc/pc_main.c
index 75b864ed6..061952774 100644
--- a/src/pc/pc_main.c
+++ b/src/pc/pc_main.c
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ void main_func(void) {
     mod_list_init();
     configfile_load(configfile_name());
     if (configPlayerModel >= CT_MAX) { configPlayerModel = 0; }
-    if (configPlayerPalette >= 24) { configPlayerPalette = 0; }
+    if (configPlayerPalette >= PALETTE_MAX) { configPlayerPalette = 0; }
 
     if (gCLIOpts.FullScreen == 1)
         configWindow.fullscreen = true;