diff --git a/attack.cpp b/attack.cpp
index 2cd15971..877bba80 100644
--- a/attack.cpp
+++ b/attack.cpp
@@ -669,7 +669,7 @@ EX void killMonster(cell *c, eMonster who, flagtype deathflags IS(0)) {
   if(who == moPlayer || (isFriendly(who) && items[itOrbEmpathy])) {
     eItem o = frog_power(m);
     if(o && who != moPlayer) markOrb2(itOrbEmpathy);
-    items[o] += 5;
+    if(o) items[o] += 5;
     }
   if(checkOrb(who, itOrbStone))
     petrify(c, waPetrified, m), pcount = 0;
diff --git a/items.cpp b/items.cpp
index bbcecaa3..094ba9fd 100644
--- a/items.cpp
+++ b/items.cpp
@@ -222,8 +222,10 @@ EX bool collectItem(cell *c2, bool telekinesis IS(false)) {
     if(c2->item == itBarrow) 
       for(int i=0; i<c2->landparam; i++) gainItem(c2->item);
     else if(c2->item) gainItem(c2->item);
-    if(vid.bubbles_all || (among(items[c2->item], 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 250, 500) && vid.bubbles_threshold))
+
+    if(c2->item && (vid.bubbles_all || (among(items[c2->item], 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 250, 500) && vid.bubbles_threshold))) {
       drawBubble(c2, iinf[c2->item].color, its(items[c2->item]), 0.5);
+      }
     
     if(c2->item) {
       char ch = iinf[c2->item].glyph;