diff --git a/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixer.cpp b/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixer.cpp
index 27deb0e666..b4aae40c10 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixer.cpp
+++ b/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixer.cpp
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ void AvatarMixer::manageIdentityData(const SharedNodePointer& node) {
 
     // there is no need to manage identity data we haven't received yet
     // so bail early if we've never received an identity packet for this avatar
-    if (!nodeData->getAvatar().hasProcessedFirstIdentity()) {
+    if (!nodeData || !nodeData->getAvatar().hasProcessedFirstIdentity()) {
         return;
     }
 
diff --git a/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerSlave.cpp b/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerSlave.cpp
index 4ff447a95a..d38ffa9998 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerSlave.cpp
+++ b/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerSlave.cpp
@@ -320,14 +320,15 @@ void AvatarMixerSlave::broadcastAvatarDataToAgent(const SharedNodePointer& node)
         ++numOtherAvatars;
 
         const AvatarMixerClientData* otherNodeData = reinterpret_cast<const AvatarMixerClientData*>(otherNode->getLinkedData());
+        const AvatarData* otherAvatar = otherNodeData->getConstAvatarData();
 
         // If the time that the mixer sent AVATAR DATA about Avatar B to Avatar A is BEFORE OR EQUAL TO
         // the time that Avatar B flagged an IDENTITY DATA change, send IDENTITY DATA about Avatar B to Avatar A.
-        if (nodeData->getLastBroadcastTime(otherNode->getUUID()) <= otherNodeData->getIdentityChangeTimestamp()) {
+        if (otherAvatar->hasProcessedFirstIdentity()
+            && nodeData->getLastBroadcastTime(otherNode->getUUID()) <= otherNodeData->getIdentityChangeTimestamp()) {
             identityBytesSent += sendIdentityPacket(otherNodeData, node);
         }
 
-        const AvatarData* otherAvatar = otherNodeData->getConstAvatarData();
         glm::vec3 otherPosition = otherAvatar->getClientGlobalPosition();
 
         // determine if avatar is in view, to determine how much data to include...