diff --git a/src/m_menu.c b/src/m_menu.c
index ee6c896d2..a1f88e7da 100644
--- a/src/m_menu.c
+++ b/src/m_menu.c
@@ -8334,16 +8334,12 @@ static void M_SetupChoosePlayer(INT32 choice)
 {
 	INT32 skinnum;
 	UINT8 i;
-	UINT8 firstvalid = 255;
-	UINT8 lastvalid = 0;
+	UINT8 firstvalid = 255, lastvalid = 255;
 	boolean allowed = false;
 	char *and;
 	(void)choice;
 
-	if (!(mapheaderinfo[startmap-1]
-			&& (mapheaderinfo[startmap-1]->forcecharacter[0] != '\0'
-			|| (mapheaderinfo[startmap-1]->typeoflevel & TOL_NIGHTS)) // remove this later when everyone gets their own nights sprites, maybe
-		))
+	if (!mapheaderinfo[startmap-1] || mapheaderinfo[startmap-1]->forcecharacter[0] == '\0')
 	{
 		for (i = 0; i < 32; i++) // Handle charsels, availability, and unlocks.
 		{
@@ -8353,6 +8349,8 @@ static void M_SetupChoosePlayer(INT32 choice)
 				if (and)
 				{
 					char firstskin[SKINNAMESIZE+1];
+					if (mapheaderinfo[startmap-1]->typeoflevel & TOL_NIGHTS) // skip tagteam characters for NiGHTS levels
+						continue;
 					strncpy(firstskin, description[i].skinname, (and - description[i].skinname));
 					firstskin[(and - description[i].skinname)] = '\0';
 					description[i].skinnum[0] = R_SkinAvailable(firstskin);
@@ -8406,17 +8404,16 @@ static void M_SetupChoosePlayer(INT32 choice)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (firstvalid != 255)
-	{ // One last bit of order we can't do in the iteration above.
-		description[firstvalid].prev = lastvalid;
-		description[lastvalid].next = firstvalid;
-	}
-	else // We're being forced into a specific character, so might as well just skip it.
+	if (firstvalid == lastvalid) // We're being forced into a specific character, so might as well just skip it.
 	{
-		M_ChoosePlayer(-1);
+		M_ChoosePlayer(firstvalid);
 		return;
 	}
 
+	// One last bit of order we can't do in the iteration above.
+	description[firstvalid].prev = lastvalid;
+	description[lastvalid].next = firstvalid;
+
 	M_ChangeMenuMusic("_chsel", true);
 
 	/* the menus suck -James */
@@ -8743,7 +8740,7 @@ static void M_ChoosePlayer(INT32 choice)
 	UINT8 skinnum;
 
 	// skip this if forcecharacter or no characters available
-	if (choice == -1)
+	if (choice == 255)
 	{
 		skinnum = botskin = 0;
 		botingame = false;