diff --git a/src/d_clisrv.c b/src/d_clisrv.c
index 312a308a..7c21d79f 100644
--- a/src/d_clisrv.c
+++ b/src/d_clisrv.c
@@ -2525,12 +2525,18 @@ static void Command_Nodes(void)
 
 static void Command_Ban(void)
 {
-	if (COM_Argc() == 1)
+	if (COM_Argc() < 2)
 	{
 		CONS_Printf(M_GetText("Ban <playername/playernum> <reason>: ban and kick a player\n"));
 		return;
 	}
 
+	if (!netgame) // Don't kick Tails in splitscreen!
+	{
+		CONS_Printf(M_GetText("This only works in a netgame.\n"));
+		return;
+	}
+
 	if (server || adminplayer == consoleplayer)
 	{
 		XBOXSTATIC UINT8 buf[3 + MAX_REASONLENGTH];
@@ -2540,8 +2546,9 @@ static void Command_Ban(void)
 
 		if (pn == -1 || pn == 0)
 			return;
-		else
-			WRITEUINT8(p, pn);
+
+		WRITEUINT8(p, pn);
+
 		if (server && I_Ban && !I_Ban(node)) // only the server is allowed to do this right now
 		{
 			CONS_Alert(CONS_WARNING, M_GetText("Too many bans! Geez, that's a lot of people you're excluding...\n"));
@@ -2584,21 +2591,27 @@ static void Command_Ban(void)
 
 static void Command_Kick(void)
 {
-	XBOXSTATIC UINT8 buf[3 + MAX_REASONLENGTH];
-	UINT8 *p = buf;
-
-	if (COM_Argc() == 1)
+	if (COM_Argc() < 2)
 	{
 		CONS_Printf(M_GetText("kick <playername/playernum> <reason>: kick a player\n"));
 		return;
 	}
 
+	if (!netgame) // Don't kick Tails in splitscreen!
+	{
+		CONS_Printf(M_GetText("This only works in a netgame.\n"));
+		return;
+	}
+
 	if (server || adminplayer == consoleplayer)
 	{
+		XBOXSTATIC UINT8 buf[3 + MAX_REASONLENGTH];
+		UINT8 *p = buf;
 		const SINT8 pn = nametonum(COM_Argv(1));
-		WRITESINT8(p, pn);
+
 		if (pn == -1 || pn == 0)
 			return;
+
 		// Special case if we are trying to kick a player who is downloading the game state:
 		// trigger a timeout instead of kicking them, because a kick would only
 		// take effect after they have finished downloading
@@ -2607,6 +2620,9 @@ static void Command_Kick(void)
 			Net_ConnectionTimeout(playernode[pn]);
 			return;
 		}
+
+		WRITESINT8(p, pn);
+
 		if (COM_Argc() == 2)
 		{
 			WRITEUINT8(p, KICK_MSG_GO_AWAY);