diff --git a/Game/Assets/Audio/SoundPlayer.gd b/Game/Assets/Audio/SoundPlayer.gd
index 58d226e..5ff6d1b 100644
--- a/Game/Assets/Audio/SoundPlayer.gd
+++ b/Game/Assets/Audio/SoundPlayer.gd
@@ -86,9 +86,9 @@ func _ready():
 	else:
 		min_distance = 0
 
-
-	print("Clips: ", len(clips))
-	print("min_distance: ", min_distance)
+	if debug:
+		print("Clips: ", len(clips))
+		print("min_distance: ", min_distance)
 
 	# prepare voices - TODO: this does not work! as aworkaround I've duplicated the secondary AudioStreamPlayer3D manually
 	if Voice_Count > 1:
@@ -149,8 +149,8 @@ func pick_random():
 
 	player.play()
 
-	ready_to_play = false
-	await get_tree().create_timer(MinDelay)
+	#ready_to_play = false
+	#await get_tree().create_timer(MinDelay)
 	ready_to_play = true
 	
 	#$Timer.start(MinDelay)
diff --git a/Game/Main.gd b/Game/Main.gd
index cbbd5f9..4b6881f 100644
--- a/Game/Main.gd
+++ b/Game/Main.gd
@@ -225,8 +225,8 @@ func update_hud():
 		if old_name != new_info.name:
 			chat.chat_notification("Player [b]" + old_name + "[/b] changed name to [b]" + new_info.name + "[/b]")
 	
-	var player = $Players.get_node(str(pid))
-	if player:
+	if $Players.has_node(str(pid)):
+		var player = $Players.get_node(str(pid))
 		player.update_player(new_info)
 	
 	player_list.set(pid, new_info) # server relays other PID's data
@@ -242,7 +242,11 @@ func push_local_player_info(): #
 @rpc(sync,auth,reliable) func destroy_player(pid: int):
 	var player_node = $Players.get_node(str(pid))
 	
+	
+	if not player_node: # TODO find the reason for hitting the assert - thsi is a temporary workaround
+		return
 	assert(player_node != null, "Attempting to delete a player node that does not exist")
+	
 	player_node.name = str(player_node.name) + "_dead" # avoids name collision when instancing another player scene
 	player_node.queue_free()