diff --git a/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/PlayerControllerAi.java b/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/PlayerControllerAi.java
index ddfc049d9ce..0f0af2e3c97 100644
--- a/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/PlayerControllerAi.java
+++ b/forge-ai/src/main/java/forge/ai/PlayerControllerAi.java
@@ -1040,9 +1040,9 @@ public class PlayerControllerAi extends PlayerController {
                 if (sa.isCopied()) {
                     if (sa.isSpell()) {
                         if (!sa.getHostCard().isInZone(ZoneType.Stack)) {
-                            sa.setHostCard(player.getGame().getAction().moveToStack(sa.getHostCard(), sa));
+                            sa.setHostCard(getGame().getAction().moveToStack(sa.getHostCard(), sa));
                         } else {
-                            player.getGame().getStackZone().add(sa.getHostCard());
+                            getGame().getStackZone().add(sa.getHostCard());
                         }
                     }
 
@@ -1053,13 +1053,13 @@ public class PlayerControllerAi extends PlayerController {
                     */
                     if (sa.isMayChooseNewTargets() && !sa.setupTargets()) {
                         if (sa.isSpell()) {
-                            player.getGame().getAction().ceaseToExist(sa.getHostCard(), false);
+                            getGame().getAction().ceaseToExist(sa.getHostCard(), false);
                         }
                         continue;
                     }
                 }
                 // need finally add the new spell to the stack
-                player.getGame().getStack().add(sa);
+                getGame().getStack().add(sa);
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/forge-game/src/main/java/forge/game/GameAction.java b/forge-game/src/main/java/forge/game/GameAction.java
index 01dfb9cf117..63147953b58 100644
--- a/forge-game/src/main/java/forge/game/GameAction.java
+++ b/forge-game/src/main/java/forge/game/GameAction.java
@@ -957,7 +957,10 @@ public class GameAction {
         if (c.isInZone(ZoneType.Stack)) {
             c.getGame().getStack().remove(c);
         }
-        c.getZone().remove(c);
+        // in some corner cases there's no zone yet (copied spell that failed targeting)
+        if (c.getZone() != null) {
+            c.getZone().remove(c);
+        }
 
         // CR 603.6c other players LTB triggers should work
         if (!skipTrig) {
@@ -971,13 +974,15 @@ public class GameAction {
             if (lki == null) {
                 lki = CardUtil.getLKICopy(c);
             }
-            if (game.getCombat() != null) {
-                game.getCombat().removeFromCombat(c);
-                game.getCombat().saveLKI(lki);
-            }
-            // again, make sure no triggers run from cards leaving controlled by loser
-            if (!lki.getController().equals(lki.getOwner())) {
-                game.getTriggerHandler().registerActiveLTBTrigger(lki);
+            if (lki.isInPlay()) {
+                if (game.getCombat() != null) {
+                    game.getCombat().saveLKI(lki);
+                    game.getCombat().removeFromCombat(c);
+                }
+                // again, make sure no triggers run from cards leaving controlled by loser
+                if (!lki.getController().equals(lki.getOwner())) {
+                    game.getTriggerHandler().registerActiveLTBTrigger(lki);
+                }
             }
             final Map<AbilityKey, Object> runParams = AbilityKey.mapFromCard(c);
             runParams.put(AbilityKey.CardLKI, lki);
diff --git a/forge-game/src/main/java/forge/game/combat/Combat.java b/forge-game/src/main/java/forge/game/combat/Combat.java
index 5772e926b2c..7fac51009c9 100644
--- a/forge-game/src/main/java/forge/game/combat/Combat.java
+++ b/forge-game/src/main/java/forge/game/combat/Combat.java
@@ -295,6 +295,9 @@ public class Combat {
 
     // takes LKI into consideration, should use it at all times (though a single iteration over multimap seems faster)
     public final AttackingBand getBandOfAttacker(final Card c) {
+        if (c == null) {
+            return null;
+        }
         for (AttackingBand ab : attackedByBands.values()) {
             if (ab.contains(c)) {
                 return ab;