diff --git a/src/buttondevteam/alipresents/components/flaircolour/FlairColourAPI.java b/src/buttondevteam/alipresents/components/flaircolour/FlairColourAPI.java
index 24dcd6f..c216136 100644
--- a/src/buttondevteam/alipresents/components/flaircolour/FlairColourAPI.java
+++ b/src/buttondevteam/alipresents/components/flaircolour/FlairColourAPI.java
@@ -6,7 +6,10 @@ import com.earth2me.essentials.User;
 
 public class FlairColourAPI {
 	public static void recolourPlayer(User user, DyeColor dyecolour){
-		String name = user._getNickname();
+		String name = "";
+		if ((name = user._getNickname()) == null && (name = user.getDisplayName()) == null){
+			name = user.getName();
+		}
 		String sanitizedName = "";
 		for(int i = 0; i < name.length(); i++){
 			if (name.charAt(i) == '§'){
diff --git a/src/buttondevteam/alipresents/components/flaircolour/portals/PortalListener.java b/src/buttondevteam/alipresents/components/flaircolour/portals/PortalListener.java
index 0e5b2c1..7163daa 100644
--- a/src/buttondevteam/alipresents/components/flaircolour/portals/PortalListener.java
+++ b/src/buttondevteam/alipresents/components/flaircolour/portals/PortalListener.java
@@ -66,6 +66,14 @@ public class PortalListener implements Listener{
 		}else{
 			return;
 		}
+		if (essentials.getUser(player) == null){
+			player.sendMessage("Error! essentials.getUser() returns null!");
+			throw new NullPointerException();
+		}
+		if (woolColour == null){
+			player.sendMessage("Error! Wool colour returns null!");
+			throw new NullPointerException();
+		}
 		
 		FlairColourAPI.recolourPlayer(essentials.getUser(player), woolColour);
 		component.playersToBeFlaired.remove(player.getName());