diff --git a/evennia/objects/models.py b/evennia/objects/models.py
index 12fb92ef63..523fdfab48 100644
--- a/evennia/objects/models.py
+++ b/evennia/objects/models.py
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ class ContentsHandler(object):
             pks = self._pkcache
         try:
             return [self._idcache[pk] for pk in pks]
-        except KeyError, err:
+        except KeyError:
             # this can happen if the idmapper cache was cleared for an object
             # in the contents cache. If so we need to re-initialize and try again.
             self.init()
diff --git a/evennia/server/sessionhandler.py b/evennia/server/sessionhandler.py
index e44fad013b..64e54e9cbc 100644
--- a/evennia/server/sessionhandler.py
+++ b/evennia/server/sessionhandler.py
@@ -188,6 +188,10 @@ class SessionHandler(dict):
         for key, data in kwargs.iteritems():
             key = _validate(key)
             if not data:
+                if key == "text":
+                    # we don't allow sending text = None, this must mean
+                    # that the text command is not to be used.
+                    continue
                 rkwargs[key] = [ [], {} ]
             elif isinstance(data, dict):
                 rkwargs[key] = [ [], _validate(data) ]