diff --git a/evennia/server/serversession.py b/evennia/server/serversession.py
index cfd788785b..44510c402a 100644
--- a/evennia/server/serversession.py
+++ b/evennia/server/serversession.py
@@ -391,7 +391,8 @@ class ServerSession(Session):
                 text, args = text[0], list(text[1:])
             else:
                 text, args = text, []
-            options = kwargs.get("options", {})
+            print("kwargs", kwargs, kwargs.get("options", {}))
+            options = kwargs.get("options", None) or {}
             raw = options.get("raw", False)
             strip_inlinefunc = options.get("strip_inlinefunc", False)
             if _INLINEFUNC_ENABLED and not raw:
diff --git a/evennia/server/sessionhandler.py b/evennia/server/sessionhandler.py
index 969e0ec0bb..e5532f851e 100644
--- a/evennia/server/sessionhandler.py
+++ b/evennia/server/sessionhandler.py
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ class ServerSessionHandler(SessionHandler):
         # validate all scripts
         _ScriptDB.objects.validate()
         self[sess.sessid] = sess
-        sess.data_in(text=CMD_LOGINSTART)
+        self.data_in(sess, text=(CMD_LOGINSTART,))
 
     def portal_session_sync(self, portalsessiondata):
         """