diff --git a/src/comms/managers.py b/src/comms/managers.py
index 8ce0c28a92..251b1c4444 100644
--- a/src/comms/managers.py
+++ b/src/comms/managers.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from django.db import models
 from django.db.models import Q
 from django.contrib.contenttypes.models import ContentType
 
+_GA = object.__getattribute__
 _PlayerDB = None
 _ObjectDB = None
 _Channel = None
@@ -58,7 +59,7 @@ def identify_object(inp):
         return inp, None
     # try to identify the type
     try:
-        obj = inp.dbobj # this works for all typeclassed entities
+        obj = _GA(inp, "dbobj") # this works for all typeclassed entities
     except AttributeError:
         obj = inp
     typ = type(obj)
diff --git a/src/comms/models.py b/src/comms/models.py
index 70d21e3d1f..6cf032a195 100644
--- a/src/comms/models.py
+++ b/src/comms/models.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ from src.utils.utils import is_iter, to_str, crop, make_iter
 
 __all__ = ("Msg", "TempMsg", "Channel", "PlayerChannelConnection", "ExternalChannelConnection")
 
+
 #------------------------------------------------------------
 #
 # Msg