diff --git a/src/objects/models.py b/src/objects/models.py
index e85a0486a8..f68c4febee 100644
--- a/src/objects/models.py
+++ b/src/objects/models.py
@@ -285,7 +285,8 @@ class ObjectDB(TypedObject):
             # update the contents of each location
             if old_loc:
                 old_loc.contents_update(self, remove=True)
-            loc.contents_update(self.typeclass)
+            if loc:
+                loc.contents_update(self.typeclass)
         except Exception:
             string = "Cannot set location: "
             string += "%s is not a valid location."
diff --git a/src/utils/utils.py b/src/utils/utils.py
index 0ede15fc2e..2d3570ec2b 100644
--- a/src/utils/utils.py
+++ b/src/utils/utils.py
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ def inherits_from(obj, parent):
     Takes an object and tries to determine if it inherits at any distance
     from parent. What differs this function from e.g. isinstance()
     is that obj may be both an instance and a class, and parent
-<    may be an instance, a class, or the python path to a class (counting
+    may be an instance, a class, or the python path to a class (counting
     from the evennia root directory).
     """