diff --git a/src/doom/p_setup.c b/src/doom/p_setup.c
index 72c81988..26c72674 100644
--- a/src/doom/p_setup.c
+++ b/src/doom/p_setup.c
@@ -398,6 +398,7 @@ void P_LoadThings (int lump)
             {
                 I_Error("P_LoadThings: Player %d start missing (vanilla crashes here)", i + 1);
             }
+            playerstartsingame[i] = false;
         }
     }