diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/card/server/CardGameManager.java b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/card/server/CardGameManager.java
index 7f41c7229..8b9305729 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/card/server/CardGameManager.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/card/server/CardGameManager.java
@@ -176,12 +176,17 @@ public class CardGameManager extends GameManager
         int toPlayerIdx,  Card[] cards)
     {
         // Notify the sender that the cards have been taken
-        CardGameSender.sentCardsToPlayer(getClientObject(fromPlayerIdx),
-            toPlayerIdx, cards);
+        ClientObject fromClient = getClientObject(fromPlayerIdx);
+        if (fromClient != null) {
+            CardGameSender.sentCardsToPlayer(fromClient, toPlayerIdx, cards);
+        }
         
         // Notify the receiver with the cards
-        CardGameSender.sendCardsFromPlayer(getClientObject(toPlayerIdx),
-            fromPlayerIdx, cards);
+        ClientObject toClient = getClientObject(toPlayerIdx);
+        if (toClient != null) {
+            CardGameSender.sendCardsFromPlayer(toClient, fromPlayerIdx,
+                cards);
+        }
         
         // and everybody else in the room other than the sender and the
         // receiver with the number of cards sent
@@ -203,14 +208,19 @@ public class CardGameManager extends GameManager
     {
         // Send all removal notices
         for (int i = 0; i < _playerCount; i++) {
-            CardGameSender.sentCardsToPlayer(getClientObject(i),
-                toPlayerIndices[i], cards[i]);
+            ClientObject fromClient = getClientObject(i);
+            if (fromClient != null) {
+                CardGameSender.sentCardsToPlayer(fromClient,
+                    toPlayerIndices[i], cards[i]);
+            }
         }
         
         // Send all addition notices and notify everyone else
         for (int i = 0; i < _playerCount; i++) {
-            CardGameSender.sendCardsFromPlayer(
-                getClientObject(toPlayerIndices[i]), i, cards[i]);
+            ClientObject toClient = getClientObject(toPlayerIndices[i]);
+            if (toClient != null) {
+                CardGameSender.sendCardsFromPlayer(toClient, i, cards[i]);
+            }
             notifyCardsTransferred(i, toPlayerIndices[i], cards[i].length);
         }
     }
@@ -232,9 +242,12 @@ public class CardGameManager extends GameManager
             public void apply (OccupantInfo info) {
                 int oid = info.getBodyOid();
                 if (oid != senderOid && oid != receiverOid) {
-                    CardGameSender.cardsTransferredBetweenPlayers(
-                        (ClientObject)PresentsServer.omgr.getObject(
-                            oid), fromPlayerIdx, toPlayerIdx, cards);
+                    ClientObject client =
+                        (ClientObject)PresentsServer.omgr.getObject(oid);
+                    if (client != null) {
+                        CardGameSender.cardsTransferredBetweenPlayers(client,
+                            fromPlayerIdx, toPlayerIdx, cards);
+                    }
                 }
             }
         };
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/card/trick/server/TrickCardGameManagerDelegate.java b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/card/trick/server/TrickCardGameManagerDelegate.java
index 26187e2cf..c51d3a3a4 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/card/trick/server/TrickCardGameManagerDelegate.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/card/trick/server/TrickCardGameManagerDelegate.java
@@ -197,8 +197,8 @@ public class TrickCardGameManagerDelegate extends TurnGameManagerDelegate
     /**
      * Processes a request to transfer a group of cards between players.
      * Default implementation verifies that the user's hand contains the
-     * specified cards, then transfers the cards (letting everyone know
-     * that the transfer has taken place).
+     * specified cards, then calls {@link #sendCardsToPlayer(int, int,
+     * Card[])}.
      */
     public void sendCardsToPlayer (ClientObject client, int toidx,
         Card[] cards)
@@ -215,6 +215,18 @@ public class TrickCardGameManagerDelegate extends TurnGameManagerDelegate
             throw new InvocationException("m.not_holding_card");
         }
         
+        // send the cards
+        sendCardsToPlayer(fromidx, toidx, cards);
+    }
+    
+    /**
+     * Sends cards between players without error checking.  Default
+     * implementation transfers the cards between hands and notifies
+     * everyone of the transfer using {@link
+     * CardGameManager#transferCardsBetweenPlayers(int, int, Card[])}.
+     */
+    protected void sendCardsToPlayer (int fromidx, int toidx, Card[] cards)
+    {
         // remove from sending player's hand
         _hands[fromidx].removeAll(cards);
         
@@ -250,6 +262,15 @@ public class TrickCardGameManagerDelegate extends TurnGameManagerDelegate
             throw new InvocationException("m.card_not_playable");
         }
         
+        // play the card
+        playCard(pidx, card);
+    }
+    
+    /**
+     * Plays a card for a player without error checking.
+     */
+    protected void playCard (int pidx, Card card)
+    {
         // play the card by removing it from the hand and adding it to the end
         // of the cards played array
         _hands[pidx].remove(card);
@@ -388,15 +409,7 @@ public class TrickCardGameManagerDelegate extends TurnGameManagerDelegate
             TrickCardGameObject.PLAYING_TRICK) {
             int pidx = _cardGame.getPlayerIndex(
                 _trickCardGame.getTurnHolder());
-            Card card = pickRandomPlayableCard(_hands[pidx]);
-            try {
-                playCard(_cgmgr.getClientObject(pidx), card);
-                
-            } catch (InvocationException ie) {
-                Log.warning("Couldn't play card [card=" + card + ", hand=" +
-                    _hands[pidx] + "].");
-                Log.logStackTrace(ie);
-            }
+            playCard(pidx, pickRandomPlayableCard(_hands[pidx]));
         }
     }