diff --git a/source/glest_game/network/connection_slot.cpp b/source/glest_game/network/connection_slot.cpp
index 8eef0b23a..23e9661ac 100644
--- a/source/glest_game/network/connection_slot.cpp
+++ b/source/glest_game/network/connection_slot.cpp
@@ -464,17 +464,18 @@ void ConnectionSlot::update(bool checkForNewClients,int lockedSlotIndex) {
 
 				//if(chrono.getMillis() > 1) printf("In [%s::%s Line: %d] action running for msecs: %lld\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__,(long long int)chrono.getMillis());
 
-				this->clearChatInfo();
+				//this->clearChatInfo();
 
-				bool gotTextMsg = true;
-				for(;this->hasDataToRead() == true && gotTextMsg == true;) {
+				//bool gotTextMsg = true;
+				//for(;this->hasDataToRead() == true && gotTextMsg == true;) {
+				for(;this->hasDataToRead() == true;) {
 					if(SystemFlags::getSystemSettingType(SystemFlags::debugNetwork).enabled) SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugNetwork,"In [%s::%s Line: %d] polling for networkMessageType...\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__);
 
-					NetworkMessageType networkMessageType= getNextMessageType();
+					NetworkMessageType networkMessageType= getNextMessageType(false);
 
 					if(SystemFlags::getSystemSettingType(SystemFlags::debugNetwork).enabled) SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugNetwork,"In [%s::%s Line: %d] networkMessageType = %d\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__,networkMessageType);
 
-					gotTextMsg = false;
+					//gotTextMsg = false;
 					//process incoming commands
 					switch(networkMessageType) {
 
@@ -513,7 +514,7 @@ void ConnectionSlot::update(bool checkForNewClients,int lockedSlotIndex) {
 								if(receiveMessage(&networkMessageText)) {
 									ChatMsgInfo msg(networkMessageText.getText().c_str(),networkMessageText.getTeamIndex(),networkMessageText.getPlayerIndex(),networkMessageText.getTargetLanguage());
 									this->addChatInfo(msg);
-									gotTextMsg = true;
+									//gotTextMsg = true;
 								}
 								else {
 									if(SystemFlags::getSystemSettingType(SystemFlags::debugError).enabled) SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugError,"In [%s::%s Line: %d]\nInvalid message type before intro handshake [%d]\nDisconnecting socket for slot: %d [%s].\n",extractFileFromDirectoryPath(__FILE__).c_str(),__FUNCTION__,__LINE__,networkMessageType,this->playerIndex,this->getIpAddress().c_str());
diff --git a/source/glest_game/network/network_interface.cpp b/source/glest_game/network/network_interface.cpp
index 8a2491256..b61fe166d 100644
--- a/source/glest_game/network/network_interface.cpp
+++ b/source/glest_game/network/network_interface.cpp
@@ -44,25 +44,33 @@ void NetworkInterface::sendMessage(const NetworkMessage* networkMessage){
 	networkMessage->send(socket);
 }
 
-NetworkMessageType NetworkInterface::getNextMessageType()
+NetworkMessageType NetworkInterface::getNextMessageType(bool checkHasData)
 {
 	Socket* socket= getSocket(false);
 	int8 messageType= nmtInvalid;
 
-    if(socket != NULL &&
-        socket->hasDataToRead() == true) {
+    if(socket != NULL && (checkHasData == false || socket->hasDataToRead() == true)) {
         //peek message type
-        int dataSize = socket->getDataToRead();
-        if(dataSize >= sizeof(messageType)) {
-        	if(SystemFlags::getSystemSettingType(SystemFlags::debugNetwork).enabled) SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugNetwork,"In [%s::%s Line: %d] socket->getDataToRead() dataSize = %d\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__,dataSize);
+    	bool peekForMessageType = !checkHasData;
+    	if(checkHasData == true) {
+			int dataSize = socket->getDataToRead();
+			if(dataSize >= sizeof(messageType)) {
+				if(SystemFlags::getSystemSettingType(SystemFlags::debugNetwork).enabled) SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugNetwork,"In [%s::%s Line: %d] socket->getDataToRead() dataSize = %d\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__,dataSize);
+				peekForMessageType = true;
+				//int iPeek = socket->peek(&messageType, sizeof(messageType));
 
-            int iPeek = socket->peek(&messageType, sizeof(messageType));
+				//if(SystemFlags::getSystemSettingType(SystemFlags::debugNetwork).enabled) SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugNetwork,"In [%s::%s Line: %d] socket->getDataToRead() iPeek = %d, messageType = %d [size = %d]\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__,iPeek,messageType,sizeof(messageType));
+			}
+			else {
+				if(SystemFlags::getSystemSettingType(SystemFlags::debugNetwork).enabled) SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugNetwork,"In [%s::%s Line: %d] PEEK WARNING, socket->getDataToRead() messageType = %d [size = %d], dataSize = %d\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__,messageType,sizeof(messageType),dataSize);
+			}
+    	}
 
-            if(SystemFlags::getSystemSettingType(SystemFlags::debugNetwork).enabled) SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugNetwork,"In [%s::%s Line: %d] socket->getDataToRead() iPeek = %d, messageType = %d [size = %d]\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__,iPeek,messageType,sizeof(messageType));
-        }
-		else {
-			if(SystemFlags::getSystemSettingType(SystemFlags::debugNetwork).enabled) SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugNetwork,"In [%s::%s Line: %d] PEEK WARNING, socket->getDataToRead() messageType = %d [size = %d], dataSize = %d\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__,messageType,sizeof(messageType),dataSize);
-		}
+    	if(peekForMessageType == true) {
+			int iPeek = socket->peek(&messageType, sizeof(messageType));
+
+			if(SystemFlags::getSystemSettingType(SystemFlags::debugNetwork).enabled) SystemFlags::OutputDebug(SystemFlags::debugNetwork,"In [%s::%s Line: %d] socket->getDataToRead() iPeek = %d, messageType = %d [size = %d]\n",__FILE__,__FUNCTION__,__LINE__,iPeek,messageType,sizeof(messageType));
+    	}
 
         //sanity check new message type
         if(messageType < 0 || messageType >= nmtCount) {
diff --git a/source/glest_game/network/network_interface.h b/source/glest_game/network/network_interface.h
index 6928582ef..2b7937be3 100644
--- a/source/glest_game/network/network_interface.h
+++ b/source/glest_game/network/network_interface.h
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ public:
 	string getHostName() const	{return Socket::getHostName();}
 
 	virtual void sendMessage(const NetworkMessage* networkMessage);
-	NetworkMessageType getNextMessageType();
+	NetworkMessageType getNextMessageType(bool checkHasData=true);
 	bool receiveMessage(NetworkMessage* networkMessage);
 
 	virtual bool isConnected();
diff --git a/source/shared_lib/sources/graphics/particle.cpp b/source/shared_lib/sources/graphics/particle.cpp
index 80def5d84..5e00f56b7 100644
--- a/source/shared_lib/sources/graphics/particle.cpp
+++ b/source/shared_lib/sources/graphics/particle.cpp
@@ -1214,7 +1214,7 @@ void ParticleManager::update(int renderFps){
 	vector<ParticleSystem *> cleanupParticleSystemsList;
 	for(unsigned int i= 0; i < particleSystems.size(); i++){
 		ParticleSystem *ps= particleSystems[i];
-		if(ps != NULL){
+		if(ps != NULL && validateParticleSystemStillExists(ps) == true) {
 			currentParticleCount+= ps->getAliveParticleCount();
 
 			bool showParticle= true;