diff --git a/code/missionui/redalert.cpp b/code/missionui/redalert.cpp
index f668505fe7c..5632b6dbb0e 100644
--- a/code/missionui/redalert.cpp
+++ b/code/missionui/redalert.cpp
@@ -936,6 +936,14 @@ void red_alert_bash_ship_status()
 
 				// assign the wave number to the wing
 				wingp->current_wave = rws->latest_wave;
+				
+				// make sure that num_waves can accommodate the new value of current_wave.
+				// this would happen if the mission we are entering has too few waves.
+				if (wingp->num_waves < wingp->current_wave)
+				{
+					mprintf(("Red alert warning: wing %s in the current mission has fewer waves than in the last mission.  Bashing the number of waves from %i to %i.\n", wingp->name, wingp->num_waves, wingp->current_wave));
+					wingp->num_waves = wingp->current_wave;
+				}
 
 				if (rws->latest_wave > 1)
 				{
diff --git a/code/ship/ship.cpp b/code/ship/ship.cpp
index 33496fa13b6..6c0af566125 100644
--- a/code/ship/ship.cpp
+++ b/code/ship/ship.cpp
@@ -11949,8 +11949,9 @@ void change_ship_type(int n, int ship_type, int by_sexp)
 	}
 
 	// zookeeper - If we're switching in the loadout screen, make sure we retain initial velocity set in FRED
-	if (!(Game_mode & GM_IN_MISSION) && !(Fred_running)) {
-		Objects[sp->objnum].phys_info.speed = (float) p_objp->initial_velocity * sip->max_speed / 100.0f;
+	if (!(Game_mode & GM_IN_MISSION) && !(Fred_running) && (p_objp != nullptr)) {
+		Objects[sp->objnum].phys_info.speed = p_objp->initial_velocity * sip->max_speed / 100.0f;
+
 		// prev_ramp_vel needs to be in local coordinates
 		// set z of prev_ramp_vel to initial velocity
 		vm_vec_zero(&Objects[sp->objnum].phys_info.prev_ramp_vel);