diff --git a/zone/client_packet.cpp b/zone/client_packet.cpp
index bc74cc148..c29f9d9b9 100644
--- a/zone/client_packet.cpp
+++ b/zone/client_packet.cpp
@@ -6459,15 +6459,6 @@ void Client::Handle_OP_GroupFollow2(const EQApplicationPacket *app)
 			}
 		}
 
-		// Remove the merc from the old group
-		if (GetMerc())
-		{
-			if(GetMerc()->GetGroup())
-			{
-			Merc::RemoveMercFromGroup(GetMerc(), GetMerc()->GetGroup());
-			}
-		}
-
 		Group* group = entity_list.GetGroupByClient(inviter->CastToClient());
 
 		if(!group){
@@ -6539,8 +6530,9 @@ void Client::Handle_OP_GroupFollow2(const EQApplicationPacket *app)
 
 		// Add the merc back into the new group
 		if (GetMerc()) {
-			if (GetMerc()->AddMercToGroup(GetMerc(), group)) {
+			if (Merc::AddMercToGroup(GetMerc(), group)) {
 				database.SetGroupID(GetMerc()->GetName(), group->GetID(), inviter->CastToClient()->CharacterID(), true);
+				database.RefreshGroupFromDB(this);
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -6667,8 +6659,6 @@ void Client::Handle_OP_GroupDisband(const EQApplicationPacket *app)
 						Merc* memberMerc = memberToDisband->CastToClient()->GetMerc();
 						if(memberClient && memberMerc && group)
 						{
-							Merc::RemoveMercFromGroup(memberMerc, group);
-
 							if(!memberMerc->IsGrouped() && !memberClient->IsGrouped()) {
 								Group *g = new Group(memberClient);
 
@@ -6713,13 +6703,18 @@ void Client::Handle_OP_GroupDisband(const EQApplicationPacket *app)
 								return;
 							}
 
-							if(GetMerc()->AddMercToGroup(GetMerc(), g)) {
+							if(Merc::AddMercToGroup(GetMerc(), g)) {
 								database.SetGroupLeaderName(g->GetID(), this->GetName());
 								g->SaveGroupLeaderAA();
 								database.SetGroupID(this->GetName(), g->GetID(), this->CharacterID());
 								database.SetGroupID(GetMerc()->GetName(), g->GetID(), this->CharacterID(), true);
 								database.RefreshGroupFromDB(this);
 							}
+							else
+							{
+								if(GetMerc())
+								GetMerc()->Depop();
+							}
 						}
 					}
 				}
diff --git a/zone/merc.cpp b/zone/merc.cpp
index 7fe95e4b4..077b48cc7 100644
--- a/zone/merc.cpp
+++ b/zone/merc.cpp
@@ -50,7 +50,6 @@ Merc::Merc(const NPCType* d, float x, float y, float z, float heading)
 	_lost_confidence = false;
 	_hatedCount = 0;
 
-	ourNPCData = d;
 	memset(equipment, 0, sizeof(equipment));
 
 	SetMercID(0);
@@ -74,7 +73,6 @@ Merc::Merc(const NPCType* d, float x, float y, float z, float heading)
 
 Merc::~Merc() {
 	AI_Stop();
-	safe_delete(ourNPCData); //Since mercs are dynamically alloc'd we should probably safe_delete the data they were made from. I'm not entirely sure this is safe to delete a const.
 	entity_list.RemoveMerc(this->GetID());
 	UninitializeBuffSlots();
 }
@@ -1915,9 +1913,9 @@ void Merc::AI_Start(int32 iMoveDelay) {
 		AIautocastspell_timer->Start(RandomTimer(0, 2000), false);
 	}
 
-	if (ourNPCData) {
+	if (NPCTypedata_ours) {
 		//AI_AddNPCSpells(ourNPCData->npc_spells_id);
-		NPCSpecialAttacks(ourNPCData->npc_attacks,0);
+		NPCSpecialAttacks(NPCTypedata_ours->npc_attacks,0);
 	}
 
 	SendTo(GetX(), GetY(), GetZ());
@@ -5841,16 +5839,15 @@ bool Merc::AddMercToGroup(Merc* merc, Group* group) {
 		if(merc->HasGroup()) {
 			Merc::RemoveMercFromGroup(merc, merc->GetGroup());
 		}
-		// Add merc to this group
-		if(group->AddMember(merc)) {
-			merc->SetFollowID(merc->GetMercOwner()->GetID());
-			Result = true;
+		//Try and add the member, followed by checking if the merc owner exists.
+		if(group->AddMember(merc) && merc->GetMercOwner() != NULL) { 
+				merc->SetFollowID(merc->GetMercOwner()->GetID());
+				Result = true;
 		}
-		else
-		{
+		else {
+			//Suspend it if the member is not added and the merc's owner is not valid.
 			merc->Suspend();
 		}
-
 	}
 
 	return Result;
diff --git a/zone/merc.h b/zone/merc.h
index b76bb566d..dadba3fc1 100644
--- a/zone/merc.h
+++ b/zone/merc.h
@@ -379,8 +379,6 @@ private:
 	bool    _lost_confidence;
 	int     _hatedCount;
 	uint32	owner_char_id;
-	const NPCType*	ourNPCData;
-
 	Timer	endupkeep_timer;
 	Timer	rest_timer;
 	Timer	confidence_timer;