diff --git a/zone/npc.cpp b/zone/npc.cpp
index 1ffdcaa72..b1f6a00ac 100644
--- a/zone/npc.cpp
+++ b/zone/npc.cpp
@@ -859,9 +859,9 @@ void NPC::Depop(bool start_spawn_timer) {
 
 bool NPC::SpawnZoneController()
 {
-
-	if (!RuleB(Zone, UseZoneController))
+	if (!RuleB(Zone, UseZoneController)) {
 		return false;
+	}
 
 	auto npc_type = new NPCType;
 	memset(npc_type, 0, sizeof(NPCType));
diff --git a/zone/spawn2.cpp b/zone/spawn2.cpp
index 1e1e7c71c..e8752eb40 100644
--- a/zone/spawn2.cpp
+++ b/zone/spawn2.cpp
@@ -498,6 +498,8 @@ bool ZoneDatabase::PopulateZoneSpawnList(uint32 zoneid, LinkedList<Spawn2*> &spa
 		);
 	}
 
+	NPC::SpawnZoneController();
+
 	for (auto &s: spawns) {
 		uint32 spawn_time_left = 0;
 		if (spawn_times.count(s.id) != 0) {
@@ -538,8 +540,6 @@ bool ZoneDatabase::PopulateZoneSpawnList(uint32 zoneid, LinkedList<Spawn2*> &spa
 
 	LogInfo("Loaded [{}] spawn2 entries", Strings::Commify(l.size()));
 
-	NPC::SpawnZoneController();
-
 	return true;
 }