diff --git a/changelog.txt b/changelog.txt
index 5481e663a..ec2dd3956 100644
--- a/changelog.txt
+++ b/changelog.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 EQEMu Changelog (Started on Sept 24, 2003 15:50)
 -------------------------------------------------------
+== 02/19/2013 ==
+Derision: World should no longer crash if the start_zone query fails at character creation.
+
 == 02/18/2013 ==
 Bad_Captain: Moved merc save to merc table, save merc buffs, added cure and rez spells to healer merc.
 JJ: Chat garbled for drunk characters.
diff --git a/world/client.cpp b/world/client.cpp
index e4a9c4e95..055126d10 100644
--- a/world/client.cpp
+++ b/world/client.cpp
@@ -1458,11 +1458,16 @@ bool Client::OPCharCreate(char *name, CharCreate_Struct *cc)
 				clog(WORLD__CLIENT_ERR,"Error getting zone id for '%s'", startzone);
 		}
 		else   // otherwise use normal starting zone logic
-		{
+		{	
+			bool ValidStartZone = false;
+
 			if(ClientVersionBit & BIT_TitaniumAndEarlier)
-				database.GetStartZone(&pp, cc);
+				ValidStartZone = database.GetStartZone(&pp, cc);
 			else
-				database.GetStartZoneSoF(&pp, cc);
+				ValidStartZone = database.GetStartZoneSoF(&pp, cc);
+
+			if(!ValidStartZone)
+				return false;
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/world/worlddb.cpp b/world/worlddb.cpp
index 4de6b1e3c..08e585ca9 100644
--- a/world/worlddb.cpp
+++ b/world/worlddb.cpp
@@ -293,23 +293,18 @@ bool WorldDatabase::GetStartZone(PlayerProfile_Struct* in_pp, CharCreate_Struct*
 	in_pp->x = in_pp->y = in_pp->z = in_pp->heading = in_pp->zone_id = 0;
 	in_pp->binds[0].x = in_pp->binds[0].y = in_pp->binds[0].z = in_pp->binds[0].zoneId = 0;
 
-	RunQuery
-	(
-		query,
-		MakeAnyLenString
-		(
-			&query,
-			"SELECT x,y,z,heading,zone_id,bind_id FROM start_zones "
-			"WHERE player_choice=%i AND player_class=%i "
+	if(!RunQuery(query, MakeAnyLenString(&query, "SELECT x,y,z,heading,zone_id,bind_id FROM start_zones WHERE player_choice=%i AND player_class=%i "
 			"AND player_deity=%i AND player_race=%i",
 			in_cc->start_zone,
 			in_cc->class_,
 			in_cc->deity,
-			in_cc->race
-		),
-		errbuf,
-		&result
-	);
+			in_cc->race), errbuf, &result))
+	{
+		LogFile->write(EQEMuLog::Error, "Start zone query failed: %s : %s\n", query, errbuf);
+		safe_delete_array(query); 
+		return false;
+	}
+		
 	LogFile->write(EQEMuLog::Status, "Start zone query: %s\n", query);
 	safe_delete_array(query); 
 	
@@ -450,25 +445,19 @@ bool WorldDatabase::GetStartZoneSoF(PlayerProfile_Struct* in_pp, CharCreate_Stru
 	in_pp->x = in_pp->y = in_pp->z = in_pp->heading = in_pp->zone_id = 0;
 	in_pp->binds[0].x = in_pp->binds[0].y = in_pp->binds[0].z = in_pp->binds[0].zoneId = 0;
 
-	RunQuery
-	(
-		query,
-		MakeAnyLenString
-		(
-			&query,
-			"SELECT x,y,z,heading,bind_id FROM start_zones "
-			"WHERE zone_id=%i AND player_class=%i "
+	if(!RunQuery(query, MakeAnyLenString(&query, "SELECT x,y,z,heading,bind_id FROM start_zones WHERE zone_id=%i AND player_class=%i "
 			"AND player_deity=%i AND player_race=%i",
 			in_cc->start_zone,
 			in_cc->class_,
 			in_cc->deity,
-			in_cc->race
-		),
-		errbuf,
-		&result
-	);
+			in_cc->race), errbuf, &result))
+	{
+		LogFile->write(EQEMuLog::Status, "SoF Start zone query failed: %s : %s\n", query, errbuf);
+		safe_delete_array(query); 
+		return false;
+	}
+
 	LogFile->write(EQEMuLog::Status, "SoF Start zone query: %s\n", query);
-	_log(WORLD__CLIENT_TRACE, "SoF Start zone query: %s\n", query);
 	safe_delete_array(query); 
 	
 	if((rows = mysql_num_rows(result)) > 0)