diff --git a/d2core/d2hero/hero_skill_util.go b/d2core/d2hero/hero_skill_util.go
index 478b39a9..81c28262 100644
--- a/d2core/d2hero/hero_skill_util.go
+++ b/d2core/d2hero/hero_skill_util.go
@@ -8,6 +8,12 @@ import "github.com/OpenDiablo2/OpenDiablo2/d2core/d2asset"
 func HydrateSkills(skills map[int]*HeroSkill, asset *d2asset.AssetManager) {
 	for skillID := range skills {
 		heroSkill := skills[skillID]
+
+		// TODO: figure out why these are nil sometimes
+		if heroSkill == nil {
+			continue
+		}
+
 		heroSkill.SkillRecord = asset.Records.Skill.Details[skillID]
 		heroSkill.SkillDescriptionRecord = asset.Records.Skill.Descriptions[heroSkill.SkillRecord.Skilldesc]
 		heroSkill.SkillPoints = skills[skillID].SkillPoints
diff --git a/d2core/d2hero/hero_state_factory.go b/d2core/d2hero/hero_state_factory.go
index b6e3352e..84a32839 100644
--- a/d2core/d2hero/hero_state_factory.go
+++ b/d2core/d2hero/hero_state_factory.go
@@ -187,6 +187,12 @@ func (f *HeroStateFactory) LoadHeroState(filePath string) *HeroState {
 	// We cant do this while unmarshalling because there is no reference to the asset manager.
 	for idx := range result.Skills {
 		hs := result.Skills[idx]
+
+		// TODO: figure out why this can be nil
+		if hs == nil {
+			continue
+		}
+
 		hs.SkillRecord = f.asset.Records.Skill.Details[hs.shallow.SkillID]
 		hs.SkillDescriptionRecord = f.asset.Records.Skill.Descriptions[hs.SkillRecord.Skilldesc]
 		hs.SkillPoints = hs.shallow.SkillPoints