diff --git a/src/config/player.cpp b/src/config/player.cpp
index 5143b2187..fb65f5d5e 100644
--- a/src/config/player.cpp
+++ b/src/config/player.cpp
@@ -3,10 +3,11 @@
 #include "race/race_manager.hpp"
 #include "modes/world.hpp"
 
-ActivePlayer::ActivePlayer(PlayerProfile* player)
+ActivePlayer::ActivePlayer(PlayerProfile* player, InputDevice *device)
 {
     m_player = player;
     m_device = NULL;
+    setDevice(device);
 }
 ActivePlayer::~ActivePlayer()
 {
@@ -33,8 +34,7 @@ void ActivePlayer::setDevice(InputDevice* device)
     
     m_device = device;
     
-    if(device != NULL)
-        device->setPlayer(this);
+    if(device != NULL) device->setPlayer(this);
 }
 
 PlayerKart* ActivePlayer::getKart()
diff --git a/src/config/player.hpp b/src/config/player.hpp
index 86354d17d..05edac4a3 100644
--- a/src/config/player.hpp
+++ b/src/config/player.hpp
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ class ActivePlayer
     InputDevice* m_device;
 public:
     
-    ActivePlayer(PlayerProfile* player);
+    ActivePlayer(PlayerProfile* player, InputDevice* device);
     ~ActivePlayer();
     
     PlayerProfile* getProfile();
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 75ea458c0..06ef5462a 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -607,15 +607,12 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[] )
         else 
         {
             InputDevice *device;
-            ActivePlayer* newPlayer;
 
             // Use keyboard by default in --no-start-screen
             device = input_manager->getDeviceList()->getKeyboard(0);
 
             // Create player and associate player with keyboard
-            newPlayer = new ActivePlayer( UserConfigParams::m_all_players.get(0) );
-            StateManager::get()->addActivePlayer(newPlayer);
-            newPlayer->setDevice(device);
+            StateManager::get()->createActivePlayer( UserConfigParams::m_all_players.get(0), device );
 
             // Set up race manager appropriately
             race_manager->setNumLocalPlayers(1);
diff --git a/src/race/race_manager.cpp b/src/race/race_manager.cpp
index 0982b6822..43bc0d494 100644
--- a/src/race/race_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/race/race_manager.cpp
@@ -187,14 +187,6 @@ void RaceManager::computeRandomKartList()
  */
 void RaceManager::startNew()
 {
-    if(UserConfigParams::m_no_start_screen == true)
-    {
-            InputDevice* device = input_manager->getDeviceList()->getLatestUsedDevice();
-            ActivePlayer* newPlayer = new ActivePlayer(UserConfigParams::m_all_players.get(0));
-            StateManager::get()->addActivePlayer( newPlayer );
-            newPlayer->setDevice(device);
-            device->setPlayer(newPlayer);
-    }
     if(m_major_mode==MAJOR_MODE_GRAND_PRIX)   // GP: get tracks and laps from grand prix
     {
         m_tracks   = m_grand_prix.getTracks();
diff --git a/src/states_screens/kart_selection.cpp b/src/states_screens/kart_selection.cpp
index 5e00da2a0..18af80d9a 100644
--- a/src/states_screens/kart_selection.cpp
+++ b/src/states_screens/kart_selection.cpp
@@ -436,30 +436,22 @@ bool playerJoin(InputDevice* device)
     RibbonGridWidget* w = getCurrentScreen()->getWidget<RibbonGridWidget>("karts");
     if (w == NULL )
     {
-        std::cout << "playerJoin() called outside of kart selection screen.\n";
+        std::cerr << "playerJoin(): Called outside of kart selection screen.\n";
         return false;
     }
-    if(device == NULL)
+    else if (device == NULL)
     {
-        std::cout << "I don't know which device was pressed :'(\n";
+        std::cerr << "playerJoin(): Passed null pointer\n";
         return false;
     }
-    else if(device->getType() == DT_KEYBOARD)
-    {
-        std::cout << "Fire was pressed on a keyboard\n";
-    }
-    else if(device->getType() == DT_GAMEPAD)
-    {
-        std::cout << "Fire was pressed on a gamepad\n";
-    }
 
     // make a copy of the area, ands move it to be outside the screen
     Widget rightarea = *getCurrentScreen()->getWidget("playerskarts");
     rightarea.x = irr_driver->getFrameSize().Width;
     
-    ActivePlayer* aplayer = new ActivePlayer( UserConfigParams::m_all_players.get(0) );
-    StateManager::get()->addActivePlayer(aplayer);
-    aplayer->setDevice(device);
+    // Create new active player
+    int id = StateManager::get()->createActivePlayer( UserConfigParams::m_all_players.get(0), device );
+    ActivePlayer *aplayer = StateManager::get()->getActivePlayer(id);
     
     // FIXME : player ID needs to be synced with active player list
     PlayerKartWidget* newPlayer = new PlayerKartWidget(aplayer, &rightarea, g_player_karts.size());
@@ -467,11 +459,7 @@ bool playerJoin(InputDevice* device)
     newPlayer->add();
 
     g_player_karts.push_back(newPlayer);
-
-    
-    
     const int amount = g_player_karts.size();
-    
     Widget* fullarea = getCurrentScreen()->getWidget("playerskarts");
     const int splitWidth = fullarea->w / amount;
     
diff --git a/src/states_screens/state_manager.cpp b/src/states_screens/state_manager.cpp
index 455251807..397e47d72 100644
--- a/src/states_screens/state_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/states_screens/state_manager.cpp
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include "guiengine/widget.hpp"
 #include "input/device_manager.hpp"
 #include "input/input_manager.hpp"
+#include "input/input_device.hpp"
 #include "io/file_manager.hpp"
 #include "network/network_manager.hpp"
 #include "race/race_manager.hpp"
@@ -73,10 +74,21 @@ ActivePlayer* StateManager::getActivePlayer(const int id)
     }
     return returnPlayer;
 }
+/*
 void StateManager::addActivePlayer(ActivePlayer* p)
 {
     m_active_players.push_back(p);
 }
+*/
+int StateManager::createActivePlayer(PlayerProfile *profile, InputDevice *device)
+{
+    ActivePlayer *p;
+    int i;
+    p = new ActivePlayer(profile, device);
+    i = m_active_players.size();
+    m_active_players.push_back(p);
+    return i;
+}
 void StateManager::removeActivePlayer(int id)
 {
     m_active_players.erase(id);
diff --git a/src/states_screens/state_manager.hpp b/src/states_screens/state_manager.hpp
index e6fe632f8..7388c361c 100644
--- a/src/states_screens/state_manager.hpp
+++ b/src/states_screens/state_manager.hpp
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 #include <string>
 #include "guiengine/abstract_state_manager.hpp"
 #include "utils/ptr_vector.hpp"
+#include "input/input_device.hpp"
+#include "config/player.hpp"
 
 struct Input;
 class ActivePlayer;
@@ -55,7 +57,8 @@ public:
       * Adds a new player to the list of active players. StateManager takes ownership of the object
       * so no need to delete it yourself.
       */
-    void addActivePlayer(ActivePlayer* p);
+//    void addActivePlayer(ActivePlayer* p);
+    int createActivePlayer(PlayerProfile *profile, InputDevice *device);
     void removeActivePlayer(int id);
 
     int activePlayerCount();