diff --git a/src/Combat.cpp b/src/Combat.cpp
index ddb3e25..391a267 100644
--- a/src/Combat.cpp
+++ b/src/Combat.cpp
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ void Combat::killMob(CNSocket *sock, Mob *mob) {
     mob->killedTime = getTime(); // XXX: maybe introduce a shard-global time for each step?
 
     // check for the edge case where hitting the mob did not aggro it
-    if (sock != nullptr && PlayerManager::players.find(sock) != PlayerManager::players.end()) {
+    if (sock != nullptr) {
         Player* plr = PlayerManager::getPlayer(sock);
 
         Items::DropRoll rolled;
diff --git a/src/Missions.cpp b/src/Missions.cpp
index 1988ef3..1e445b2 100644
--- a/src/Missions.cpp
+++ b/src/Missions.cpp
@@ -219,16 +219,13 @@ static bool endTask(CNSocket *sock, int32_t taskNum, int choice=0) {
     // ugly pointer/reference juggling for the sake of operator overloading...
     TaskData& task = *Tasks[taskNum];
 
-    // update player
+    // sanity check
     int i;
     bool found = false;
     for (i = 0; i < ACTIVE_MISSION_COUNT; i++) {
         if (plr->tasks[i] == taskNum) {
             found = true;
-            plr->tasks[i] = 0;
-            for (int j = 0; j < 3; j++) {
-                plr->RemainingNPCCount[i][j] = 0;
-            }
+            break;
         }
     }
 
@@ -249,6 +246,23 @@ static bool endTask(CNSocket *sock, int32_t taskNum, int choice=0) {
     }
     // don't take away quest items if we haven't finished the quest
 
+    /*
+     * Update player's active mission data.
+     *
+     * This must be done after all early returns have passed, otherwise we
+     * risk introducing non-atomic changes. For example, failing to finish
+     * a mission due to not having any inventory space could delete the
+     * mission server-side; leading to a desync.
+     */
+    for (i = 0; i < ACTIVE_MISSION_COUNT; i++) {
+        if (plr->tasks[i] == taskNum) {
+            plr->tasks[i] = 0;
+            for (int j = 0; j < 3; j++) {
+                plr->RemainingNPCCount[i][j] = 0;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     /*
      * Give (or take away) quest items
      *