diff --git a/Subsurface/Source/Characters/CharacterNetworking.cs b/Subsurface/Source/Characters/CharacterNetworking.cs
index 176666535..dd2e18618 100644
--- a/Subsurface/Source/Characters/CharacterNetworking.cs
+++ b/Subsurface/Source/Characters/CharacterNetworking.cs
@@ -425,11 +425,9 @@ namespace Barotrauma
                     tempBuffer.Write(aiming);
                     tempBuffer.Write(use);
 
-                    if (AnimController.Limbs.Any(l => l != null && l.attack != null))
-                    {
-                        tempBuffer.Write(attack);
-                    }
-
+                    bool hasAttackLimb = AnimController.Limbs.Any(l => l != null && l.attack != null);
+                    tempBuffer.Write(hasAttackLimb);
+                    if (hasAttackLimb) tempBuffer.Write(attack);
 
                     if (aiming)
                     {
@@ -491,7 +489,8 @@ namespace Barotrauma
                         keys[(int)InputType.Use].Held = useInput;
                         keys[(int)InputType.Use].SetState(false, useInput);
 
-                        if (AnimController.Limbs.Any(l => l != null && l.attack != null))
+                        bool hasAttackLimb = msg.ReadBoolean();
+                        if (hasAttackLimb)
                         {
                             bool attackInput = msg.ReadBoolean();
                             keys[(int)InputType.Attack].Held = attackInput;
diff --git a/Subsurface/Source/Networking/GameClient.cs b/Subsurface/Source/Networking/GameClient.cs
index 63d03c439..e1d015833 100644
--- a/Subsurface/Source/Networking/GameClient.cs
+++ b/Subsurface/Source/Networking/GameClient.cs
@@ -921,18 +921,17 @@ namespace Barotrauma.Networking
                         UInt16 id = inc.ReadUInt16();
                         byte msgLength = inc.ReadByte();
 
+                        long msgEndPos = inc.Position + msgLength * 8;
+
                         var entity = Entity.FindEntityByID(id) as IServerSerializable;
-                        if (entity == null)
-                        {
-                            //skip through the rest of the message
-                            inc.Position += msgLength * 8;
-                        }
-                        else
+                        if (entity != null)
                         {
                             entity.ClientRead(objHeader, inc, sendingTime);
                         }
 
-                        inc.ReadPadBits();
+                        //force to the correct position in case the entity doesn't exist 
+                        //or the message wasn't read correctly for whatever reason
+                        inc.Position = msgEndPos;
                         break;
                     case ServerNetObject.ENTITY_EVENT:
                     case ServerNetObject.ENTITY_EVENT_INITIAL:
diff --git a/Subsurface/Source/Networking/GameServer.cs b/Subsurface/Source/Networking/GameServer.cs
index 7f8569503..554ada652 100644
--- a/Subsurface/Source/Networking/GameServer.cs
+++ b/Subsurface/Source/Networking/GameServer.cs
@@ -703,12 +703,12 @@ namespace Barotrauma.Networking
 #if DEBUG
                         //client thinks they've received a msg we haven't sent yet (corrupted packet, msg read/written incorrectly?)
                         if (NetIdUtils.IdMoreRecent(lastRecvChatMsgID, c.lastChatMsgQueueID))
-                            DebugConsole.ThrowError("client.lastRecvChatMsgID > lastChatMsgQueueID");
-                                                
+                            DebugConsole.ThrowError("client.lastRecvChatMsgID > lastChatMsgQueueID (" + c.lastRecvChatMsgID + " > " + c.lastChatMsgQueueID + ")");
+
                         if (lastRecvEntityEventID > lastEntityEventID)
-                            DebugConsole.ThrowError("client.lastRecvEntityEventID > lastEntityEventID");                        
+                            DebugConsole.ThrowError("client.lastRecvEntityEventID > lastEntityEventID (" + c.lastRecvEntityEventID + " > " + lastEntityEventID + ")");
 #endif
-                                                
+
                         if (NetIdUtils.IdMoreRecent(lastRecvChatMsgID, c.lastRecvChatMsgID)) c.lastRecvChatMsgID = lastRecvChatMsgID;
                         if (NetIdUtils.IdMoreRecent(c.lastRecvChatMsgID, c.lastChatMsgQueueID)) c.lastRecvChatMsgID = c.lastChatMsgQueueID;
                         
@@ -833,40 +833,45 @@ namespace Barotrauma.Networking
                 cMsg.ServerWrite(outmsg, c);
             }            
             
-            foreach (Character character in Character.CharacterList)
+            //don't send position updates to characters who are still midround syncing
+            //characters or items spawned mid-round don't necessarily exist at the client's end yet
+            if (!c.NeedsMidRoundSync)
             {
-                if (!character.Enabled) continue;
-
-                if (c.Character != null &&
-                    Vector2.DistanceSquared(character.WorldPosition, c.Character.WorldPosition) >=
-                    NetConfig.CharacterIgnoreDistance * NetConfig.CharacterIgnoreDistance)
+                foreach (Character character in Character.CharacterList)
                 {
-                    continue;
+                    if (!character.Enabled) continue;
+
+                    if (c.Character != null &&
+                        Vector2.DistanceSquared(character.WorldPosition, c.Character.WorldPosition) >=
+                        NetConfig.CharacterIgnoreDistance * NetConfig.CharacterIgnoreDistance)
+                    {
+                        continue;
+                    }
+
+                    outmsg.Write((byte)ServerNetObject.ENTITY_POSITION);
+                    character.ServerWrite(outmsg, c);
+                    outmsg.WritePadBits();
                 }
 
-                outmsg.Write((byte)ServerNetObject.ENTITY_POSITION);
-                character.ServerWrite(outmsg, c);
-                outmsg.WritePadBits();
-            }
+                foreach (Submarine sub in Submarine.Loaded)
+                {
+                    //if docked to a sub with a smaller ID, don't send an update
+                    //  (= update is only sent for the docked sub that has the smallest ID, doesn't matter if it's the main sub or a shuttle)
+                    if (sub.DockedTo.Any(s => s.ID < sub.ID)) continue;
 
-            foreach (Submarine sub in Submarine.Loaded)
-            {
-                //if docked to a sub with a smaller ID, don't send an update
-                //  (= update is only sent for the docked sub that has the smallest ID, doesn't matter if it's the main sub or a shuttle)
-                if (sub.DockedTo.Any(s => s.ID < sub.ID)) continue;
+                    outmsg.Write((byte)ServerNetObject.ENTITY_POSITION);
+                    sub.ServerWrite(outmsg, c);
+                    outmsg.WritePadBits();
+                }
 
-                outmsg.Write((byte)ServerNetObject.ENTITY_POSITION);
-                sub.ServerWrite(outmsg, c);
-                outmsg.WritePadBits();
-            }
+                foreach (Item item in Item.ItemList)
+                {
+                    if (!item.NeedsPositionUpdate) continue;
 
-            foreach (Item item in Item.ItemList)
-            {
-                if (!item.NeedsPositionUpdate) continue;
-
-                outmsg.Write((byte)ServerNetObject.ENTITY_POSITION);
-                item.ServerWritePosition(outmsg, c);
-                outmsg.WritePadBits();
+                    outmsg.Write((byte)ServerNetObject.ENTITY_POSITION);
+                    item.ServerWritePosition(outmsg, c);
+                    outmsg.WritePadBits();
+                }
             }
 
             entityEventManager.Write(c, outmsg);