diff --git a/src/game.cpp b/src/game.cpp
index 32d40f2b13d2e..1ee510101830e 100644
--- a/src/game.cpp
+++ b/src/game.cpp
@@ -4710,16 +4710,22 @@ template const Creature *game::critter_at<Creature>( const tripoint &, bool ) co
 template<typename T>
 shared_ptr_fast<T> game::shared_from( const T &critter )
 {
-    if( const shared_ptr_fast<monster> mon_ptr = critter_tracker->find( critter.pos() ) ) {
-        return std::dynamic_pointer_cast<T>( mon_ptr );
-    }
     if( static_cast<const Creature *>( &critter ) == static_cast<const Creature *>( &u ) ) {
         // u is not stored in a shared_ptr, but it won't go out of scope anyway
         return std::dynamic_pointer_cast<T>( u_shared_ptr );
     }
-    for( auto &cur_npc : active_npc ) {
-        if( static_cast<const Creature *>( cur_npc.get() ) == static_cast<const Creature *>( &critter ) ) {
-            return std::dynamic_pointer_cast<T>( cur_npc );
+    if( critter.is_monster() ) {
+        if( const shared_ptr_fast<monster> mon_ptr = critter_tracker->find( critter.pos() ) ) {
+            if( static_cast<const Creature *>( mon_ptr.get() ) == static_cast<const Creature *>( &critter ) ) {
+                return std::dynamic_pointer_cast<T>( mon_ptr );
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    if( critter.is_npc() ) {
+        for( auto &cur_npc : active_npc ) {
+            if( static_cast<const Creature *>( cur_npc.get() ) == static_cast<const Creature *>( &critter ) ) {
+                return std::dynamic_pointer_cast<T>( cur_npc );
+            }
         }
     }
     return nullptr;
diff --git a/src/npcmove.cpp b/src/npcmove.cpp
index 22a60a947c494..e69cf42ae171b 100644
--- a/src/npcmove.cpp
+++ b/src/npcmove.cpp
@@ -912,7 +912,6 @@ void npc::execute_action( npc_action action )
     int oldmoves = moves;
     tripoint tar = pos();
     Creature *cur = current_target();
-    player *patient = dynamic_cast<player *>( current_ally() );
     if( action == npc_flee ) {
         tar = good_escape_direction( false );
     } else if( cur != nullptr ) {
@@ -1079,18 +1078,21 @@ void npc::execute_action( npc_action action )
             }
             break;
 
-        case npc_heal_player:
-            update_path( patient->pos() );
-            if( path.size() == 1 ) { // We're adjacent to u, and thus can heal u
-                heal_player( *patient );
-            } else if( !path.empty() ) {
-                say( _( "Hold still %s, I'm coming to help you." ), patient->disp_name() );
-                move_to_next();
-            } else {
-                move_pause();
+        case npc_heal_player: {
+            player *patient = dynamic_cast<player *>( current_ally() );
+            if( patient ) {
+                update_path( patient->pos() );
+                if( path.size() == 1 ) { // We're adjacent to u, and thus can heal u
+                    heal_player( *patient );
+                } else if( !path.empty() ) {
+                    say( _( "Hold still %s, I'm coming to help you." ), patient->disp_name() );
+                    move_to_next();
+                } else {
+                    move_pause();
+                }
             }
             break;
-
+        }
         case npc_follow_player:
             update_path( g->u.pos() );
             if( static_cast<int>( path.size() ) <= follow_distance() &&