diff --git a/server/src/instance.rs b/server/src/instance.rs
index 896bb2ca..bba1b5ed 100644
--- a/server/src/instance.rs
+++ b/server/src/instance.rs
@@ -402,7 +402,7 @@ pub fn instance_join(params: InstanceJoinParams, tx: &mut Transaction, account:
 
     let mut player = Player::new(account.id, instance.id, cryps);
     player.vbox.fill();
-    player_create(tx, &player, account)?;
+    let player = player_create(tx, player, account)?;
 
     instance.add_player(player.clone());
 
@@ -475,7 +475,6 @@ pub fn instance_game_finished(tx: &mut Transaction, game: &Game, instance_id: Uu
                     true => player.add_win(),
                     false => player.add_loss(),
                 };
-                println!("{:?}", player);
                 player_update(tx, player, true)?;
             },
         }
diff --git a/server/src/player.rs b/server/src/player.rs
index 099dfed8..c2efdb9d 100644
--- a/server/src/player.rs
+++ b/server/src/player.rs
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ pub fn player_get(tx: &mut Transaction, account_id: Uuid, instance_id: Uuid) ->
     return Ok(data);
 }
 
-pub fn player_create(tx: &mut Transaction, player: &Player, account: &Account) -> Result<(), Error> {
+pub fn player_create(tx: &mut Transaction, player: Player, account: &Account) -> Result<Player, Error> {
     let player_bytes = to_vec(&player)?;
 
     let query = "
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ pub fn player_create(tx: &mut Transaction, player: &Player, account: &Account) -
 
     println!("wrote player {:} joined instance: {:}", account.name, player.instance);
 
-    return Ok(());
+    return Ok(player);
 }
 
 pub fn player_update(tx: &mut Transaction, player: Player, ignore_phase: bool) -> Result<Player, Error> {
@@ -168,14 +168,18 @@ pub fn player_cryps_set(params: PlayerCrypsSetParams, tx: &mut Transaction, acco
         return Err(err_msg("team size is 3"));
     }
 
-    let mut player = player_get(tx, account.id, Uuid::nil())?;
-
     let cryps = params.cryp_ids
         .iter()
         .map(|id| cryp_get(tx, *id, account.id))
         .collect::<Result<Vec<Cryp>, Error>>()?;
 
-    player.cryps = cryps;
-
-    player_update(tx, player, false)
+    match player_get(tx, account.id, Uuid::nil()) {
+        Ok(mut p) => {
+            p.cryps = cryps;
+            player_update(tx, p, false)
+        },
+        Err(_) => {
+            return player_create(tx, Player::new(account.id, Uuid::nil(), cryps), &account)
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/server/src/rpc.rs b/server/src/rpc.rs
index c888fe53..40887e1a 100644
--- a/server/src/rpc.rs
+++ b/server/src/rpc.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ use account::{Account, account_create, account_login, account_from_token, accoun
 use skill::{Skill};
 // use zone::{Zone, zone_create, zone_join, zone_close};
 use spec::{Spec};
-use player::{player_state, player_create, player_cryps_set, Player};
+use player::{player_state, player_cryps_set, Player};
 use instance::{instance_join, instance_ready};
 use vbox::{vbox_accept, vbox_apply, vbox_discard, vbox_combine, vbox_drop};
 
@@ -163,8 +163,6 @@ impl Rpc {
         let msg = from_slice::<AccountCreateMsg>(&data).or(Err(err_msg("invalid params")))?;
 
         let account = account_create(msg.params, tx)?;
-        let player = Player::new(account.id, Uuid::nil(), vec![]);
-        player_create(tx, &player, &account)?;
 
         Ok(RpcResponse {
             method: "account_create".to_string(),
@@ -198,9 +196,6 @@ impl Rpc {
         let name: String = iter::repeat(()).map(|()| rng.sample(Alphanumeric)).take(8).collect();
         cryp_spawn(CrypSpawnParams { name }, tx, &account)?;
 
-        let player = Player::new(account.id, Uuid::nil(), vec![]);
-        player_create(tx, &player, &account)?;
-
         let res = RpcResponse {
             method: "account_create".to_string(),
             params: RpcResult::Account(account),