diff --git a/src/main/java/com/gmail/nossr50/mcMMO.java b/src/main/java/com/gmail/nossr50/mcMMO.java
index 98214013f..4527f2569 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/gmail/nossr50/mcMMO.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/gmail/nossr50/mcMMO.java
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ public class mcMMO extends JavaPlugin {
         //Old & Powerless User remover
         int purgeInterval = Config.getInstance().getPurgeInterval();
         if (purgeInterval == 0) {
-            scheduler.runTask(this, new UserPurgeTask(this));
+            scheduler.scheduleSyncDelayedTask(this, new UserPurgeTask(this), 40); //Start 2 seconds after startup.
         }
         else if (purgeInterval > 0) {
             scheduler.scheduleSyncRepeatingTask(this, new UserPurgeTask(this), 0, purgeInterval * 60L * 60L * 20L);
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/gmail/nossr50/runnables/UserPurgeTask.java b/src/main/java/com/gmail/nossr50/runnables/UserPurgeTask.java
index f4e4cd5d3..75ebfea3d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/gmail/nossr50/runnables/UserPurgeTask.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/gmail/nossr50/runnables/UserPurgeTask.java
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ public class UserPurgeTask implements Runnable {
             int userId = Integer.valueOf(userslist.get(i).get(1));
             HashMap<Integer, ArrayList<String>> username = database.read("SELECT user FROM " + tablePrefix + "users WHERE id = '" + userId + "'");
 
-            if (Bukkit.getPlayer(username.get(1).get(0)).isOnline()) {
+            if (username != null && Bukkit.getOfflinePlayer(username.get(1).get(0)).isOnline()) {
                 continue;
             }