diff --git a/engine/client/cl_scrn.c b/engine/client/cl_scrn.c
index 139be701..ea6017a9 100644
--- a/engine/client/cl_scrn.c
+++ b/engine/client/cl_scrn.c
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ void SCR_DrawPos( void )
 	if( cls.state != ca_active || !cl_showpos.value || cl.background )
 		return;
 
-	ent = CL_EDICT_NUM( cl.playernum + 1 );
+	ent = CL_GetLocalPlayer();
 	speed = VectorLength( cl.simvel );
 
 	Q_snprintf( msg, MAX_SYSPATH,
diff --git a/engine/client/client.h b/engine/client/client.h
index 476a8828..6b33578c 100644
--- a/engine/client/client.h
+++ b/engine/client/client.h
@@ -881,10 +881,12 @@ static inline qboolean CL_IsThirdPerson( void )
 
 static inline cl_entity_t *CL_GetLocalPlayer( void )
 {
-	cl_entity_t	*player;
+	cl_entity_t	*player = CL_GetEntityByIndex( cl.playernum + 1 );
 
-	player = CL_EDICT_NUM( cl.playernum + 1 );
-	Assert( player != NULL );
+	// HACKHACK: GoldSrc doesn't do this, but some mods actually check it for null pointer
+	// this is a lesser evil than changing semantics of HUD_VidInit and call it after entities are allocated
+	if( !player )
+		Con_Printf( S_WARN "%s: client entities are not initialized yet! Returning NULL...\n", __func__ );
 
 	return player;
 }