diff --git a/worldedit/cuboid.lua b/worldedit/cuboid.lua
index e8160ae..5c52747 100644
--- a/worldedit/cuboid.lua
+++ b/worldedit/cuboid.lua
@@ -136,7 +136,8 @@ end
 
 -- Return the marker that is closest to the player
 worldedit.marker_get_closest_to_player = function(name)
-	local playerpos = minetest.get_player_by_name(name):get_pos()
+	local player = assert(minetest.get_player_by_name(name))
+	local playerpos = player:get_pos()
 	local dist1 = vector.distance(playerpos, worldedit.pos1[name])
 	local dist2 = vector.distance(playerpos, worldedit.pos2[name])
 
diff --git a/worldedit_brush/init.lua b/worldedit_brush/init.lua
index 1a5c3e2..67d2a40 100644
--- a/worldedit_brush/init.lua
+++ b/worldedit_brush/init.lua
@@ -84,7 +84,9 @@ worldedit.register_command("brush", {
 		return true, cmd, params
 	end,
 	func = function(name, cmd, params)
-		local itemstack = minetest.get_player_by_name(name):get_wielded_item()
+		local player = minetest.get_player_by_name(name)
+		if not player then return end
+		local itemstack = player:get_wielded_item()
 		if itemstack == nil or itemstack:get_name() ~= "worldedit:brush" then
 			return false, S("Not holding brush item.")
 		end
@@ -115,6 +117,6 @@ worldedit.register_command("brush", {
 				minetest.registered_tools["worldedit:brush"].description .. ": " .. fullcmd)
 			worldedit.player_notify(name, S("Brush assigned to command: @1", fullcmd), "ok")
 		end
-		minetest.get_player_by_name(name):set_wielded_item(itemstack)
+		player:set_wielded_item(itemstack)
 	end,
 })
diff --git a/worldedit_commands/init.lua b/worldedit_commands/init.lua
index ebed467..7b5cd15 100644
--- a/worldedit_commands/init.lua
+++ b/worldedit_commands/init.lua
@@ -174,7 +174,12 @@ end
 
 -- Determines the axis in which a player is facing, returning an axis ("x", "y", or "z") and the sign (1 or -1)
 function worldedit.player_axis(name)
-	local dir = minetest.get_player_by_name(name):get_look_dir()
+	local player = minetest.get_player_by_name(name)
+	if not player then
+		-- we promised to return something valid...
+		return "y", -1
+	end
+	local dir = player:get_look_dir()
 	local x, y, z = math.abs(dir.x), math.abs(dir.y), math.abs(dir.z)
 	if x > y then
 		if x > z then
diff --git a/worldedit_commands/region.lua b/worldedit_commands/region.lua
index 27293f0..9045c8a 100644
--- a/worldedit_commands/region.lua
+++ b/worldedit_commands/region.lua
@@ -113,9 +113,9 @@ worldedit.register_command("pos1", {
 	category = S("Region operations"),
 	privs = {worldedit=true},
 	func = function(name)
-		local pos = minetest.get_player_by_name(name):get_pos()
-		pos.x, pos.y, pos.z = math.floor(pos.x + 0.5), math.floor(pos.y + 0.5), math.floor(pos.z + 0.5)
-		set_pos1(name, pos)
+		local player = minetest.get_player_by_name(name)
+		if not player then return end
+		set_pos1(name, vector.round(player:get_pos()))
 	end,
 })
 
@@ -125,9 +125,9 @@ worldedit.register_command("pos2", {
 	category = S("Region operations"),
 	privs = {worldedit=true},
 	func = function(name)
-		local pos = minetest.get_player_by_name(name):get_pos()
-		pos.x, pos.y, pos.z = math.floor(pos.x + 0.5), math.floor(pos.y + 0.5), math.floor(pos.z + 0.5)
-		set_pos2(name, pos)
+		local player = minetest.get_player_by_name(name)
+		if not player then return end
+		set_pos2(name, vector.round(player:get_pos()))
 	end,
 })