diff --git a/stepmania/src/ActorUtil.h b/stepmania/src/ActorUtil.h
index d8b70603b2..e2a115355b 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ActorUtil.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/ActorUtil.h
@@ -54,9 +54,12 @@ class AutoActor
 public:
 	AutoActor() { m_pActor = NULL; }
 	~AutoActor() { Unload(); }
-	operator Actor* () { return m_pActor; }
-	Actor *operator->() { return m_pActor; }
+	operator const Actor* () const { ASSERT(m_pActor); return m_pActor; }
+	operator Actor* () { ASSERT(m_pActor); return m_pActor; }
+	const Actor *operator->() const { ASSERT(m_pActor); return m_pActor; }
+	Actor *operator->() { ASSERT(m_pActor); return m_pActor; }
 	void Unload() { if(m_pActor) { delete m_pActor; m_pActor=NULL; } }
+	bool IsLoaded() const { return m_pActor != NULL; }
 	void Load( CString sPath )
 	{
 		Unload();