diff --git a/stepmania/src/Background.cpp b/stepmania/src/Background.cpp
index 3ae21851a8..ac2e5cfd50 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Background.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/Background.cpp
@@ -71,6 +71,11 @@ Background::Background()
 		if( GAMESTATE->IsPlayerEnabled(p) )
 		{
 			bOneOrMoreChars = true;
+
+			// if playing dance magic mode vs. the CPU, skip next condition
+			if (GAMESTATE->m_PlayMode == PLAY_MODE_RAVE)
+				continue;
+
 			//Disable dancing characters if BH will be showing.
 			if( (PREFSMAN->m_bShowBeginnerHelper) || (GAMESTATE->m_pCurNotes[p]->GetDifficulty() == DIFFICULTY_BEGINNER ) )
 				bShowingBeginnerHelper = true;
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScoreKeeperRave.cpp b/stepmania/src/ScoreKeeperRave.cpp
index 2704931ea3..a78c38cef5 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScoreKeeperRave.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScoreKeeperRave.cpp
@@ -80,7 +80,16 @@ void ScoreKeeperRave::Update( float fDelta )
 void ScoreKeeperRave::LaunchAttack( AttackLevel al )
 {
 	CString* asAttacks = GAMESTATE->m_pCurCharacters[m_PlayerNumber]->m_sAttacks[al];	// [NUM_ATTACKS_PER_LEVEL]
-	CString sAttackToGive = asAttacks[ rand()%NUM_ATTACKS_PER_LEVEL ];
+	CString sAttackToGive;
+
+	if (GAMESTATE->m_pCurCharacters[m_PlayerNumber] != NULL)		
+		sAttackToGive = asAttacks[ rand()%NUM_ATTACKS_PER_LEVEL ];
+	else
+	{
+		CString DefaultAttacks[8] = { "1.5x", "2.0x", "0.5x", "reverse", "sudden", "boost", "brake", "wave" };
+		sAttackToGive = DefaultAttacks[ rand()%8 ];
+	}
+
   	PlayerNumber pnToAttack = OPPOSITE_PLAYER[m_PlayerNumber];
 
 	GameState::Attack a;