diff --git a/stepmania/src/Actor.cpp b/stepmania/src/Actor.cpp
index d90e08b914..c229f2b0ac 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Actor.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/Actor.cpp
@@ -1240,11 +1240,12 @@ bool Actor::HasCommand( const RString &sCmdName )
 	return it != m_mapNameToCommands.end();
 }
 
-const apActorCommands& Actor::GetCommand( const RString &sCommandName ) const
+const apActorCommands *Actor::GetCommand( const RString &sCommandName ) const
 {
 	map<RString, apActorCommands>::const_iterator it = m_mapNameToCommands.find( sCommandName );
-	ASSERT( it != m_mapNameToCommands.end() );
-	return it->second;
+	if( it == m_mapNameToCommands.end() )
+		return NULL;
+	return &it->second;
 }
 
 void Actor::PlayCommand( const RString &sCommandName, Actor *pParent )
diff --git a/stepmania/src/Actor.h b/stepmania/src/Actor.h
index 2487cb3fc1..9d1c69d7af 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Actor.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/Actor.h
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ public:
 	//
 	void AddCommand( const RString &sCmdName, apActorCommands apac );
 	bool HasCommand( const RString &sCmdName );
-	const apActorCommands& GetCommand( const RString &sCommandName ) const;
+	const apActorCommands *GetCommand( const RString &sCommandName ) const;
 	virtual void PlayCommand( const RString &sCommandName, Actor *pParent = NULL );
 	virtual void RunCommands( const LuaReference& cmds, Actor *pParent = NULL );
 	void RunCommands( const apActorCommands& cmds, Actor *pParent = NULL ) { this->RunCommands( *cmds, pParent ); }	// convenience