diff --git a/mods/snow/src/snowball.lua b/mods/snow/src/snowball.lua
index f46d99d3..74014771 100755
--- a/mods/snow/src/snowball.lua
+++ b/mods/snow/src/snowball.lua
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ local snow_snowball_ENTITY = {
 	physical = false,
 	timer = 0,
 	collisionbox = {-5/16,-5/16,-5/16, 5/16,5/16,5/16},
+	thrower = "",
 }
 
 function snow_snowball_ENTITY.on_activate(self)
@@ -114,18 +115,21 @@ function snow_snowball_ENTITY.on_step(self, dtime)
 	if self.timer > 600 then
 		-- 10 minutes are too long for a snowball to fly somewhere
 		self.object:remove()
+		return
 	end
 
 	if self.timer > 0.15 then
 		for i, v in pairs(minetest.get_objects_inside_radius(self.object:getpos(), 1)) do
 			if v ~= self.object then
 				local entity_name = v:get_entity_name()
-				if v:get_entity_name() ~= "__builtin:item"
-					and entity_name ~= "snow:snowball_entity"
+				if entity_name and entity_name ~= "snow:snowball_entity"
+					and entity_name ~= "__builtin:item"
 					and entity_name ~= "gauges:hp_bar" then
-					if self.thrower then
-						v:punch(minetest.get_player_by_name(self.thrower), 1.0,{full_punch_interval=1.0, damage_groups = {fleshy=1}})
+					local puncher = self.object
+					if self.thrower and self.thrower ~= "" and minetest.get_player_by_name(self.thrower) then
+						puncher = minetest.get_player_by_name(self.thrower)
 					end
+					v:punch(puncher, 1.0, {full_punch_interval=1.0, damage_groups = {fleshy=1} })
 					minetest.add_item(self.object:getpos(), "default:snow")
 					self.object:remove()
 					return