diff --git a/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/Recorder.cpp b/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/Recorder.cpp
index 04be1d230e..1026d6c10e 100644
--- a/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/Recorder.cpp
+++ b/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/Recorder.cpp
@@ -1196,7 +1196,8 @@ Bool RecorderClass::playbackFile(AsciiString filename)
 		}
 	}
 
-	m_mode = RECORDERMODETYPE_PLAYBACK;
+	// TheSuperHackers @bugfix bobtista Don't set playback mode until after file opens successfully
+	// to prevent crash if playback is updated while m_file is NULL
 
 	ReplayHeader header;
 	header.forPlayback = TRUE;
@@ -1207,6 +1208,8 @@ Bool RecorderClass::playbackFile(AsciiString filename)
 		return FALSE;
 	}
 
+	m_mode = RECORDERMODETYPE_PLAYBACK;
+
 #ifdef DEBUG_CRASHING
 	Bool versionStringDiff = header.versionString != TheVersion->getUnicodeVersion();
 	Bool versionTimeStringDiff = header.versionTimeString != TheVersion->getUnicodeBuildTime();
diff --git a/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/GUICallbacks/Menus/ReplayMenu.cpp b/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/GUICallbacks/Menus/ReplayMenu.cpp
index 65b999a688..53bc19c654 100644
--- a/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/GUICallbacks/Menus/ReplayMenu.cpp
+++ b/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/GUICallbacks/Menus/ReplayMenu.cpp
@@ -534,6 +534,20 @@ void reallyLoadReplay(void)
 	AsciiString asciiFilename;
 	asciiFilename.translate(filename);
 
+	// TheSuperHackers @bugfix bobtista Check if file still exists before attempting playback
+	// to prevent crash when file is deleted during version mismatch prompt
+	RecorderClass::ReplayHeader header;
+	ReplayGameInfo info;
+	const MapMetaData *mapData;
+
+	if(!readReplayMapInfo(asciiFilename, header, info, mapData))
+	{
+		UnicodeString title = TheGameText->FETCH_OR_SUBSTITUTE("GUI:ReplayFileNotFoundTitle", L"REPLAY NOT FOUND");
+		UnicodeString body = TheGameText->FETCH_OR_SUBSTITUTE("GUI:ReplayFileNotFound", L"This replay cannot be loaded because the file no longer exists on this device.");
+		MessageBoxOk(title, body, NULL);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	TheRecorder->playbackFile(asciiFilename);
 
 	if(parentReplayMenu != NULL)
diff --git a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/Recorder.cpp b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/Recorder.cpp
index a9d064db43..821f0ff5c6 100644
--- a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/Recorder.cpp
+++ b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/Recorder.cpp
@@ -1199,7 +1199,8 @@ Bool RecorderClass::playbackFile(AsciiString filename)
 		}
 	}
 
-	m_mode = RECORDERMODETYPE_PLAYBACK;
+	// TheSuperHackers @bugfix bobtista Don't set playback mode until after file opens successfully
+	// to prevent crash if playback is updated while m_file is NULL
 
 	ReplayHeader header;
 	header.forPlayback = TRUE;
@@ -1210,6 +1211,8 @@ Bool RecorderClass::playbackFile(AsciiString filename)
 		return FALSE;
 	}
 
+	m_mode = RECORDERMODETYPE_PLAYBACK;
+
 #ifdef DEBUG_CRASHING
 	Bool versionStringDiff = header.versionString != TheVersion->getUnicodeVersion();
 	Bool versionTimeStringDiff = header.versionTimeString != TheVersion->getUnicodeBuildTime();
diff --git a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/GUICallbacks/Menus/ReplayMenu.cpp b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/GUICallbacks/Menus/ReplayMenu.cpp
index 9a0d3751c2..28edaa49e1 100644
--- a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/GUICallbacks/Menus/ReplayMenu.cpp
+++ b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/GUICallbacks/Menus/ReplayMenu.cpp
@@ -534,6 +534,20 @@ void reallyLoadReplay(void)
 	AsciiString asciiFilename;
 	asciiFilename.translate(filename);
 
+	// TheSuperHackers @bugfix bobtista Check if file still exists before attempting playback
+	// to prevent crash when file is deleted during version mismatch prompt
+	RecorderClass::ReplayHeader header;
+	ReplayGameInfo info;
+	const MapMetaData *mapData;
+
+	if(!readReplayMapInfo(asciiFilename, header, info, mapData))
+	{
+		UnicodeString title = TheGameText->FETCH_OR_SUBSTITUTE("GUI:ReplayFileNotFoundTitle", L"REPLAY NOT FOUND");
+		UnicodeString body = TheGameText->FETCH_OR_SUBSTITUTE("GUI:ReplayFileNotFound", L"This replay cannot be loaded because the file no longer exists on this device.");
+		MessageBoxOk(title, body, NULL);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	TheRecorder->playbackFile(asciiFilename);
 
 	if(parentReplayMenu != NULL)