diff --git a/direct/src/distributed/DistributedObject.py b/direct/src/distributed/DistributedObject.py
index 8239a893bc..6c5333488f 100644
--- a/direct/src/distributed/DistributedObject.py
+++ b/direct/src/distributed/DistributedObject.py
@@ -410,7 +410,12 @@ class DistributedObject(PandaObject):
                     parentObj.handleChildArrive(self, zoneId)
             
         def getLocation(self):
-            return (self.parentId, self.zoneId)
+            try:
+                if self.parentId <= 0 and self.zoneId <= 0:
+                    return None
+                return (self.parentId, self.zoneId)
+            except AttributeError:
+                return None
 
         def handleChildArrive(self, childObj, zoneId):
             self.notify.debugCall()
diff --git a/direct/src/distributed/DistributedObjectAI.py b/direct/src/distributed/DistributedObjectAI.py
index 58cc955530..59e5db4ea0 100644
--- a/direct/src/distributed/DistributedObjectAI.py
+++ b/direct/src/distributed/DistributedObjectAI.py
@@ -204,7 +204,12 @@ class DistributedObjectAI(DirectObject):
             self.zoneId=zoneId
             
         def getLocation(self):
-            return (self.parentId, self.zoneId)
+            try:
+                if self.parentId <= 0 and self.zoneId <= 0:
+                    return None
+                return (self.parentId, self.zoneId)
+            except AttributeError:
+                return None
 
     else:
         # NON OTP