diff --git a/src/blackcore/airspace_monitor.cpp b/src/blackcore/airspace_monitor.cpp
index 8137749ab..bb9368d73 100644
--- a/src/blackcore/airspace_monitor.cpp
+++ b/src/blackcore/airspace_monitor.cpp
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ namespace BlackCore
         this->connect(this->m_network, &INetwork::fsipirCustomPacketReceived, this, &CAirspaceMonitor::fsipirCustomPacketReceived);
         this->connect(this->m_network, &INetwork::serverReplyReceived, this, &CAirspaceMonitor::serverReplyReceived);
 
+        // AutoConnection: this should also avoid race conditions by updating the bookings
         this->connect(this->m_vatsimBookingReader, &CVatsimBookingReader::dataRead, this, &CAirspaceMonitor::receivedBookings);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/blackgui/runtimebasedcomponent.cpp b/src/blackgui/runtimebasedcomponent.cpp
index 91c62ebde..fbd32dad5 100644
--- a/src/blackgui/runtimebasedcomponent.cpp
+++ b/src/blackgui/runtimebasedcomponent.cpp
@@ -34,13 +34,13 @@ namespace BlackGui
 
     void CRuntimeBasedComponent::sendStatusMessage(const BlackMisc::CStatusMessage &statusMessage)
     {
-        Q_ASSERT(this->getIContextApplication());
+        if (!this->getIContextApplication()) return;
         this->getIContextApplication()->sendStatusMessage(statusMessage);
     }
 
     void CRuntimeBasedComponent::sendStatusMessages(const BlackMisc::CStatusMessageList &statusMessages)
     {
-        Q_ASSERT(this->getIContextApplication());
+        if (!this->getIContextApplication()) return;
         this->getIContextApplication()->sendStatusMessages(statusMessages);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/blackgui/timerbasedcomponent.cpp b/src/blackgui/timerbasedcomponent.cpp
index 82bc4bfc8..38bb3052d 100644
--- a/src/blackgui/timerbasedcomponent.cpp
+++ b/src/blackgui/timerbasedcomponent.cpp
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ namespace BlackGui
     CTimerBasedComponent::~CTimerBasedComponent()
     {
         this->m_timer->stop();
-        this->disconnect(this->parent());
+        if (this->parent()) this->disconnect(this->parent());
     }
 
     void CTimerBasedComponent::setUpdateInterval(int milliSeconds)
diff --git a/src/blackgui/userlistmodel.cpp b/src/blackgui/userlistmodel.cpp
index 3e0db34f1..9c47b7229 100644
--- a/src/blackgui/userlistmodel.cpp
+++ b/src/blackgui/userlistmodel.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ namespace BlackGui
             break;
 
         case UserShort:
-            this->m_columns.addColumn(CColumn("", CUser::IndexCallsignIcon));
+            this->m_columns.addColumn(CColumn(CUser::IndexCallsignIcon, true));
             this->m_columns.addColumn(CColumn("realname", CUser::IndexRealName));
             this->m_columns.addColumn(CColumn("callsign", CUser::IndexCallsign));
             break;