diff --git a/indra/newview/ao.cpp b/indra/newview/ao.cpp
index f0fb99875f..f3b3e390f7 100644
--- a/indra/newview/ao.cpp
+++ b/indra/newview/ao.cpp
@@ -871,8 +871,23 @@ void FloaterAO::onAnimationChanged(const LLUUID& animation)
 
     if (mCurrentBoldItem)
     {
-        ((LLScrollListIcon*)mCurrentBoldItem->getColumn(0))->setValue("FSAO_Animation_Stopped");
-        ((LLScrollListText*)mCurrentBoldItem->getColumn(1))->setFontStyle(LLFontGL::NORMAL);
+// <AS:Chanayane> Safer casts
+        if (LLScrollListCell* icon_cell = mCurrentBoldItem->getColumn(0))
+        {
+            if (LLScrollListIcon* icon = dynamic_cast<LLScrollListIcon*>(icon_cell))
+            {
+                icon->setValue("FSAO_Animation_Stopped");
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (LLScrollListCell* text_cell = mCurrentBoldItem->getColumn(1))
+        {
+            if (LLScrollListText* text = dynamic_cast<LLScrollListText*>(text_cell))
+            {
+                text->setFontStyle(LLFontGL::NORMAL);
+            }
+        }
+// </AS:Chanayane>
 
         mCurrentBoldItem = nullptr;
     }
@@ -882,21 +897,46 @@ void FloaterAO::onAnimationChanged(const LLUUID& animation)
         return;
     }
 
-    // why do we have no LLScrollListCtrl::getItemByUserdata() ? -Zi
-    for (auto item : mAnimationList->getAllData())
+// <AS:Chanayane> Fix potential nullptr
+    if (!mAnimationList)
     {
-        LLUUID* id = (LLUUID*)item->getUserdata();
+        LL_WARNS("AO") << "Animation list control is null." << LL_ENDL;
+        return;
+    }
+// </AS:Chanayane>
 
-        if (id == &animation)
+// <AS:Chanayane> Safer casts
+    // why do we have no LLScrollListCtrl::getItemByUserdata() ? -Zi
+    for (LLScrollListItem* item : mAnimationList->getAllData())
+    {
+        LLUUID* id = static_cast<LLUUID*>(item->getUserdata());
+        // <AS:Chanayane> compares the LLUUID values instead of pointer values
+        //if (id == &animation)
+        if (id && *id == animation)
+        // </AS:Chanayane>
         {
             mCurrentBoldItem = item;
 
-            ((LLScrollListIcon*)mCurrentBoldItem->getColumn(0))->setValue("FSAO_Animation_Playing");
-            ((LLScrollListText*)mCurrentBoldItem->getColumn(1))->setFontStyle(LLFontGL::BOLD);
+            if (LLScrollListCell* icon_cell = mCurrentBoldItem->getColumn(0))
+            {
+                if (LLScrollListIcon* icon = dynamic_cast<LLScrollListIcon*>(icon_cell))
+                {
+                    icon->setValue("FSAO_Animation_Playing");
+                }
+            }
+
+            if (LLScrollListCell* text_cell = mCurrentBoldItem->getColumn(1))
+            {
+                if (LLScrollListText* text = dynamic_cast<LLScrollListText*>(text_cell))
+                {
+                    text->setFontStyle(LLFontGL::BOLD);
+                }
+            }
 
             return;
         }
     }
+// </AS:Chanayane>
 }
 
 // virtual
diff --git a/indra/newview/aoengine.cpp b/indra/newview/aoengine.cpp
index 677097427d..19b53d3ba1 100644
--- a/indra/newview/aoengine.cpp
+++ b/indra/newview/aoengine.cpp
@@ -1014,12 +1014,21 @@ void AOEngine::playAnimation(const LLUUID& animation)
 
     // if we can find the original animation already right here, save its asset ID, otherwise this will
     // be tried again in AOSet::getAnimationForState() and/or AOEngine::cycle()
+    LLUUID newAnimation;
     if (item->getLinkedItem())
     {
-        anim.mAssetUUID = item->getAssetUUID();
+        newAnimation = item->getAssetUUID();
+        //anim.mAssetUUID = item->getAssetUUID();
     }
 
-    LLUUID newAnimation = anim.mAssetUUID;
+    if (newAnimation.isNull())
+    {
+        LL_WARNS("AOEngine") << "New animation UUID is null for animation " << animation << LL_ENDL;
+        return;
+    }
+    anim.mAssetUUID = newAnimation;
+
+    //LLUUID newAnimation = anim.mAssetUUID;
     LLUUID oldAnimation = state->mCurrentAnimationID;
 
     // don't do anything if the animation didn't change
@@ -1031,7 +1040,7 @@ void AOEngine::playAnimation(const LLUUID& animation)
     mAnimationChangedSignal(LLUUID::null);
 
     // Searches for the index of the animation
-    U32 idx = -1;
+    S32 idx = -1;
     for (U32 i = 0; i < state->mAnimations.size(); i++)
     {
         if (state->mAnimations[i].mAssetUUID == newAnimation)
@@ -1040,18 +1049,22 @@ void AOEngine::playAnimation(const LLUUID& animation)
             break;
         }
     }
-    if (idx < 0)
+    if (idx == -1)
     {
-        idx = 0;
+        LL_WARNS("AOEngine") << "Animation index not found for animation " << animation << LL_ENDL;
+        return;
     }
 
-    state->mCurrentAnimation = idx;
+    state->mCurrentAnimation = static_cast<U32>(idx);
     state->mCurrentAnimationID = newAnimation;
     if (newAnimation.notNull())
     {
         LL_DEBUGS("AOEngine") << "requesting animation start for motion " << gAnimLibrary.animationName(mLastMotion) << ": " << newAnimation << LL_ENDL;
         gAgent.sendAnimationRequest(newAnimation, ANIM_REQUEST_START);
-        mAnimationChangedSignal(state->mAnimations[state->mCurrentAnimation].mInventoryUUID);
+        if (state->mCurrentAnimation < state->mAnimations.size())
+        {
+            mAnimationChangedSignal(state->mAnimations[state->mCurrentAnimation].mInventoryUUID);
+        }
     }
     else
     {