diff --git a/src/js/generateGenetics.js b/src/js/generateGenetics.js
index f0a672f61a8df3c2c746bdfbeb24437f242cfc78..472b07088390bd8618d90d759422a6ab461e44b2 100644
--- a/src/js/generateGenetics.js
+++ b/src/js/generateGenetics.js
@@ -178,10 +178,11 @@ window.generateGenetics = (function() {
 
 	// nationality
 	function setNationality(father, mother) {
-		if (father.nationality === mother.nationality) {
+		if (father === 0 || father.nationality !== mother.nationality) {
+			return "Stateless";
+		} else {
 			return mother.nationality;
 		}
-		return "Stateless";
 	}
 
 	// race