diff --git a/client/src/main/java/ctbrec/ui/Player.java b/client/src/main/java/ctbrec/ui/Player.java
index c0cd1689..c8bcd0e8 100644
--- a/client/src/main/java/ctbrec/ui/Player.java
+++ b/client/src/main/java/ctbrec/ui/Player.java
@@ -135,12 +135,15 @@ public class Player {
                     String url = null;
                     if (rec != null) {
                         url = getRemoteRecordingUrl(rec, cfg);
+                        model = rec.getModel();
                     } else if (model != null) {
                         url = getPlaylistUrl(model);
                     }
                     LOG.debug("Playing {}", url);
                     String[] cmdline = createCmdline(url);
-                    expandPlaceHolders(cmdline);
+                    if (model != null) {
+                        expandPlaceHolders(cmdline);
+                    }
                     LOG.debug("Player command line: {}", Arrays.toString(cmdline));
                     playerProcess = rt.exec(cmdline);
                 }
diff --git a/common/src/main/java/ctbrec/variableexpansion/ModelVariableExpander.java b/common/src/main/java/ctbrec/variableexpansion/ModelVariableExpander.java
index 2e876fe7..9a3aad87 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/ctbrec/variableexpansion/ModelVariableExpander.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/ctbrec/variableexpansion/ModelVariableExpander.java
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ public class ModelVariableExpander extends AbstractVariableExpander {
         placeholderValueSuppliers.put("modelDisplayName", r -> ofNullable(model.getDisplayName()));
         placeholderValueSuppliers.put("modelSanitizedName", r -> getSanitizedName(model));
         placeholderValueSuppliers.put("modelNotes", r -> getSanitizedModelNotes(config, model));
-        placeholderValueSuppliers.put("siteName", r -> ofNullable(model.getSite()).map(Site::getName));
+        placeholderValueSuppliers.put("siteName", r -> ofNullable(model).map(Model::getSite).map(Site::getName));
         placeholderValueSuppliers.put("siteSanitizedName", r -> getSanitizedSiteName(model));
         placeholderValueSuppliers.put("modelGroupName", r -> modelGroup.map(ModelGroup::getName));
         placeholderValueSuppliers.put("modelGroupId", r -> modelGroup.map(ModelGroup::getId).map(UUID::toString));
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ public class ModelVariableExpander extends AbstractVariableExpander {
     }
 
     private Optional<String> getSanitizedSiteName(Model model) {
-        Optional<String> name = ofNullable(model.getSite()).map(Site::getName);
+        Optional<String> name = ofNullable(model).map(Model::getSite).map(Site::getName);
         if (name.isPresent()) {
             return Optional.of(sanitize(name.get()));
         } else {