diff --git a/PlotSquared/pom.xml b/PlotSquared/pom.xml
index 12619df47..ba8ecd512 100644
--- a/PlotSquared/pom.xml
+++ b/PlotSquared/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <groupId>com.intellectualcrafters</groupId>
 
     <artifactId>PlotSquared</artifactId>
-    <version>2.5.1</version>
+    <version>2.5.3</version>
     <name>PlotSquared</name>
     <packaging>jar</packaging>
     <build>
diff --git a/PlotSquared/src/main/java/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/PlotMain.java b/PlotSquared/src/main/java/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/PlotMain.java
index c02f6dd63..556b0939a 100644
--- a/PlotSquared/src/main/java/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/PlotMain.java
+++ b/PlotSquared/src/main/java/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/PlotMain.java
@@ -1533,7 +1533,7 @@ import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
                 UUIDHandler.uuidWrapper = new OfflineUUIDWrapper();
                 Settings.OFFLINE_MODE = true;
             }
-            else if (checkVersion && Bukkit.getOnlineMode()) {
+            else if (checkVersion) {
                 UUIDHandler.uuidWrapper = new DefaultUUIDWrapper();
                 Settings.OFFLINE_MODE = false;
             }
diff --git a/PlotSquared/src/main/java/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/commands/Merge.java b/PlotSquared/src/main/java/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/commands/Merge.java
index 0848c3fc4..fc6f3d0ca 100644
--- a/PlotSquared/src/main/java/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/commands/Merge.java
+++ b/PlotSquared/src/main/java/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/commands/Merge.java
@@ -83,10 +83,11 @@ public class Merge extends SubCommand {
         }
         final Plot plot = PlayerFunctions.getCurrentPlot(plr);
         if ((plot == null) || !plot.hasOwner()) {
-            PlayerFunctions.sendMessage(plr, C.NO_PLOT_PERMS);
+            PlayerFunctions.sendMessage(plr, C.PLOT_UNOWNED);
             return false;
         }
-        if (!plot.getOwner().equals(UUIDHandler.getUUID(plr))) {
+        boolean admin = PlotMain.hasPermission(plr, "plots.admin");
+        if (!plot.getOwner().equals(UUIDHandler.getUUID(    plr)) && !admin) {
             PlayerFunctions.sendMessage(plr, C.NO_PLOT_PERMS);
             return false;
         }
@@ -129,7 +130,7 @@ public class Merge extends SubCommand {
         }
         for (final PlotId myid : plots) {
             final Plot myplot = PlotMain.getPlots(world).get(myid);
-            if ((myplot == null) || !myplot.hasOwner() || !(myplot.getOwner().equals(UUIDHandler.getUUID(plr)))) {
+            if ((myplot == null) || !myplot.hasOwner() || !(myplot.getOwner().equals(UUIDHandler.getUUID(plr)) || admin)) {
                 PlayerFunctions.sendMessage(plr, C.NO_PERM_MERGE.s().replaceAll("%plot%", myid.toString()));
                 return false;
             }
@@ -161,7 +162,7 @@ public class Merge extends SubCommand {
         PlayerFunctions.sendMessage(plr, "&cPlots have been merged");
         PlotHelper.mergePlots(world, plots);
 
-        PlotHelper.setSign(world, plr.getName(), plot);
+        PlotHelper.setSign(world, UUIDHandler.getName(plot.owner), plot);
 
         if (PlotHelper.canSetFast) {
             SetBlockFast.update(plr);
diff --git a/PlotSquared/src/main/java/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/config/C.java b/PlotSquared/src/main/java/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/config/C.java
index 45b7bf4c8..bd2684e70 100644
--- a/PlotSquared/src/main/java/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/config/C.java
+++ b/PlotSquared/src/main/java/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/config/C.java
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ public enum C {
     /*
      * Info
      */
-    PLOT_INFO_UNCLAIMED("&cPlot &6%s&c is not yet claimed"),
+    PLOT_UNOWNED("&cThe current plot must have an owner to perform this action"),
     /*
      * PLOT_INFO("" +
      * "&6ID&7: &a%id%&7\n" +
diff --git a/PlotSquared/src/main/java/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/config/Settings.java b/PlotSquared/src/main/java/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/config/Settings.java
index 32f2bd35c..a05bc5deb 100644
--- a/PlotSquared/src/main/java/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/config/Settings.java
+++ b/PlotSquared/src/main/java/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/config/Settings.java
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
 
 package com.intellectualcrafters.plot.config;
 
+import org.bukkit.Bukkit;
+
 /**
  * Updater and DB settings
  *
diff --git a/PlotSquared/src/main/java/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/util/UUIDHandler.java b/PlotSquared/src/main/java/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/util/UUIDHandler.java
index 2c6977729..89ff1bed7 100644
--- a/PlotSquared/src/main/java/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/util/UUIDHandler.java
+++ b/PlotSquared/src/main/java/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/util/UUIDHandler.java
@@ -100,14 +100,16 @@ public class UUIDHandler {
                     return s.endsWith(".dat");
                 }
             });
-            for (String current : dat) {
-                String s = current.replaceAll(".dat$", "");
-                try {
-                    UUID uuid = UUID.fromString(s);
-                    uuids.add(uuid);
-                }
-                catch (Exception e) {
-                    PlotMain.sendConsoleSenderMessage(C.PREFIX.s() + "Invalid playerdata: "+current);
+            if (dat != null) {
+                for (String current : dat) {
+                    String s = current.replaceAll(".dat$", "");
+                    try {
+                        UUID uuid = UUID.fromString(s);
+                        uuids.add(uuid);
+                    }
+                    catch (Exception e) {
+                        PlotMain.sendConsoleSenderMessage(C.PREFIX.s() + "Invalid playerdata: "+current);
+                    }
                 }
             }
             
@@ -118,13 +120,15 @@ public class UUIDHandler {
                     return s.endsWith(".dat");
                 }
             });
-            for (String current : dat) {
-                names.add(current.replaceAll(".dat$", ""));
+            if (dat != null) {
+                for (String current : dat) {
+                    names.add(current.replaceAll(".dat$", ""));
+                }
             }
         }
         
         
-        UUIDWrapper wrapper = null;
+        UUIDWrapper wrapper = new DefaultUUIDWrapper();
         for (UUID uuid : uuids) {
             try {
                 OfflinePlayer player = wrapper.getOfflinePlayer(uuid);
@@ -155,6 +159,10 @@ public class UUIDHandler {
     }
     
     public static String getName(UUID uuid) {
+        if (uuid == null) {
+            return null;
+        }
+        
         // check online
         for (Player player : Bukkit.getOnlinePlayers()) {
             UUID u2 = UUIDHandler.uuidWrapper.getUUID(player);
@@ -182,6 +190,10 @@ public class UUIDHandler {
     }
 
     public static UUID getUUID(final String name) {
+        if (name == null) {
+            return null;
+        }
+        
         // check online
         Player player = Bukkit.getPlayer(name);
         if (player != null) {