diff --git a/server/world/chunk/encoding.go b/server/world/chunk/encoding.go
index 63d26ef68..ac0b433c7 100644
--- a/server/world/chunk/encoding.go
+++ b/server/world/chunk/encoding.go
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ func (blockPaletteEncoding) decode(buf *bytes.Buffer) (uint32, error) {
 	version, _ := m["version"].(int32)
 
 	// Now check for a state field.
-	stateI, _ := m["states"]
+	stateI, ok := m["states"]
 	if version < 17694723 {
 		// This entry is a pre-1.13 block state, so decode the meta value instead.
 		meta, _ := m["val"].(int16)
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ func (blockPaletteEncoding) decode(buf *bytes.Buffer) (uint32, error) {
 		name = state.Name
 		stateI = state.State
 		version = state.Version
-	} else if stateI == nil {
+	} else if !ok {
 		// The state is a post-1.13 block state, but the states field is missing, likely due to a broken world
 		// conversion.
 		stateI = make(map[string]any)