diff --git a/Content.Shared/Roles/SharedRoleSystem.cs b/Content.Shared/Roles/SharedRoleSystem.cs
index 00271693abe..d5820ac0392 100644
--- a/Content.Shared/Roles/SharedRoleSystem.cs
+++ b/Content.Shared/Roles/SharedRoleSystem.cs
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 using Content.Shared.Administration.Logs;
 using Content.Shared.CCVar;
 using Content.Shared.Database;
-using Content.Shared.GameTicking;
 using Content.Shared.Mind;
 using Content.Shared.Roles.Jobs;
 using Robust.Shared.Audio;
@@ -20,7 +19,6 @@ public abstract class SharedRoleSystem : EntitySystem
     [Dependency] private readonly SharedAudioSystem _audio = default!;
     [Dependency] private readonly IConfigurationManager _cfg = default!;
     [Dependency] private readonly IEntityManager _entityManager = default!;
-    [Dependency] private readonly SharedGameTicker _gameTicker = default!;
     [Dependency] private readonly IPrototypeManager _prototypes = default!;
 
     private JobRequirementOverridePrototype? _requirementOverride;
@@ -28,6 +26,8 @@ public abstract class SharedRoleSystem : EntitySystem
     public override void Initialize()
     {
         Subs.CVar(_cfg, CCVars.GameRoleTimerOverride, SetRequirementOverride, true);
+
+        SubscribeLocalEvent<MindRoleComponent, ComponentShutdown>(OnComponentShutdown);
     }
 
     private void SetRequirementOverride(string value)
@@ -209,7 +209,6 @@ public bool MindRemoveRole<T>(Entity<MindComponent?> mind) where T : IComponent
             }
 
             antagonist |= roleComp.Antag | roleComp.ExclusiveAntag;
-            _entityManager.DeleteEntity(role);
             delete.Add(role);
             found = true;
         }
@@ -219,7 +218,7 @@ public bool MindRemoveRole<T>(Entity<MindComponent?> mind) where T : IComponent
 
         foreach (var role in delete)
         {
-            mind.Comp.MindRoles.Remove(role);
+            _entityManager.DeleteEntity(role);
         }
 
         if (mind.Comp.OwnedEntity != null)
@@ -235,6 +234,17 @@ public bool MindRemoveRole<T>(Entity<MindComponent?> mind) where T : IComponent
         return true;
     }
 
+    // Removing the mind role's reference on component shutdown
+    // to make sure the reference gets removed even if the mind role entity was deleted by outside code
+    private void OnComponentShutdown(Entity<MindRoleComponent> ent, ref ComponentShutdown args)
+    {
+        //TODO: Just ensure that the tests don't spawn unassociated mind role entities
+        if (ent.Comp.Mind.Comp is null)
+            return;
+
+        ent.Comp.Mind.Comp.MindRoles.Remove(ent.Owner);
+    }
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Finds and removes all mind roles of a specific type
     /// </summary>