diff --git a/code/artifact.js b/code/artifact.js
index 88676ab5..cd8b118d 100644
--- a/code/artifact.js
+++ b/code/artifact.js
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ window.artifact.setup = function() {
 
   addResumeFunction(artifact.idleResume);
 
-  artifact.requestData();
+  // move the initial data request onto a very short timer. prevents thrown exceptions causing IITC boot failures
+  setTimeout (artifact.requestData, 1);
 
   artifact._layer = new L.LayerGroup();
   addLayerGroup ('Artifacts (Jarvis shards)', artifact._layer, true);
diff --git a/code/game_status.js b/code/game_status.js
index 10fe8d2c..94d24a6f 100644
--- a/code/game_status.js
+++ b/code/game_status.js
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@ window.updateGameScoreFailCount = 0;
 
 window.updateGameScore = function(data) {
   if(!data) {
-    window.postAjax('getGameScore', {}, window.updateGameScore);
+    // move the postAjax call onto a very short timer. this way, if it throws an exception, it won't prevent IITC booting
+    setTimeout (function() { window.postAjax('getGameScore', {}, window.updateGameScore); }, 1);
     return;
   }