diff --git a/Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WW3D2/render2dsentence.cpp b/Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WW3D2/render2dsentence.cpp
index b10117084cc..9f84cd2c61c 100644
--- a/Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WW3D2/render2dsentence.cpp
+++ b/Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WW3D2/render2dsentence.cpp
@@ -698,6 +698,17 @@ Render2DSentenceClass::Allocate_New_Surface (const WCHAR *text, bool justCalcExt
 		//
 		CurSurface = NEW_REF (SurfaceClass, (CurrTextureSize, CurrTextureSize, WW3D_FORMAT_A4R4G4B4));
 		WWASSERT (CurSurface != NULL);
+		
+		//
+		//	Validate that the underlying D3D surface was successfully created
+		//
+		if (CurSurface != NULL && !CurSurface->Is_Valid()) {
+			// Surface creation failed - clean up and return
+			REF_PTR_RELEASE(CurSurface);
+			CurSurface = NULL;
+			return;
+		}
+		
 		CurSurface->Add_Ref ();
 
 		//
@@ -931,7 +942,15 @@ void	Render2DSentenceClass::Build_Sentence_Centered (const WCHAR *text, int *hkX
 				//
 				if (LockedPtr == NULL) {
 					LockedPtr = (uint16 *)CurSurface->Lock (&LockedStride);
-					WWASSERT (LockedPtr != NULL);
+					// If Lock() failed (returned NULL), we cannot render text - abort gracefully
+					if (LockedPtr == NULL) {
+						// Stop processing - cannot continue without a valid surface
+						if(hkX)
+							*hkX = hotKeyPosX;
+						if(hkX)
+							*hkY = hotKeyPosY;
+						return;
+					}
 				}
 
 				//
@@ -1121,7 +1140,21 @@ Vector2	Render2DSentenceClass::Build_Sentence_Not_Centered (const WCHAR *text, i
 			{
 				if (LockedPtr == NULL) {
 					LockedPtr = (uint16 *)CurSurface->Lock (&LockedStride);
-					WWASSERT (LockedPtr != NULL);
+					// If Lock() failed (returned NULL), we cannot render text - abort gracefully
+					if (LockedPtr == NULL) {
+						// Return the extent we've calculated so far
+						Vector2 extent;
+						extent.X = maxX + Font->Get_Extra_Overlap();
+						extent.Y = Cursor.Y + char_height;
+						Cursor = cursor;
+						TextureOffset = textureOffset;
+						TextureStartX = textureStartX;
+						if(hkX)
+							*hkX = hotKeyPosX;
+						if(hkX)
+							*hkY = hotKeyPosY;
+						return extent;
+					}
 				}
 			}
 
diff --git a/Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WW3D2/surfaceclass.cpp b/Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WW3D2/surfaceclass.cpp
index ae112b257bb..1efcbe8228c 100644
--- a/Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WW3D2/surfaceclass.cpp
+++ b/Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WW3D2/surfaceclass.cpp
@@ -249,6 +249,14 @@ SurfaceClass::~SurfaceClass(void)
 
 void SurfaceClass::Get_Description(SurfaceDescription &surface_desc)
 {
+	// Check if the D3D surface is valid before attempting to get description
+	if (D3DSurface == NULL) {
+		surface_desc.Format = WW3D_FORMAT_UNKNOWN;
+		surface_desc.Height = 0;
+		surface_desc.Width = 0;
+		return;
+	}
+
 	D3DSURFACE_DESC d3d_desc;
 	::ZeroMemory(&d3d_desc, sizeof(D3DSURFACE_DESC));
 	DX8_ErrorCode(D3DSurface->GetDesc(&d3d_desc));
@@ -259,6 +267,12 @@ void SurfaceClass::Get_Description(SurfaceDescription &surface_desc)
 
 void * SurfaceClass::Lock(int * pitch)
 {
+	// Check if the D3D surface is valid before attempting to lock
+	if (D3DSurface == NULL) {
+		if (pitch) *pitch = 0;
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
 	D3DLOCKED_RECT lock_rect;
 	::ZeroMemory(&lock_rect, sizeof(D3DLOCKED_RECT));
 	DX8_ErrorCode(D3DSurface->LockRect(&lock_rect, 0, 0));
@@ -268,6 +282,10 @@ void * SurfaceClass::Lock(int * pitch)
 
 void SurfaceClass::Unlock(void)
 {
+	// Check if the D3D surface is valid before attempting to unlock
+	if (D3DSurface == NULL) {
+		return;
+	}
 	DX8_ErrorCode(D3DSurface->UnlockRect());
 }
 
@@ -288,6 +306,11 @@ void SurfaceClass::Unlock(void)
  *=============================================================================================*/
 void SurfaceClass::Clear()
 {
+	// Check if the D3D surface is valid
+	if (D3DSurface == NULL) {
+		return;
+	}
+
 	SurfaceDescription sd;
 	Get_Description(sd);
 
@@ -327,6 +350,11 @@ void SurfaceClass::Clear()
  *=============================================================================================*/
 void SurfaceClass::Copy(const unsigned char *other)
 {
+	// Check if the D3D surface is valid
+	if (D3DSurface == NULL) {
+		return;
+	}
+
 	SurfaceDescription sd;
 	Get_Description(sd);
 
@@ -366,6 +394,11 @@ void SurfaceClass::Copy(const unsigned char *other)
  *=============================================================================================*/
 void SurfaceClass::Copy(Vector2i &min,Vector2i &max, const unsigned char *other)
 {
+	// Check if the D3D surface is valid
+	if (D3DSurface == NULL) {
+		return;
+	}
+
 	SurfaceDescription sd;
 	Get_Description(sd);
 
@@ -411,6 +444,14 @@ void SurfaceClass::Copy(Vector2i &min,Vector2i &max, const unsigned char *other)
  *=============================================================================================*/
 unsigned char *SurfaceClass::CreateCopy(int *width,int *height,int*size,bool flip)
 {
+	// Check if the D3D surface is valid
+	if (D3DSurface == NULL) {
+		*width = 0;
+		*height = 0;
+		*size = 0;
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
 	SurfaceDescription sd;
 	Get_Description(sd);
 
@@ -472,6 +513,11 @@ void SurfaceClass::Copy(
 	WWASSERT(width);
 	WWASSERT(height);
 
+	// Check if either D3D surface is invalid
+	if (D3DSurface == NULL || other->D3DSurface == NULL) {
+		return;
+	}
+
 	SurfaceDescription sd,osd;
 	Get_Description(sd);
 	const_cast <SurfaceClass*>(other)->Get_Description(osd);
@@ -529,6 +575,11 @@ void SurfaceClass::Stretch_Copy(
 {
 	WWASSERT(other);
 
+	// Check if either D3D surface is invalid
+	if (D3DSurface == NULL || other->D3DSurface == NULL) {
+		return;
+	}
+
 	SurfaceDescription sd,osd;
 	Get_Description(sd);
 	const_cast <SurfaceClass*>(other)->Get_Description(osd);
@@ -565,6 +616,11 @@ void SurfaceClass::Stretch_Copy(
  *=============================================================================================*/
 void SurfaceClass::FindBB(Vector2i *min,Vector2i*max)
 {
+	// Check if the D3D surface is valid
+	if (D3DSurface == NULL) {
+		return;
+	}
+
 	SurfaceDescription sd;
 	Get_Description(sd);
 
@@ -640,6 +696,11 @@ void SurfaceClass::FindBB(Vector2i *min,Vector2i*max)
  *=============================================================================================*/
 bool SurfaceClass::Is_Transparent_Column(unsigned int column)
 {
+	// Check if the D3D surface is valid
+	if (D3DSurface == NULL) {
+		return true;
+	}
+
 	SurfaceDescription sd;
 	Get_Description(sd);
 
@@ -708,6 +769,12 @@ bool SurfaceClass::Is_Transparent_Column(unsigned int column)
  *=============================================================================================*/
 void SurfaceClass::Get_Pixel(Vector3 &rgb, int x,int y)
 {
+	// Check if the D3D surface is valid
+	if (D3DSurface == NULL) {
+		rgb.Set(0, 0, 0);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	SurfaceDescription sd;
 	Get_Description(sd);
 
@@ -805,6 +872,11 @@ void SurfaceClass::Detach (void)
  *=============================================================================================*/
 void SurfaceClass::DrawPixel(const unsigned int x,const unsigned int y, unsigned int color)
 {
+	// Check if the D3D surface is valid
+	if (D3DSurface == NULL) {
+		return;
+	}
+
 	SurfaceDescription sd;
 	Get_Description(sd);
 
@@ -859,6 +931,11 @@ void SurfaceClass::DrawPixel(const unsigned int x,const unsigned int y, unsigned
  *=============================================================================================*/
 void SurfaceClass::DrawHLine(const unsigned int y,const unsigned int x1, const unsigned int x2, unsigned int color)
 {
+	// Check if the D3D surface is valid
+	if (D3DSurface == NULL) {
+		return;
+	}
+
 	SurfaceDescription sd;
 	Get_Description(sd);
 
@@ -918,6 +995,11 @@ void SurfaceClass::DrawHLine(const unsigned int y,const unsigned int x1, const u
  *=============================================================================================*/
 bool SurfaceClass::Is_Monochrome(void)
 {
+	// Check if the D3D surface is valid
+	if (D3DSurface == NULL) {
+		return false;
+	}
+
 	unsigned int x,y;
 	SurfaceDescription sd;
 	Get_Description(sd);
@@ -1008,6 +1090,11 @@ bool SurfaceClass::Is_Monochrome(void)
  *=============================================================================================*/
 void SurfaceClass::Hue_Shift(const Vector3 &hsv_shift)
 {
+	// Check if the D3D surface is valid
+	if (D3DSurface == NULL) {
+		return;
+	}
+
 	unsigned int x,y;
 	SurfaceDescription sd;
 	Get_Description(sd);
diff --git a/Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WW3D2/surfaceclass.h b/Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WW3D2/surfaceclass.h
index de3b7000576..b6b4ca7b7cc 100644
--- a/Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WW3D2/surfaceclass.h
+++ b/Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WW3D2/surfaceclass.h
@@ -140,6 +140,9 @@ class SurfaceClass : public W3DMPO, public RefCountClass
 
 		WW3DFormat Get_Surface_Format() const { return SurfaceFormat; }
 
+		// Check if the underlying D3D surface is valid
+		bool Is_Valid() const { return D3DSurface != NULL; }
+
 	private:
 
 		// Direct3D surface object