diff --git a/js/game.js b/js/game.js
index 2752ad9..7b2d29c 100644
--- a/js/game.js
+++ b/js/game.js
@@ -4,7 +4,9 @@ import TILE_TYPES from './tiletypes.js';
 export class Tile {
     constructor(type, direction = 'south') {
         this.type = type;
-        this.direction = direction;
+        if (type.is_actor) {
+            this.direction = direction;
+        }
         this.cell = null;
 
         if (type.is_actor) {
diff --git a/js/main-editor.js b/js/main-editor.js
index 581307f..9b7823f 100644
--- a/js/main-editor.js
+++ b/js/main-editor.js
@@ -772,6 +772,10 @@ export class Editor extends PrimaryView {
             return;
 
         let type = TILE_TYPES[name];
+        let direction;
+        if (type.is_actor) {
+            direction = 'south';
+        }
         let cell = this.stored_level.cells[y][x];
         // For terrain tiles, erase the whole cell.  For other tiles, only
         // replace whatever's on the same layer
@@ -779,7 +783,7 @@ export class Editor extends PrimaryView {
         // combine e.g. the tent with thin walls
         if (type.draw_layer === 0) {
             cell.length = 0;
-            cell.push({type});
+            cell.push({type, direction});
         }
         else {
             for (let i = cell.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
@@ -787,7 +791,7 @@ export class Editor extends PrimaryView {
                     cell.splice(i, 1);
                 }
             }
-            cell.push({type});
+            cell.push({type, direction});
             cell.sort((a, b) => a.type.draw_layer - b.type.draw_layer);
         }
     }
diff --git a/js/main.js b/js/main.js
index 7b3dc6c..ad51927 100644
--- a/js/main.js
+++ b/js/main.js
@@ -1428,7 +1428,7 @@ class Splash extends PrimaryView {
                 cell.push({type: TILE_TYPES['floor']});
                 stored_level.linear_cells.push(cell);
             }
-            stored_level.linear_cells[0].push({type: TILE_TYPES['player']});
+            stored_level.linear_cells[0].push({type: TILE_TYPES['player'], direction: 'south'});
 
             // FIXME definitely gonna need a name here chief
             let stored_game = new format_base.StoredGame(null);