diff --git a/src/battle-scene.ts b/src/battle-scene.ts
index d6563cbada8..1711af0bf9c 100644
--- a/src/battle-scene.ts
+++ b/src/battle-scene.ts
@@ -633,7 +633,7 @@ export default class BattleScene extends SceneBase {
 		if (Overrides.OPP_SPECIES_OVERRIDE)
 			species = getPokemonSpecies(Overrides.OPP_SPECIES_OVERRIDE);
 		const pokemon = new EnemyPokemon(this, species, level, trainerSlot, boss, dataSource);
-		if (Overrides.OPP_GENDER_OVERRIDE) {
+		if (Overrides.OPP_GENDER_OVERRIDE !== null) {
 			pokemon.gender = Overrides.OPP_GENDER_OVERRIDE;
 		}
 		overrideModifiers(this, false);
diff --git a/src/overrides.ts b/src/overrides.ts
index a31f05af26f..b29a8c6cf1f 100644
--- a/src/overrides.ts
+++ b/src/overrides.ts
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ export const STARTING_LEVEL_OVERRIDE: integer = 0;
 export const STARTER_SPECIES_OVERRIDE: Species | integer = 0;
 export const ABILITY_OVERRIDE: Abilities = Abilities.NONE;
 export const PASSIVE_ABILITY_OVERRIDE: Abilities = Abilities.NONE;
-export const GENDER_OVERRIDE: Gender = 0;
+export const GENDER_OVERRIDE: Gender = null;
 export const MOVESET_OVERRIDE: Array<Moves> = [];
 export const SHINY_OVERRIDE: boolean = false;
 export const VARIANT_OVERRIDE: Variant = 0;
diff --git a/src/phases.ts b/src/phases.ts
index 2c8cbfcbc54..77f7c79fb96 100644
--- a/src/phases.ts
+++ b/src/phases.ts
@@ -515,12 +515,13 @@ export class SelectStarterPhase extends Phase {
           let starterFormIndex = Math.min(starterProps.formIndex, Math.max(starter.species.forms.length - 1, 0));
           if (!i && Overrides.STARTER_SPECIES_OVERRIDE)
             starterFormIndex = Overrides.STARTER_FORM_OVERRIDE;
-          const starterGender = starter.species.malePercent !== null
+          let starterGender = starter.species.malePercent !== null
             ? !starterProps.female ? Gender.MALE : Gender.FEMALE
             : Gender.GENDERLESS;
-          const genderOverride = Overrides.GENDER_OVERRIDE;
+          if (Overrides.GENDER_OVERRIDE !== null)
+            starterGender = Overrides.GENDER_OVERRIDE
           const starterIvs = this.scene.gameData.dexData[starter.species.speciesId].ivs.slice(0);
-          const starterPokemon = this.scene.addPlayerPokemon(starter.species, this.scene.gameMode.getStartingLevel(), starter.abilityIndex, starterFormIndex, genderOverride || starterGender, starterProps.shiny, starterProps.variant, starterIvs, starter.nature);
+          const starterPokemon = this.scene.addPlayerPokemon(starter.species, this.scene.gameMode.getStartingLevel(), starter.abilityIndex, starterFormIndex, starterGender, starterProps.shiny, starterProps.variant, starterIvs, starter.nature);
           starterPokemon.tryPopulateMoveset(starter.moveset);
           if (starter.passive)
             starterPokemon.passive = true;