Linux dedicated server - Object ref error trying to start server on A20 b238

[grizzlebizzle]

2021-12-31T03:23:36 2.461 INF Loaded (local): rwgmixer
2021-12-31T03:23:36 2.536 INF Loaded (local): archetypes
2021-12-31T03:23:36 2.540 INF Loaded (local): color_mappings
2021-12-31T03:23:36 2.541 INF Loaded (local): loadingscreen
2021-12-31T03:23:36 2.542 INF WorldStaticData.Init() needed 0.000s
2021-12-31T03:23:36 2.555 INF Started Telnet on 8081
2021-12-31T03:23:36 2.574 INF Awake done in 1994 ms
NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
 at MainMenuMono+<startGeneration>d__8.MoveNext () [0x000c8] in <ef09954bbf764bc3875ff72b68b445fc>:0  
 at UnityEngine.SetupCoroutine.InvokeMoveNext (System.Collections.IEnumerator enumerator, System.IntPtr returnValueAddress) [0x00026] in <78e7b8b0366947078a3cf35c4afac365>:0  
UnityEngine.MonoBehaviour:StartCoroutineManaged2(IEnumerator)
UnityEngine.MonoBehaviour:StartCoroutine(IEnumerator)
MainMenuMono:Start()
 

Relevant portion of log - I've tried blowing away the whole install and reinstalling from scratch - tried generating new world vs using a world generated on another machine (on the same build) - always run into the same issue. The server is up (can telnet into it) but the world is not loaded so commands that require a loaded world (such as spawnairdrop) report that the world is not loaded and of course nobody can connect.