diff --git a/src/kernel/alliance.test.c b/src/kernel/alliance.test.c
index ad936fac9..98e60e943 100644
--- a/src/kernel/alliance.test.c
+++ b/src/kernel/alliance.test.c
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ static void test_alliance_join(CuTest *tc) {
     setalliance(fix.f2, al);
     CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, fix.f1, alliance_get_leader(al));
     CuAssertTrue(tc, is_allied(fix.f1, fix.f2));
+    setalliance(fix.f1, 0);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, fix.f2, alliance_get_leader(al));
+    CuAssertTrue(tc, !is_allied(fix.f1, fix.f2));
     test_cleanup();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/kernel/faction.c b/src/kernel/faction.c
index 72643c3cb..95d3b7392 100755
--- a/src/kernel/faction.c
+++ b/src/kernel/faction.c
@@ -651,6 +651,9 @@ void remove_empty_factions(void)
             *fp = f->next;
             funhash(f);
             free_faction(f);
+            if (f->alliance && f->alliance->_leader == f) {
+                setalliance(f, 0);
+            }
             free(f);
         }
         else
diff --git a/src/kernel/faction.test.c b/src/kernel/faction.test.c
index 4852b08dc..ef22b40cd 100644
--- a/src/kernel/faction.test.c
+++ b/src/kernel/faction.test.c
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include <platform.h>
 
 #include <kernel/ally.h>
+#include <kernel/alliance.h>
 #include <kernel/faction.h>
 #include <kernel/race.h>
 #include <kernel/region.h>
@@ -30,6 +31,22 @@ static void test_remove_empty_factions_allies(CuTest *tc) {
     test_cleanup();
 }
 
+static void test_remove_empty_factions_alliance(CuTest *tc) {
+    faction *f;
+    struct alliance *al;
+    region *r;
+
+    test_cleanup();
+    r = test_create_region(0, 0, 0);
+    f = test_create_faction(0);
+    al = makealliance(0, "Hodor");
+    setalliance(f, al);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, f, alliance_get_leader(al));
+    remove_empty_factions();
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, 0, al->_leader);
+    test_cleanup();
+}
+
 static void test_remove_empty_factions(CuTest *tc) {
     faction *f, *fm;
     int fno;
@@ -130,6 +147,7 @@ CuSuite *get_faction_suite(void)
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_addfaction);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_remove_empty_factions);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_remove_empty_factions_allies);
+    SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_remove_empty_factions_alliance);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_remove_dead_factions);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_get_monsters);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_set_origin);