diff --git a/src/common/kernel/magic.c b/src/common/kernel/magic.c
index 909489c4f..ee683436e 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/magic.c
+++ b/src/common/kernel/magic.c
@@ -594,7 +594,7 @@ find_spellbyname(unit *u, char *name, const struct locale * lang)
 {
 	spell_ptr *spt;
 	sc_mage * m = get_mage(u);
-	spell * sp;
+	spell * sp = NULL;
 	spell_names * sn;
 
 	if (!m) return NULL;
@@ -605,12 +605,13 @@ find_spellbyname(unit *u, char *name, const struct locale * lang)
 	    sn = get_spellnames(lang, m->magietyp);
       if (findtoken(&sn->names, name, (void**)&sp)!=E_TOK_NOMATCH) break;
     }
-    if (mtype==MAXMAGIETYP) return NULL;
   }
 
-	for (spt = m->spellptr; spt; spt = spt->next) {
-		if (sp->id==spt->spellid) return sp;
-	}
+  if (sp!=NULL) {
+    for (spt = m->spellptr; spt; spt = spt->next) {
+		  if (sp->id==spt->spellid) return sp;
+    }
+  }
 	if (lang==default_locale) return NULL;
 	return find_spellbyname(u, name, default_locale);
 }