diff --git a/src/attributes/otherfaction.c b/src/attributes/otherfaction.c
index 8e4e7a6af..83196f959 100644
--- a/src/attributes/otherfaction.c
+++ b/src/attributes/otherfaction.c
@@ -58,7 +58,8 @@ attrib_type at_otherfaction = {
 
 struct faction *get_otherfaction(const struct attrib *a)
 {
-    return (faction *)(a->data.v);
+    faction * f = (faction *)(a->data.v);
+    return (f && f->_alive) ? f : NULL;
 }
 
 struct attrib *make_otherfaction(struct faction *f)
diff --git a/src/bind_faction.c b/src/bind_faction.c
index c6b747416..a4302f3c9 100644
--- a/src/bind_faction.c
+++ b/src/bind_faction.c
@@ -384,8 +384,9 @@ static int tolua_faction_create(lua_State * L)
 
 static int tolua_faction_get_password(lua_State * L)
 {
-    unused_arg(L);
-    return 0;
+    faction *self = (faction *)tolua_tousertype(L, 1, 0);
+    tolua_pushstring(L, self->_password);
+    return 1;
 }
 
 static int tolua_faction_set_password(lua_State * L)
diff --git a/src/kernel/faction.c b/src/kernel/faction.c
index 10c614505..f67dbe47a 100755
--- a/src/kernel/faction.c
+++ b/src/kernel/faction.c
@@ -217,6 +217,7 @@ int resolve_faction(variant id, void *address)
             result = -1;
         }
     }
+    assert(address);
     *(faction **)address = f;
     return result;
 }
@@ -333,7 +334,8 @@ variant read_faction_reference(struct storage * store)
 
 void write_faction_reference(const faction * f, struct storage *store)
 {
-    WRITE_INT(store, (f && f->_alive) ? f->no : 0);
+    assert(!f || f->_alive);
+    WRITE_INT(store, f ? f->no : 0);
 }
 
 static faction *dead_factions;
diff --git a/src/kernel/group.c b/src/kernel/group.c
index 7d45572cc..fdef2b8b8 100755
--- a/src/kernel/group.c
+++ b/src/kernel/group.c
@@ -203,12 +203,12 @@ void write_groups(struct storage *store, const faction * f)
         WRITE_INT(store, g->gid);
         WRITE_STR(store, g->name);
         for (a = g->allies; a; a = a->next) {
-            if (a->faction) {
+            if (a->faction && a->faction->_alive) {
                 write_faction_reference(a->faction, store);
                 WRITE_INT(store, a->status);
             }
         }
-        WRITE_INT(store, 0);
+        write_faction_reference(NULL, store);
         a_write(store, g->attribs, g);
         WRITE_SECTION(store);
     }
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ void read_groups(struct storage *store, faction * f)
             ally *a;
             variant fid;
 
-            READ_INT(store, &fid.i);
+            fid = read_faction_reference(store);
             if (fid.i <= 0)
                 break;
             a = ally_add(pa, findfaction(fid.i));
diff --git a/src/kernel/group.test.c b/src/kernel/group.test.c
index 6fe140863..7daca2829 100644
--- a/src/kernel/group.test.c
+++ b/src/kernel/group.test.c
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 #include "faction.h"
 #include "unit.h"
 #include "region.h"
+#include <util/attrib.h>
+#include <attributes/key.h>
 #include <stream.h>
 #include <filestream.h>
 #include <storage.h>
@@ -22,34 +24,47 @@ static void test_group_readwrite(CuTest * tc)
     storage store;
     FILE *F;
     stream strm;
+    int i;
 
-    F = fopen("test.dat", "w");
+    F = fopen("test.dat", "wb");
     fstream_init(&strm, F);
     binstore_init(&store, &strm);
     test_cleanup();
     test_create_world();
     f = test_create_faction(0);
-    g = new_group(f, "test", 42);
+    g = new_group(f, "NW", 42);
+    g = new_group(f, "Egoisten", 43);
+    a_add(&g->attribs, make_key(44));
     al = ally_add(&g->allies, f);
     al->status = HELP_GIVE;
     write_groups(&store, f);
+    WRITE_INT(&store, 47);
     binstore_done(&store);
     fstream_done(&strm);
 
-    F = fopen("test.dat", "r");
+    F = fopen("test.dat", "rb");
     fstream_init(&strm, F);
     binstore_init(&store, &strm);
     f->groups = 0;
-    free_group(g);
     read_groups(&store, f);
+    READ_INT(&store, &i);
     binstore_done(&store);
     fstream_done(&strm);
 
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 47, i);
     CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, f->groups);
-    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, f->groups->allies);
-    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, 0, f->groups->allies->next);
-    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, f, f->groups->allies->faction);
-    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, HELP_GIVE, f->groups->allies->status);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 42, f->groups->gid);
+    CuAssertStrEquals(tc, "NW", f->groups->name);
+    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, f->groups->next);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 43, f->groups->next->gid);
+    CuAssertStrEquals(tc, "Egoisten", f->groups->next->name);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, 0, f->groups->allies);
+    g = f->groups->next;
+    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, find_key(g->attribs, 44));
+    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, g->allies);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, 0, g->allies->next);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, f, g->allies->faction);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, HELP_GIVE, g->allies->status);
     remove("test.dat");
     test_cleanup();
 }
diff --git a/src/kernel/plane.h b/src/kernel/plane.h
index d8ec176a9..926ffb4e2 100644
--- a/src/kernel/plane.h
+++ b/src/kernel/plane.h
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
+    struct faction;
     struct region;
     struct faction;
     struct plane;
diff --git a/src/kernel/region.h b/src/kernel/region.h
index 5974fd96c..72496193b 100644
--- a/src/kernel/region.h
+++ b/src/kernel/region.h
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ extern "C" {
     struct message_list;
     struct rawmaterial;
     struct item;
+    struct faction;
 
 #define MORALE_TAX_FACTOR 0.005 /* 0.5% tax per point of morale */
 #define MORALE_MAX 10           /* Maximum morale allowed */
diff --git a/src/kernel/save.c b/src/kernel/save.c
index de6dba3a3..44e3f1edf 100644
--- a/src/kernel/save.c
+++ b/src/kernel/save.c
@@ -238,8 +238,8 @@ static faction *factionorders(void)
         /* Die Partei hat sich zumindest gemeldet, so dass sie noch
          * nicht als untätig gilt */
 
-        /* TODO: +1 ist ein Workaround, weil cturn erst in process_orders
-         * incrementiert wird. */
+         /* TODO: +1 ist ein Workaround, weil cturn erst in process_orders
+          * incrementiert wird. */
         f->lastorders = global.data_turn + 1;
 
     }
@@ -513,13 +513,14 @@ static void read_owner(struct gamedata *data, region_owner ** powner)
             int id;
             READ_INT(data->store, &id);
             owner->last_owner = id ? findfaction(id) : NULL;
-        } else if (data->version >= OWNER_2_VERSION) {
+        }
+        else if (data->version >= OWNER_2_VERSION) {
             int id;
             alliance *a;
             READ_INT(data->store, &id);
             a = id ? findalliance(id) : NULL;
             /* don't know which faction, take the leader */
-            owner->last_owner = a? a->_leader : NULL;
+            owner->last_owner = a ? a->_leader : NULL;
         }
         else {
             owner->last_owner = NULL;
@@ -535,11 +536,14 @@ static void read_owner(struct gamedata *data, region_owner ** powner)
 static void write_owner(struct gamedata *data, region_owner * owner)
 {
     if (owner) {
+        faction *f;
         WRITE_INT(data->store, owner->since_turn);
         WRITE_INT(data->store, owner->morale_turn);
         WRITE_INT(data->store, owner->flags);
-        write_faction_reference(owner->last_owner, data->store);
-        write_faction_reference(owner->owner, data->store);
+        f = owner->last_owner;
+        write_faction_reference((f && f->_alive) ? f : NULL, data->store);
+        f = owner->owner;
+        write_faction_reference((f && f->_alive) ? f : NULL, data->store);
     }
     else {
         WRITE_INT(data->store, -1);
@@ -569,7 +573,7 @@ int current_turn(void)
 
 static void
 writeorder(struct gamedata *data, const struct order *ord,
-const struct locale *lang)
+    const struct locale *lang)
 {
     char obuf[1024];
     write_order(ord, obuf, sizeof(obuf));
@@ -818,7 +822,7 @@ void write_unit(struct gamedata *data, const unit * u)
     WRITE_SECTION(data->store);
     write_items(data->store, u->items);
     WRITE_SECTION(data->store);
-    if (u->hp == 0 && u_race(u)!= get_race(RC_SPELL)) {
+    if (u->hp == 0 && u_race(u) != get_race(RC_SPELL)) {
         log_error("unit %s has 0 hitpoints, adjusting.\n", itoa36(u->no));
         ((unit *)u)->hp = u->number;
     }
@@ -979,7 +983,7 @@ static region *readregion(struct gamedata *data, int x, int y)
         read_items(data->store, &r->land->items);
         if (data->version >= REGIONOWNER_VERSION) {
             READ_INT(data->store, &n);
-            region_set_morale(r, _max(0, (short) n), -1);
+            region_set_morale(r, _max(0, (short)n), -1);
             read_owner(data, &r->land->ownership);
         }
     }
@@ -1002,7 +1006,7 @@ void writeregion(struct gamedata *data, const region * r)
         const item_type *rht;
         struct demand *demand;
         rawmaterial *res = r->resources;
-        
+
         assert(r->land);
         WRITE_STR(data->store, (const char *)r->land->name);
         assert(rtrees(r, 0) >= 0);
@@ -1133,7 +1137,7 @@ void read_spellbook(spellbook **bookp, struct storage *store, int(*get_level)(co
                 *bookp = create_spellbook(0);
                 sb = *bookp;
             }
-            if (level>0 && (global.data_version >= SPELLBOOK_VERSION || !spellbook_get(sb, sp))) {
+            if (level > 0 && (global.data_version >= SPELLBOOK_VERSION || !spellbook_get(sb, sp))) {
                 spellbook_add(sb, sp, level);
             }
         }
@@ -1163,12 +1167,12 @@ static char * getpasswd(int fno) {
     if (F) {
         while (!feof(F)) {
             fgets(line, sizeof(line), F);
-            if (line[len]==':' && strncmp(prefix, line, len)==0) {
-                size_t slen = strlen(line)-1;
-                assert(line[slen]=='\n');
+            if (line[len] == ':' && strncmp(prefix, line, len) == 0) {
+                size_t slen = strlen(line) - 1;
+                assert(line[slen] == '\n');
                 line[slen] = 0;
                 fclose(F);
-                return _strdup(line+len+1);
+                return _strdup(line + len + 1);
             }
         }
         fclose(F);
@@ -1466,10 +1470,10 @@ int readgame(const char *filename, bool backup)
         return -1;
     }
     sz = fread(&gdata.version, sizeof(int), 1, F);
-    if (sz!=sizeof(int) || gdata.version >= INTPAK_VERSION) {
+    if (sz != sizeof(int) || gdata.version >= INTPAK_VERSION) {
         int stream_version;
         size_t sz = fread(&stream_version, sizeof(int), 1, F);
-        assert((sz==1 && stream_version == STREAM_VERSION) || !"unsupported data format");
+        assert((sz == 1 && stream_version == STREAM_VERSION) || !"unsupported data format");
     }
     assert(gdata.version >= MIN_VERSION || !"unsupported data format");
     assert(gdata.version <= MAX_VERSION || !"unsupported data format");
diff --git a/src/triggers/changefaction.c b/src/triggers/changefaction.c
index 6aa0de463..47eee5874 100644
--- a/src/triggers/changefaction.c
+++ b/src/triggers/changefaction.c
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ static void changefaction_write(const trigger * t, struct storage *store)
 {
     changefaction_data *td = (changefaction_data *)t->data.v;
     write_unit_reference(td->unit, store);
-    write_faction_reference(td->faction, store);
+    write_faction_reference(td->faction->_alive ? td->faction : NULL, store);
 }
 
 static int changefaction_read(trigger * t, struct storage *store)
diff --git a/src/triggers/createunit.c b/src/triggers/createunit.c
index ee75916b4..bd8595378 100644
--- a/src/triggers/createunit.c
+++ b/src/triggers/createunit.c
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ static int createunit_handle(trigger * t, void *data)
 static void createunit_write(const trigger * t, struct storage *store)
 {
     createunit_data *td = (createunit_data *)t->data.v;
-    write_faction_reference(td->f, store);
+    write_faction_reference(td->f->_alive ? td->f : NULL, store);
     write_region_reference(td->r, store);
     write_race_reference(td->race, store);
     WRITE_INT(store, td->number);
@@ -93,7 +93,6 @@ static int createunit_read(trigger * t, struct storage *store)
     createunit_data *td = (createunit_data *)t->data.v;
     variant var;
     int result = AT_READ_OK;
-
     var = read_faction_reference(store);
     if (var.i > 0) {
         td->f = findfaction(var.i);
@@ -104,6 +103,8 @@ static int createunit_read(trigger * t, struct storage *store)
     else {
         result = AT_READ_FAIL;
     }
+    // read_reference(&td->f, store, read_faction_reference, resolve_faction);
+
     read_reference(&td->r, store, read_region_reference,
         RESOLVE_REGION(global.data_version));
     td->race = (const struct race *)read_race_reference(store).v;
diff --git a/src/util/resolve.c b/src/util/resolve.c
index cee4a9d19..e8dd0c17a 100644
--- a/src/util/resolve.c
+++ b/src/util/resolve.c
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ resolve_fun resolver)
 
 void ur_add(variant data, void *ptrptr, resolve_fun fun)
 {
+    assert(ptrptr);
     if (ur_list == NULL) {
         ur_list = malloc(BLOCKSIZE * sizeof(unresolved));
         ur_begin = ur_current = ur_list;
@@ -86,6 +87,7 @@ void resolve(void)
             ur_list = ur;
             continue;
         }
+        assert(ur->ptrptr);
         ur->resolve(ur->data, ur->ptrptr);
         ++ur;
     }
diff --git a/tests/data/184.dat b/tests/data/184.dat
index 734e5a19f..d219f92dd 100644
Binary files a/tests/data/184.dat and b/tests/data/184.dat differ
diff --git a/tests/orders.184 b/tests/orders.184
index 87825c1fd..980993481 100644
--- a/tests/orders.184
+++ b/tests/orders.184
@@ -1,4 +1,16 @@
-ERESSEA 6rLo "4jLm82"
+ERESSEA 6rLo "6rLo"
 EINHEIT 7Lgf
 NACH NW NW
 NAECHSTER
+ERESSEA w86y "w86y"
+EINHEIT uc3u
+STIRB "mrqa"
+NAECHSTER
+ERESSEA ngij "ngij"
+EINHEIT iwbz
+HELFE w86y ALLES
+EINHEIT j536
+GRUPPE "Hodor"
+HELFE w86y ALLES
+HELFE w86y SILBER NICHT
+NAECHSTER
diff --git a/tests/run-turn.sh b/tests/run-turn.sh
index 89e4f1d8b..e6118329c 100755
--- a/tests/run-turn.sh
+++ b/tests/run-turn.sh
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ SUPP=../share/ubuntu-12_04.supp
 SERVER="$VALGRIND --suppressions=$SUPP --error-exitcode=1 --leak-check=no $SERVER"
 fi
 echo "running $SERVER"
-$SERVER -t 184 ../scripts/run-turn.lua
+$SERVER -t 184 test-turn.lua
 [ -d reports ] || quit 4 "no reports directory created"
 CRFILE=185-zvto.cr
 for file in $NEWFILES reports/$CRFILE ; do
diff --git a/tests/test-turn.lua b/tests/test-turn.lua
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..03178b74d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test-turn.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+dofile('../scripts/run-turn.lua')
+turn = get_turn()
+eressea.free_game()
+print("trying to read data from " .. turn)
+eressea.read_game(turn .. ".dat")