diff --git a/src/kernel/building.c b/src/kernel/building.c
index 8cbe5c180..456ad1704 100644
--- a/src/kernel/building.c
+++ b/src/kernel/building.c
@@ -366,8 +366,7 @@ int read_building_reference(gamedata * data, building **bp)
     if (id > 0) {
         *bp = findbuilding(id);
         if (*bp == NULL) {
-            *bp = NULL;
-            ur_add(RESOLVE_BUILDING | id, (void**)bp, NULL);
+            *bp = building_create(id);
         }
     }
     else {
@@ -376,17 +375,23 @@ int read_building_reference(gamedata * data, building **bp)
     return id;
 }
 
+building *building_create(int id)
+{
+    building *b = (building *)calloc(1, sizeof(building));
+    b->no = id;
+    bhash(b);
+    return b;
+}
+
 building *new_building(const struct building_type * btype, region * r,
     const struct locale * lang)
 {
     building **bptr = &r->buildings;
-    building *b = (building *)calloc(1, sizeof(building));
+    int id = newcontainerid();
+    building *b = building_create(id);
     const char *bname;
     char buffer[32];
 
-    b->no = newcontainerid();
-    bhash(b);
-
     b->type = btype;
     b->region = r;
     while (*bptr)
diff --git a/src/kernel/building.h b/src/kernel/building.h
index 2a0a77cde..a5419325f 100644
--- a/src/kernel/building.h
+++ b/src/kernel/building.h
@@ -127,8 +127,9 @@ extern "C" {
     const char *write_buildingname(const building * b, char *ibuf,
         size_t size);
     int buildingcapacity(const struct building *b);
+    struct building *building_create(int id);
     struct building *new_building(const struct building_type *typ,
-    struct region *r, const struct locale *lang);
+        struct region *r, const struct locale *lang);
     int build_building(struct unit *u, const struct building_type *typ,
         int id, int size, struct order *ord);
     bool building_finished(const struct building *b);