diff --git a/src/give.test.c b/src/give.test.c
index a5714f445..b79214040 100644
--- a/src/give.test.c
+++ b/src/give.test.c
@@ -296,6 +296,31 @@ static void test_give_denied_by_rules(CuTest * tc) {
     test_cleanup();
 }
 
+static void test_give_invalid_target(CuTest *tc) {
+    // bug https://bugs.eressea.de/view.php?id=1685
+    struct give env;
+    order *ord;
+    struct locale * lang;
+
+    test_cleanup();
+    env.f1 = test_create_faction(0);
+    env.f2 = 0;
+    setup_give(&env);
+
+    i_change(&env.src->items, env.itype, 10);
+    lang = get_or_create_locale("test");
+    env.f1->locale = lang;
+    locale_setstring(lang, "KRAEUTER", "HERBS");
+    init_locale(lang);
+    ord = create_order(K_GIVE, lang, "## HERBS");
+    assert(ord);
+
+    give_cmd(env.src, ord);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 10, i_get(env.src->items, env.itype));
+    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, test_find_messagetype(env.f1->msgs, "feedback_unit_not_found"));
+    test_cleanup();
+}
+
 CuSuite *get_give_suite(void)
 {
     CuSuite *suite = CuSuiteNew();
@@ -315,5 +340,6 @@ CuSuite *get_give_suite(void)
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_give_herbs);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_give_okay);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_give_denied_by_rules);
+    SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_give_invalid_target);
     return suite;
 }
diff --git a/src/kernel/config.c b/src/kernel/config.c
index 573126137..a63fb092d 100644
--- a/src/kernel/config.c
+++ b/src/kernel/config.c
@@ -1025,6 +1025,16 @@ typedef struct param {
     char *data;
 } param;
 
+void free_params(struct param **pp) {
+    while (*pp) {
+        param *p = *pp;
+        free(p->name);
+        free(p->data);
+        *pp = p->next;
+        free(p);
+    }
+}
+
 const char *get_param(const struct param *p, const char *key)
 {
     while (p != NULL) {
diff --git a/src/kernel/config.h b/src/kernel/config.h
index 056de8f84..2f71f7e01 100644
--- a/src/kernel/config.h
+++ b/src/kernel/config.h
@@ -277,6 +277,7 @@ extern "C" {
     int get_param_int(const struct param *p, const char *key, int def);
     int check_param(const struct param *p, const char *key, const char *searchvalue);
     float get_param_flt(const struct param *p, const char *key, float def);
+    void free_params(struct param **pp);
 
     bool ExpensiveMigrants(void);
     int NMRTimeout(void);
diff --git a/src/tests.c b/src/tests.c
index bcbd18c29..fe0e7bfcd 100644
--- a/src/tests.c
+++ b/src/tests.c
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ void test_cleanup(void)
     free_resources();
     global.functions.maintenance = NULL;
     global.functions.wage = NULL;
+    free_params(&global.parameters);
     default_locale = 0;
     free_locales();
     free_spells();