diff --git a/src/common/gamecode/laws.c b/src/common/gamecode/laws.c
index 637a473f5..3becc13e3 100644
--- a/src/common/gamecode/laws.c
+++ b/src/common/gamecode/laws.c
@@ -3354,54 +3354,47 @@ ageing(void)
 }
 
 static int
-maxunits(faction *f)
+maxunits(const faction *f)
 {
-	if(global.unitsperalliance == true) {
-		faction *f2;
-		float    mult = 1.0;
+  if (global.unitsperalliance == true) {
+    faction *f2;
+    float mult = 1.0;
 
-		for(f2 = factions; f2; f2 = f2->next) {
-			if(f2->alliance == f->alliance) {
-				mult += 0.4f * fspecial(f2, FS_ADMINISTRATOR);
-			}
-		}
-		return (int) (global.maxunits * mult);
-	}
+    for (f2 = factions; f2; f2 = f2->next) {
+      if (f2->alliance == f->alliance) {
+        mult += 0.4f * fspecial(f2, FS_ADMINISTRATOR);
+      }
+    }
+    return (int) (global.maxunits * mult);
+  }
 
-  return (int) (global.maxunits * 
-									(1 + 0.4 * fspecial(f, FS_ADMINISTRATOR)));
+  return (int) (global.maxunits * (1 + 0.4 * fspecial(f, FS_ADMINISTRATOR)));
 }
 
 static boolean
-checkunitnumber(faction *f)
+checkunitnumber(const faction *f, int add)
 {
-	if(global.unitsperalliance == true) {
-		faction *f2;
-		int      unitsinalliance = 0;
-		
-		for(f2 = factions; f2; f2 = f2->next) {
-			if(f->alliance == f2->alliance) {
-				unitsinalliance += f2->no_units;
-			}
-		}
+  if (global.maxunits==0) return true;
+  if (global.unitsperalliance == true) {
+    /* if unitsperalliance is true, maxunits returns the
+    number of units allowed in an alliance */
+    faction *f2;
+    int unitsinalliance = add;
+    int maxu = maxunits(f);
 
-		/* if unitsperalliance is true, maxunits returns the
-		   number of units allowed in an alliance */
-		if(unitsinalliance >= maxunits(f)) {
-			return false;
-		} else {
-			return true;
-		}
-	}
+    for (f2 = factions; f2; f2 = f2->next) {
+      if (f->alliance == f2->alliance) {
+        unitsinalliance += f2->no_units;
+      }
+      if (unitsinalliance > maxu) return false;
+    }
 
-	if(f->no_units >= maxunits(f)) {
-		return false;
-	}
+    return true;
+  }
 
-	return true;
+  return (f->no_units + add < maxunits(f));
 }
 
-
 static void
 new_units (void)
 {
@@ -3425,7 +3418,7 @@ new_units (void)
             int g, alias;
             order ** newordersp;
 
-            if (checkunitnumber(u->faction) == false) {
+            if (checkunitnumber(u->faction, 1) == false) {
 							if (global.unitsperalliance == false) {
   							ADDMSG(&u->faction->msgs, msg_message("too_many_units_in_faction",
 									"command unit region allowed",
diff --git a/src/common/kernel/xmlreader.c b/src/common/kernel/xmlreader.c
index 5735f019b..ef9450e0e 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/xmlreader.c
+++ b/src/common/kernel/xmlreader.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ without prior permission by the authors of Eressea.
 /* libc includes */
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <ctype.h>
+#include <limits.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
 static boolean gamecode_enabled = false;
@@ -1179,12 +1180,7 @@ parse_main(xmlDocPtr doc)
   }
  
   global.unitsperalliance = xml_bvalue(node, "unitsperalliance", false);
-
-  property = xmlGetProp(node, BAD_CAST "units");
-  if (property!=NULL) {
-    global.maxunits = atoi((const char*)property);
-    xmlFree(property);
-  }
+  global.maxunits = xml_ivalue(node, "units", INT_MAX);
 
   property = xmlGetProp(node, BAD_CAST "name");
   if (property!=NULL) {