diff --git a/src/kernel/unit.c b/src/kernel/unit.c
index b956465e2..27dff7f0c 100644
--- a/src/kernel/unit.c
+++ b/src/kernel/unit.c
@@ -232,9 +232,8 @@ int gift_items(unit * u, int flags)
     int rule = rule_give();
 
     assert(u->region);
-    assert(u->faction);
 
-    if ((u->faction->flags & FFL_QUIT) == 0 || (rule & GIVE_ONDEATH) == 0) {
+    if ((rule & GIVE_ONDEATH) == 0 || !u->faction || (u->faction->flags & FFL_QUIT) == 0) {
         if ((rule & GIVE_ALLITEMS) == 0 && (flags & GIFT_FRIENDS))
             flags -= GIFT_FRIENDS;
         if ((rule & GIVE_PEASANTS) == 0 && (flags & GIFT_PEASANTS))
diff --git a/src/kernel/unit.test.c b/src/kernel/unit.test.c
index 3a341cce2..12a83d3ad 100644
--- a/src/kernel/unit.test.c
+++ b/src/kernel/unit.test.c
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 #include <platform.h>
 #include <kernel/config.h>
 #include "alchemy.h"
+#include "faction.h"
 #include "unit.h"
 #include "item.h"
+#include "race.h"
 #include "region.h"
 
 #include <CuTest.h>
@@ -47,6 +49,58 @@ static void test_remove_empty_units_in_region(CuTest *tc) {
     test_cleanup();
 }
 
+static void test_remove_units_without_faction(CuTest *tc) {
+    unit *u;
+    int uid;
+
+    test_cleanup();
+    test_create_world();
+
+    u = test_create_unit(test_create_faction(test_create_race("human")), findregion(0, 0));
+    uid = u->no;
+    u_setfaction(u, 0);
+    remove_empty_units_in_region(u->region);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, 0, findunit(uid));
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 0, u->number);
+    test_cleanup();
+}
+
+static void test_remove_units_with_dead_faction(CuTest *tc) {
+    unit *u;
+    int uid;
+
+    test_cleanup();
+    test_create_world();
+
+    u = test_create_unit(test_create_faction(test_create_race("human")), findregion(0, 0));
+    uid = u->no;
+    u->faction->alive = false;
+    remove_empty_units_in_region(u->region);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, 0, findunit(uid));
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 0, u->number);
+    test_cleanup();
+}
+
+static void test_remove_units_ignores_spells(CuTest *tc) {
+    unit *u;
+    int uid;
+
+    test_cleanup();
+    test_create_world();
+
+    u = create_unit(findregion(0, 0), test_create_faction(test_create_race("human")), 1, get_race(RC_SPELL), 0, 0, 0);
+    uid = u->no;
+    u->number = 0;
+    u->age = 1;
+    remove_empty_units_in_region(u->region);
+    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, findunit(uid));
+    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, u->region);
+    u->age = 0;
+    remove_empty_units_in_region(u->region);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, 0, findunit(uid));
+    test_cleanup();
+}
+
 static void test_scale_number(CuTest *tc) {
     unit *u;
     const struct potion_type *ptype;
@@ -74,6 +128,9 @@ CuSuite *get_unit_suite(void)
     CuSuite *suite = CuSuiteNew();
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_scale_number);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_remove_empty_units);
+    SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_remove_units_ignores_spells);
+    SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_remove_units_without_faction);
+    SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_remove_units_with_dead_faction);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_remove_empty_units_in_region);
     return suite;
 }
diff --git a/src/tests.c b/src/tests.c
index e5017b5ad..066b93262 100644
--- a/src/tests.c
+++ b/src/tests.c
@@ -51,8 +51,8 @@ struct faction *test_create_faction(const struct race *rc)
 
 struct unit *test_create_unit(struct faction *f, struct region *r)
 {
-  unit *u = create_unit(r, f, 1, f?f->race:rc_find("human"), 0, 0, 0);
-  return u;
+    assert(f || !r);
+    return create_unit(r, f, 1, f ? f->race : rc_find("human"), 0, 0, 0);
 }
 
 void test_cleanup(void)