diff --git a/src/common/kernel/eressea.c b/src/common/kernel/eressea.c
index aa6beb713..a68dbdf71 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/eressea.c
+++ b/src/common/kernel/eressea.c
@@ -2371,9 +2371,6 @@ remove_empty_factions(boolean writedropouts)
 		/* monster (0) werden nicht entfernt. alive kann beim readgame
 		 * () auf 0 gesetzt werden, wenn monsters keine einheiten mehr
 		 * haben. */
-#ifdef MAXAGE
-		if (f->age > MAXAGE) f->alive = 0;
-#endif
 		if (f->alive == 0 && f->no != MONSTER_FACTION) {
 			ursprung * ur = f->ursprung;
 			while (ur && ur->id!=0) ur=ur->next;
@@ -2430,7 +2427,10 @@ remove_empty_units_in_region(region *r)
 
 	while (*up) {
 		unit * u = *up;
-
+		faction * f = u->faction;
+#ifdef MAXAGE
+		if (f->age > MAXAGE) set_number(u, 0);
+#endif
 		if ((u->number <= 0 && u->race != new_race[RC_SPELL])
 		 	|| (u->age <= 0 && u->race == new_race[RC_SPELL])
 		 	|| u->number < 0) {
diff --git a/src/common/kernel/save.c b/src/common/kernel/save.c
index 054b8bae8..e6f09fdb0 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/save.c
+++ b/src/common/kernel/save.c
@@ -1550,7 +1550,12 @@ readunit(FILE * F)
 		u_setfaction(u, findfaction(n = ri(F)));
 	if (u->faction == NULL) {
 		log_error(("unit %s has faction == NULL\n", unitname(u)));
+#if 0
 		abort();
+#else
+		u_setfaction(u, findfaction(MONSTER_FACTION));
+		set_number(u, 0);
+#endif
 	}
 	if (playerrace(u->race)) {
 		u->faction->no_units++;
diff --git a/src/mapper/Makefile b/src/mapper/Makefile
index 6819b0065..fa3057027 100644
--- a/src/mapper/Makefile
+++ b/src/mapper/Makefile
@@ -17,19 +17,24 @@ INCLUDES  += \
 	-I../common \
 	-I..
 
+LIBNAMES      += \
+	e-triggers \
+	e-modules \
+	e-kernel \
+	e-items \
+	e-spells \
+	e-races \
+	e-attributes \
+	e-util \
+	e-modules
+
 LIBS      += \
 	-L$(PUBLISH_DIR) \
-	-le-triggers \
-	-le-modules \
-	-le-kernel \
-	-le-items \
-	-le-spells \
-	-le-races \
-	-le-attributes \
-	-le-util \
-	-le-modules \
 	-lm
 
+LIBDEPS = $(LIBNAMES:%=../$(BUILD_DIR)/lib%.a)
+LIBS   += $(LIBNAMES:%=-l%)
+
 ifeq ($(NCURSES), 1)
  LIBS += -lncurses
 else
@@ -47,7 +52,7 @@ ifeq ($(CONVERT_TRIGGERS), 1)
 endif
 
 # executable:
-$(BUILD_DIR)/$(BINARY):: $(BUILD_DIR) $(OBJECTS)
+$(BUILD_DIR)/$(BINARY):: $(BUILD_DIR) $(OBJECTS) $(LIBDEPS)
 	$(LD) -o $@ $(OBJECTS) $(LDFLAGS)
 	$(INSTALL) $@ $(PUBLISH_DIR)/