diff --git a/src/kernel/ship.c b/src/kernel/ship.c
index 6ef070849..d25e0c911 100644
--- a/src/kernel/ship.c
+++ b/src/kernel/ship.c
@@ -318,7 +318,10 @@ int crew_skill(const ship *sh) {
 
     for (u = sh->region->units; u; u = u->next) {
         if (u->ship == sh) {
-            n += effskill(u, SK_SAILING, NULL) * u->number;
+            int es = effskill(u, SK_SAILING, NULL);
+            if (es >= sh->type->minskill) {
+                n += es * u->number;
+            }
         }
     }
     return n;
diff --git a/src/kernel/ship.test.c b/src/kernel/ship.test.c
index 71282cbd8..062e7cd20 100644
--- a/src/kernel/ship.test.c
+++ b/src/kernel/ship.test.c
@@ -384,27 +384,6 @@ static void test_stype_defaults(CuTest *tc) {
     test_teardown();
 }
 
-static void test_crew_skill(CuTest *tc) {
-    ship *sh;
-    region *r;
-    struct faction *f;
-    int i;
-
-    test_setup();
-    test_create_world();
-    r = test_create_region(0, 0, NULL);
-    f = test_create_faction(NULL);
-    assert(r && f);
-    sh = test_create_ship(r, st_find("boat"));
-    for (i = 0; i != 4; ++i) {
-        unit * u = test_create_unit(f, r);
-        set_level(u, SK_SAILING, 5);
-        u->ship = sh;
-    }
-    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 20, crew_skill(sh));
-    test_teardown();
-}
-
 static ship *setup_ship(void) {
     region *r;
     ship_type *stype;
@@ -651,6 +630,35 @@ static void test_shipspeed_max_range(CuTest *tc) {
     test_teardown();
 }
 
+static void test_crew_skill(CuTest *tc) {
+    ship_type *stype;
+    ship * sh;
+    unit *u;
+    region *r;
+
+    test_setup();
+    stype = test_create_shiptype("kayak");
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 1, stype->minskill);
+    r = test_create_ocean(0, 0);
+    sh = test_create_ship(r, stype);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 0, crew_skill(sh));
+    u = test_create_unit(test_create_faction(NULL), r);
+    set_level(u, SK_SAILING, 1);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 0, crew_skill(sh));
+    u_set_ship(u, sh);
+    set_level(u, SK_SAILING, 1);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 1, crew_skill(sh));
+    set_number(u, 10);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 10, crew_skill(sh));
+    stype->minskill = 2;
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 0, crew_skill(sh));
+    set_level(u, SK_SAILING, 2);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 20, crew_skill(sh));
+    set_level(u, SK_SAILING, 3);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 30, crew_skill(sh));
+    test_teardown();
+}
+
 CuSuite *get_ship_suite(void)
 {
     CuSuite *suite = CuSuiteNew();