diff --git a/src/economy.c b/src/economy.c
index 62094e5df..82890888e 100644
--- a/src/economy.c
+++ b/src/economy.c
@@ -185,9 +185,6 @@ unsigned int expand_production(region * r, econ_request * requests, econ_request
 static void free_requests(econ_request *requests) {
     while (requests) {
         econ_request *req = requests->next;
-        if (requests->ord) {
-            free_order(requests->ord);
-        }
         free(requests);
         requests = req;
     }
@@ -347,7 +344,7 @@ static int do_recruiting(recruitment * recruits, int available)
                 if (number > afford) number = afford;
             }
             if (u->number + number > UNIT_MAXSIZE) {
-                ADDMSG(&u->faction->msgs, msg_feedback(u, req->ord, "error_unit_size",
+                ADDMSG(&u->faction->msgs, msg_feedback(u, req->type.recruit.ord, "error_unit_size",
                     "maxsize", UNIT_MAXSIZE));
                 number = UNIT_MAXSIZE - u->number;
                 assert(number >= 0);
@@ -382,7 +379,6 @@ void free_recruitments(recruitment * recruits)
         while (rec->requests) {
             econ_request *req = rec->requests;
             rec->requests = req->next;
-            free_order(req->ord);
             free(req);
         }
         free(rec);
@@ -560,7 +556,7 @@ static void recruit(unit * u, struct order *ord, econ_request ** recruitorders)
     o = (econ_request *)calloc(1, sizeof(econ_request));
     o->qty = n;
     o->unit = u;
-    o->ord = copy_order(ord);
+    o->type.recruit.ord = ord;
     addlist(recruitorders, o);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/economy.h b/src/economy.h
index 99558bf80..ec12ae0ca 100644
--- a/src/economy.h
+++ b/src/economy.h
@@ -49,9 +49,11 @@ extern "C" {
     typedef struct econ_request {
         struct econ_request *next;
         struct unit *unit;
-        struct order *ord;
         int qty;
         union {
+            struct {
+                struct order *ord;
+            } recruit;
             struct {
                 int no;
                 bool goblin;             /* stealing */