diff --git a/scripts/tests/spells.lua b/scripts/tests/spells.lua
index f790e58fd..0101c2518 100644
--- a/scripts/tests/spells.lua
+++ b/scripts/tests/spells.lua
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ function test_roi()
     u.race = "elf"
     u:set_skill("magic", 10)
     u:add_item("money", 3010)
-    f.magic = "tybied"
-    u.magic = "tybied"
+    f.magic = "gwyrrd"
+    u.magic = "gwyrrd"
     u.aura = 200
     u.ship = s1
 
diff --git a/src/gamecode/laws.c b/src/gamecode/laws.c
index 660fc1580..f4bc53952 100644
--- a/src/gamecode/laws.c
+++ b/src/gamecode/laws.c
@@ -3730,6 +3730,7 @@ static void copy_spells(const spellbook * src, spellbook * dst, int maxlevel)
     }
   }
 }
+
 static void update_spells(void)
 {
   faction *f;
@@ -3747,15 +3748,7 @@ static void update_spells(void)
         }
         copy_spells(book, f->spellbook, maxlevel);
         if (maxlevel > f->max_spelllevel) {
-          static spellbook * common_spells;
-          if (!common_spells) {
-            const char *common_school = get_param(global.parameters, "rules.magic.common");
-            if (!common_school) common_school = "common";
-            common_spells = get_spellbook(common_school);
-            if (!common_spells) {
-              log_error("could not find a book of common spells: '%s'\n", common_school);
-            }
-          }
+          spellbook * common_spells = get_spellbook(magic_school[M_COMMON]);
           pick_random_spells(f, maxlevel, common_spells, COMMONSPELLS);
         }
       }
diff --git a/src/kernel/magic.c b/src/kernel/magic.c
index 9559e2316..783ef5cad 100644
--- a/src/kernel/magic.c
+++ b/src/kernel/magic.c
@@ -245,6 +245,14 @@ void read_spells(struct quicklist **slistp, magic_t mtype,
   }
 }
 
+int get_spell_level_mage(const spell * sp, void * cbdata)
+{
+  sc_mage *mage = (sc_mage *)cbdata;
+  spellbook *book = get_spellbook(magic_school[mage->magietyp]);
+  spellbook_entry *sbe = spellbook_get(book, sp);
+  return sbe ? sbe->level : 0;
+}
+
 static int read_mage(attrib * a, void *owner, struct storage *store)
 {
   int i, mtype;
@@ -291,9 +299,9 @@ static int read_mage(attrib * a, void *owner, struct storage *store)
     }
   }
   if (mage->magietyp==M_GRAY) {
-    read_spellbook(&mage->spellbook, store);
+    read_spellbook(&mage->spellbook, store, get_spell_level_mage, mage);
   } else {
-    read_spellbook(0, store);
+    read_spellbook(0, store, 0, mage);
   }
   return AT_READ_OK;
 }
@@ -420,15 +428,14 @@ void show_new_spells(faction * f, int level, const spellbook *book)
     for (qi = 0; ql; ql_advance(&ql, &qi, 1)) {
       spellbook_entry *sbe = (spellbook_entry *) ql_get(ql, qi);
       if (sbe->level <= level) {
-        spell * sp = sbe->sp;
 
-        if (!already_seen(f, sp)) {
+        if (!already_seen(f, sbe->sp)) {
           attrib * a = a_new(&at_reportspell);
           spellbook_entry * entry = (spellbook_entry *)a->data.v;
-          entry->level = level;
-          entry->sp = sp;
+          entry->level = sbe->level;
+          entry->sp = sbe->sp;
           a_add(&f->attribs, a);
-          a_add(&f->attribs, a_new(&at_seenspell))->data.v = sp;
+          a_add(&f->attribs, a_new(&at_seenspell))->data.v = sbe->sp;
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/src/kernel/save.c b/src/kernel/save.c
index 7fe3572e8..4a7454a48 100644
--- a/src/kernel/save.c
+++ b/src/kernel/save.c
@@ -1204,12 +1204,36 @@ static ally **addally(const faction * f, ally ** sfp, int aid, int state)
   return &sf->next;
 }
 
-void read_spellbook(spellbook **bookp, struct storage *store)
+int get_spell_level_faction(const spell * sp, void * cbdata)
 {
-  int level;
-  for (level=0;;++level) {
+  static spellbook * common = 0;
+  spellbook * book;
+  faction * f = (faction *)cbdata;
+  spellbook_entry * sbe;
+
+  book = get_spellbook(magic_school[f->magiegebiet]);
+  if (book) {
+    sbe = spellbook_get(book, sp);
+    if (sbe) return sbe->level;
+  }
+  if (!common) {
+    common = get_spellbook(magic_school[M_COMMON]);
+  }
+  sbe = spellbook_get(common, sp);
+  if (sbe) {
+    return sbe->level;
+  } else {
+    log_error("read_spellbook: faction '%s' has a spell with unknown level: '%s'", factionname(f), sp->sname);
+  }
+  return 0;
+}
+
+void read_spellbook(spellbook **bookp, struct storage *store, int (*get_level)(const spell * sp, void *), void * cbdata)
+{
+  for (;;) {
     spell *sp = 0;
     char spname[64];
+    int level = 0;
 
     if (store->version < SPELLNAME_VERSION) {
       int i = store->r_int(store);
@@ -1233,6 +1257,9 @@ void read_spellbook(spellbook **bookp, struct storage *store)
       level = store->r_int(store);
     }
     if (sp) {
+      if (level<=0 && get_level) {
+        level = get_level(sp, cbdata);
+      }
       if (!*bookp) {
         *bookp = create_spellbook(0);
       }
@@ -1395,7 +1422,7 @@ faction *readfaction(struct storage * store)
   read_groups(store, f);
   f->spellbook = 0;
   if (store->version >= REGIONOWNER_VERSION) {
-    read_spellbook(FactionSpells() ? &f->spellbook : 0, store);
+    read_spellbook(FactionSpells() ? &f->spellbook : 0, store, get_spell_level_faction, (void *)f);
   }
   return f;
 }
diff --git a/src/kernel/save.h b/src/kernel/save.h
index 58c7d5356..cd1fd6533 100644
--- a/src/kernel/save.h
+++ b/src/kernel/save.h
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ extern "C" {
   extern void read_items(struct storage *store, struct item **it);
   extern void write_items(struct storage *store, struct item *it);
 
-  extern void read_spellbook(struct spellbook **bookp, struct storage *store);
+  extern void read_spellbook(struct spellbook **bookp, struct storage *store, int (*get_level)(const struct spell * sp, void *), void * cbdata);
   extern void write_spellbook(const struct spellbook *book, struct storage *store);
 
   extern void write_unit(struct storage *store, const struct unit *u);
diff --git a/src/kernel/spellbook.c b/src/kernel/spellbook.c
index 16e88b101..45d2f6d50 100644
--- a/src/kernel/spellbook.c
+++ b/src/kernel/spellbook.c
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ void spellbook_add(spellbook *sb, struct spell * sp, int level)
 {
   spellbook_entry * sbe = (spellbook_entry *)malloc(sizeof(spellbook_entry));
 
-  assert(sb);
+  assert(sb && level>0);
   sbe->sp = sp;
   sbe->level = level;
   ql_push(&sb->spells, sbe);