diff --git a/src/kernel/config.c b/src/kernel/config.c
index 9cb6ee7ef..4d6f18059 100644
--- a/src/kernel/config.c
+++ b/src/kernel/config.c
@@ -1018,30 +1018,29 @@ int read_unitid(const faction * f, const region * r)
 int getunit(const region * r, const faction * f, unit **uresult)
 {
     int n = read_unitid(f, r);
-    unit *u2;
+    int result = GET_NOTFOUND;
+    unit *u2 = NULL;
 
     if (n == 0) {
-        if (uresult) {
-            *uresult = 0;
-        }
-        return GET_PEASANTS;
+        result = GET_PEASANTS;
+    }
+    else if (n>0) {
+        u2 = findunit(n);
+        if (u2 != NULL && u2->region == r) {
+            /* there used to be a 'u2->flags & UFL_ISNEW || u2->number>0' condition
+            * here, but it got removed because of a bug that made units disappear:
+            * http://eressea.upb.de/mantis/bug_view_page.php?bug_id=0000172
+            */
+            result = GET_UNIT;
+        }
+        else {
+            u2 = NULL;
+        }
     }
-    if (n < 0)
-        return GET_NOTFOUND;
-
-    u2 = findunit(n);
     if (uresult) {
         *uresult = u2;
     }
-    if (u2 != NULL && u2->region == r) {
-        /* there used to be a 'u2->flags & UFL_ISNEW || u2->number>0' condition
-        * here, but it got removed because of a bug that made units disappear:
-        * http://eressea.upb.de/mantis/bug_view_page.php?bug_id=0000172
-        */
-        return GET_UNIT;
-    }
-
-    return GET_NOTFOUND;
+    return result;
 }
 
 /* - String Listen --------------------------------------------- */
diff --git a/src/kernel/config.test.c b/src/kernel/config.test.c
index 78562f5dd..79643106c 100644
--- a/src/kernel/config.test.c
+++ b/src/kernel/config.test.c
@@ -2,10 +2,68 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 
 #include <kernel/config.h>
+#include <kernel/terrain.h>
+#include <kernel/unit.h>
+#include <kernel/order.h>
+#include <util/language.h>
+#include <util/base36.h>
+#include <util/attrib.h>
 
 #include <CuTest.h>
 #include <tests.h>
 
+struct critbit_tree;
+
+static void test_getunit(CuTest *tc) {
+    unit *u, *u2;
+    order *ord;
+    attrib *a;
+    struct region *r;
+    struct locale *lang;
+    struct terrain_type *t_plain;
+    struct critbit_tree ** cb;
+
+    test_cleanup();
+    lang = get_or_create_locale("de");
+    cb = (struct critbit_tree **)get_translations(lang, UT_PARAMS);
+    add_translation(cb, "TEMP", P_TEMP);
+    /* note that the english order is FIGHT, not COMBAT, so this is a poor example */
+    t_plain = test_create_terrain("plain", LAND_REGION);
+    u = test_create_unit(test_create_faction(0), test_create_region(0, 0, t_plain));
+    a = a_add(&u->attribs, a_new(&at_alias));
+    a->data.i = atoi36("42"); /* this unit is also TEMP 42 */
+    r = test_create_region(1, 0, t_plain);
+
+    ord = create_order(K_GIVE, lang, itoa36(u->no));
+    init_order(ord);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, GET_UNIT, getunit(u->region, u->faction, &u2));
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, u, u2);
+    init_order(ord);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, GET_NOTFOUND, getunit(r, u->faction, &u2));
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, NULL, u2);
+    free_order(ord);
+
+    ord = create_order(K_GIVE, lang, itoa36(u->no+1));
+    init_order(ord);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, GET_NOTFOUND, getunit(u->region, u->faction, &u2));
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, NULL, u2);
+    free_order(ord);
+
+    ord = create_order(K_GIVE, lang, "0");
+    init_order(ord);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, GET_PEASANTS, getunit(u->region, u->faction, &u2));
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, NULL, u2);
+    free_order(ord);
+
+    ord = create_order(K_GIVE, lang, "TEMP 42");
+    init_order(ord);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, GET_UNIT, getunit(u->region, u->faction, &u2));
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, u, u2);
+    free_order(ord);
+
+    test_cleanup();
+}
+
 static void test_get_set_param(CuTest * tc)
 {
     struct param *par = 0;
@@ -42,6 +100,7 @@ static void test_param_flt(CuTest * tc)
 CuSuite *get_config_suite(void)
 {
   CuSuite *suite = CuSuiteNew();
+  SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_getunit);
   SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_get_set_param);
   SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_param_int);
   SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_param_flt);