diff --git a/res/e3a/races.xml b/res/e3a/races.xml
index 46427ba92..164a599b7 100644
--- a/res/e3a/races.xml
+++ b/res/e3a/races.xml
@@ -883,7 +883,7 @@
   </race>
 
   <race name="seaserpent" magres="0.500000" maxaura="1.0" regaura="1.0" weight="20000" capacity="5000" speed="1.0" hp="600" ac="3" damage="2d15" unarmedattack="0" unarmeddefense="0" attackmodifier="4" defensemodifier="4" scarepeasants="yes" swim="yes" teach="no" getitem="yes" resistbash="yes">
-    <ai splitsize="6" killpeasants="yes" moverandom="yes" learn="yes"/>
+    <ai splitsize="6" killpeasants="yes" moverandom="yes" learn="yes" moveattack="yes"/>
     <function name="name" value="namegeneric"/>
     <function name="move" value="moveswimming"/>
     <skill name="tactics" modifier="4"/>
diff --git a/res/eressea/races.xml b/res/eressea/races.xml
index 7f6c6d873..ec119bd21 100644
--- a/res/eressea/races.xml
+++ b/res/eressea/races.xml
@@ -1171,7 +1171,7 @@
     <attack type="1" damage="1d1"/>
   </race>
   <race name="seaserpent" magres="0.500000" maxaura="1.000000" regaura="1.000000" recruitcost="5000" weight="20000" capacity="5000" speed="1.000000" hp="600" ac="3" damage="2d15" unarmedattack="0" unarmeddefense="0" attackmodifier="4" defensemodifier="4" scarepeasants="yes" swim="yes" teach="no" getitem="yes" resistbash="yes" unarmedguard="yes">
-    <ai splitsize="6" killpeasants="yes" moverandom="yes" learn="yes"/>
+    <ai splitsize="6" killpeasants="yes" moverandom="yes" learn="yes" moveattack="yes"/>
     <function name="name" value="namegeneric"/>
     <function name="move" value="moveswimming"/>
     <skill name="tactics" modifier="4"/>
diff --git a/src/kernel/race.h b/src/kernel/race.h
index 0ae925c5d..fa18cb8f2 100644
--- a/src/kernel/race.h
+++ b/src/kernel/race.h
@@ -214,6 +214,7 @@ extern "C" {
 #define RCF_SHIPSPEED      (1<<26)      /* race gets +1 on shipspeed */
 #define RCF_STONEGOLEM     (1<<27)      /* race gets stonegolem properties */
 #define RCF_IRONGOLEM      (1<<28)      /* race gets irongolem properties */
+#define RCF_ATTACK_MOVED   (1<<29)      /* may attack if it has moved */
 
     /* Economic flags */
 #define ECF_KEEP_ITEM       (1<<1)   /* gibt Gegenstände weg */
diff --git a/src/kernel/xmlreader.c b/src/kernel/xmlreader.c
index 28a351a72..c5af75d04 100644
--- a/src/kernel/xmlreader.c
+++ b/src/kernel/xmlreader.c
@@ -1604,6 +1604,8 @@ static void parse_ai(race * rc, xmlNodePtr node)
         rc->flags |= RCF_MOVERANDOM;
     if (xml_bvalue(node, "learn", false))
         rc->flags |= RCF_LEARN;
+    if (xml_bvalue(node, "moveattack", false))
+        rc->flags |= RCF_ATTACK_MOVED;
 }
 
 static int parse_races(xmlDocPtr doc)
diff --git a/src/monster.c b/src/monster.c
index 47858fc5d..3d6fd6f82 100644
--- a/src/monster.c
+++ b/src/monster.c
@@ -69,7 +69,8 @@ OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
 
 bool monster_is_waiting(const unit * u)
 {
-    if (fval(u, UFL_ISNEW | UFL_MOVED))
+    int test = fval(u_race(u), RCF_ATTACK_MOVED) ? UFL_ISNEW : UFL_ISNEW | UFL_MOVED;
+    if (fval(u, test))
         return true;
     return false;
 }
diff --git a/src/piracy.c b/src/piracy.c
index 8911f0882..4843880b8 100644
--- a/src/piracy.c
+++ b/src/piracy.c
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include <kernel/faction.h>
 #include <kernel/messages.h>
 #include <kernel/order.h>
+#include <kernel/race.h>
 #include <kernel/region.h>
 #include <kernel/ship.h>
 #include <kernel/terrain.h>
@@ -64,6 +65,8 @@ static attrib *mk_piracy(const faction * pirate, const faction * target,
 }
 
 static bool validate_pirate(unit *u, order *ord) {
+    if (fval(u_race(u), RCF_SWIM | RCF_FLY))
+        return true;
     if (!u->ship) {
         cmistake(u, ord, 144, MSG_MOVE);
         return false;
diff --git a/src/piracy.test.c b/src/piracy.test.c
index 53907f4df..acc220d3a 100644
--- a/src/piracy.test.c
+++ b/src/piracy.test.c
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include <kernel/terrain.h>
 #include <kernel/faction.h>
 #include <kernel/order.h>
+#include <kernel/race.h>
 
 #include <util/base36.h>
 #include <util/language.h>
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ static void test_piracy_cmd(CuTest * tc) {
 }
 
 static void test_piracy_cmd_errors(CuTest * tc) {
+    race *r;
     faction *f;
     unit *u, *u2;
     order *ord;
@@ -73,7 +75,8 @@ static void test_piracy_cmd_errors(CuTest * tc) {
 
     setup_piracy();
     st_boat = st_get_or_create("boat");
-    u = test_create_unit(f = test_create_faction(0), test_create_region(0, 0, get_or_create_terrain("ocean")));
+    r = test_create_race("pirates");
+    u = test_create_unit(f = test_create_faction(r), test_create_region(0, 0, get_or_create_terrain("ocean")));
     f->locale = get_or_create_locale("de");
     ord = create_order(K_PIRACY, f->locale, "");
     assert(u && ord);
@@ -81,6 +84,17 @@ static void test_piracy_cmd_errors(CuTest * tc) {
     piracy_cmd(u, ord);
     CuAssertPtrNotNullMsg(tc, "must be on a ship for PIRACY", test_find_messagetype(f->msgs, "error144"));
 
+    test_clear_messages(f);
+    fset(r, RCF_SWIM);
+    piracy_cmd(u, ord);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals_Msg(tc, "swimmers are pirates", 0, test_find_messagetype(f->msgs, "error144"));
+    CuAssertPtrEquals_Msg(tc, "swimmers are pirates", 0, test_find_messagetype(f->msgs, "error146"));
+    freset(r, RCF_SWIM);
+    fset(r, RCF_FLY);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals_Msg(tc, "flyers are pirates", 0, test_find_messagetype(f->msgs, "error144"));
+    freset(r, RCF_FLY);
+    test_clear_messages(f);
+
     u_set_ship(u, test_create_ship(u->region, st_boat));
 
     u2 = test_create_unit(u->faction, u->region);