diff --git a/src/common/kernel/faction.c b/src/common/kernel/faction.c
index 891692735..b54cc65e6 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/faction.c
+++ b/src/common/kernel/faction.c
@@ -344,6 +344,7 @@ set_alliance(faction * a, faction * b, int status)
 void 
 update_interval(struct faction * f, struct region * r)
 {
+  if (r==NULL || f==NULL) return;
 #ifdef ENUM_REGIONS
   if (f->first==NULL || f->first->index>r->index) {
     f->first = r;
diff --git a/src/common/kernel/save.c b/src/common/kernel/save.c
index 4a4f86b3c..63ccff7a5 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/save.c
+++ b/src/common/kernel/save.c
@@ -1949,6 +1949,7 @@ readgame(const char * filename, int backup)
       assert(u->region==NULL);
       u->region = r;
       addlist2(up,u);
+      update_interval(u->faction, u->region);
     }
   }
   printf("\n");
diff --git a/src/common/kernel/unit.c b/src/common/kernel/unit.c
index 486aede30..4aa25a04c 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/unit.c
+++ b/src/common/kernel/unit.c
@@ -832,7 +832,7 @@ u_setfaction(unit * u, faction * f)
 	u->prevF = NULL;
 
   u->faction = f;
-  update_interval(f, u->region);
+  if (u->region) update_interval(f, u->region);
 	if (cnt && f) {
 		set_number(u, cnt);
     if (playerrace(u->race)) {