diff --git a/conf/e3/config.xml b/conf/e3/config.xml
index e0669c527..4ddf8ab21 100644
--- a/conf/e3/config.xml
+++ b/conf/e3/config.xml
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@
     <param name="magic.power" value="0.5"/>
     <param name="resource.factor" value="0.25"/>
 
+    <param name="fix.spells" value="319"/>
     <param name="skills.cost.tactics" value="500"/>
     <param name="entertain.base" value="0"/>
     <param name="entertain.perlevel" value="20"/>
diff --git a/conf/e4/config.xml b/conf/e4/config.xml
index 1924ff2c9..99ddbdf1d 100644
--- a/conf/e4/config.xml
+++ b/conf/e4/config.xml
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@
     <param name="magic.power" value="0.5"/>
     <param name="resource.factor" value="0.25"/>
 
+    <param name="fix.spells" value="67"/>
     <param name="skills.cost.tactics" value="500"/>
     <param name="entertain.base" value="0"/>
     <param name="entertain.perlevel" value="20"/>
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 34cb0987b..d17552712 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ ENDIF()
 
 set (ERESSEA_SRC
   move.c
+  repair.c
   spells.c
   battle.c
   alchemy.c
diff --git a/src/kernel/save.c b/src/kernel/save.c
index 9f6021b65..418f55864 100644
--- a/src/kernel/save.c
+++ b/src/kernel/save.c
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
 #include "unit.h"
 #include "lighthouse.h"
 #include "version.h"
+#include "repair.h"
 
 /* attributes includes */
 #include <attributes/key.h>
@@ -1695,6 +1696,11 @@ int readgame(const char *filename, int backup)
         remove_empty_factions();
     }
     log_printf(stdout, "Done loading turn %d.\n", turn);
+
+    n = get_param_int(global.parameters, "fix.spells", -1);
+    if (n>=turn) {
+        repair_spells("spells.txt");
+    }
     return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/repair.c b/src/repair.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b02b0a005
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/repair.c
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+#include <platform.h>
+#include <kernel/config.h>
+
+#include "repair.h"
+#include <kernel/faction.h>
+#include <kernel/spellbook.h>
+
+#include <util/log.h>
+#include <util/base36.h>
+
+#include <quicklist.h>
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+static void write_spellbook_states(FILE *F) {
+    faction *f;
+    for (f = factions; f; f = f->next) {
+        spellbook *sb = f->spellbook;
+        int len = sb ? ql_length(sb->spells) : 0;
+        fprintf(F, "%s %d %d\n", itoa36(f->no), f->subscription, len);
+    }
+}
+
+static void limit_spellbook(faction *f, int num) {
+    spellbook *sb = f->spellbook;
+    int len = sb ? ql_length(sb->spells) : 0;
+    if (len < num) {
+        log_error("limit_spellbook: spellbook is shorter than expected, %d < %d", len, num);
+    }
+    // delete spells backwards from the end:
+    while (len > num) {
+        ql_delete(&sb->spells, len--);
+    }
+}
+
+void repair_spells(const char *filename) {
+    FILE *F = fopen(filename, "r");
+    if (F) {
+        char id[32];
+        int numspells, sub;
+        faction *f;
+        while (fscanf(F, "%s %d %d", id, &sub, &numspells) != EOF) {
+            int no = atoi36(id);
+
+            f = findfaction(no);
+            if (!f) {
+                for (f = factions; f; f = f->next) {
+                    if (f->subscription == sub) {
+                        break;
+                    }
+                }
+                if (f) {
+                    log_info("repair_spells: faction %s renamed to %s, located by subscription %d", id, itoa36(f->no), sub);
+                }
+                else {
+                    log_warning("repair_spells: cannot fix faction %s, no such subscription: %d (%d spells)", id, sub, numspells);
+                    continue;
+                }
+            }
+            if (f->subscription != sub) {
+                log_warning("repair_spells: subscription mismatch for faction %s, %d!=%d (%d spells)", id, f->subscription, sub, numspells);
+            }
+            else {
+                limit_spellbook(f, numspells);
+                fset(f, FFL_MARK);
+            }
+        }
+        for (f = factions; f; f = f->next) {
+            if (!fval(f, FFL_MARK)) {
+                numspells = ql_length(f->spellbook->spells);
+                log_warning("repair_spells: faction %s did not get a spellbook fix (%d spells at level)", itoa36(f->no), numspells, f->max_spelllevel);
+            }
+            freset(f, FFL_MARK);
+        }
+    }
+    else {
+        F = fopen(filename, "w");
+        if (!F) {
+            perror("repair_spells");
+            abort();
+        }
+        write_spellbook_state(F);
+    }
+    fclose(F);
+}
diff --git a/src/repair.h b/src/repair.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cf20fb1be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/repair.h
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+
+#ifndef H_REPAIR
+#define H_REPAIR
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+    void repair_spells(const char *filename); // one-time reduction of E3/E4 spellbooks (called at the end of readgame)
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif
+#endif