diff --git a/src/kernel/ship.c b/src/kernel/ship.c
index 22311b919..e6a529ee3 100644
--- a/src/kernel/ship.c
+++ b/src/kernel/ship.c
@@ -289,7 +289,6 @@ void getshipweight(const ship * sh, int *sweight, int *scabins)
 
 unit *shipowner(const ship * sh)
 {
-#ifndef NDEBUG
   unit *u;
   unit *first = NULL;
 
@@ -301,7 +300,7 @@ unit *shipowner(const ship * sh)
       if (!first && u->number > 0)
         first = u;
       if (fval(u, UFL_OWNER) && u->number > 0)
-        break;
+        return u;
       if (u->number == 0)
         freset(u, UFL_OWNER);
     }
@@ -310,13 +309,9 @@ unit *shipowner(const ship * sh)
   /* Eigentümer tot oder kein Eigentümer vorhanden. Erste lebende Einheit
    * nehmen. */
 
-  if (first && !u) {
-    u = first;
-    fset(u, UFL_OWNER);
-  }
-  assert(u==sh->owner);
-#endif
-  return sh->owner;
+  if (first)
+    fset(first, UFL_OWNER);
+  return first;
 }
 
 void write_ship_reference(const struct ship *sh, struct storage *store)
diff --git a/src/kernel/ship_test.c b/src/kernel/ship_test.c
index eee901b05..33bbb3cd3 100644
--- a/src/kernel/ship_test.c
+++ b/src/kernel/ship_test.c
@@ -24,12 +24,46 @@ static void test_register_ship(CuTest * tc)
   CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, st_find("herp"));
 }
 
-static void test_shipowner(CuTest * tc)
+static void test_shipowner_goes_to_next(CuTest * tc)
 {
   struct region *r;
-  struct ship * sh;
-  struct unit * u;
-  struct faction * f;
+  struct ship *sh;
+  struct unit *u, *u2;
+  struct faction *f;
+  const struct ship_type *stype;
+  const struct race *human;
+
+  test_cleanup();
+  test_create_world();
+
+  human = rc_find("human");
+  CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, human);
+
+  stype = st_find("boat");
+  CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, stype);
+
+  f = test_create_faction(human);
+  r = findregion(0, 0);
+
+  sh = test_create_ship(r, stype);
+  CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, sh);
+
+  u = test_create_unit(f, r);
+  u2 = test_create_unit(f, r);
+  CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, u);
+  u_set_ship(u, sh);
+  u_set_ship(u2, sh);
+  CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, u, shipowner(sh));
+  u->number = 0;
+  CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, u2, shipowner(sh));
+}
+
+static void test_shipowner_resets_when_dead(CuTest * tc)
+{
+  struct region *r;
+  struct ship *sh;
+  struct unit *u;
+  struct faction *f;
   const struct ship_type *stype;
   const struct race *human;
 
@@ -52,12 +86,15 @@ static void test_shipowner(CuTest * tc)
   CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, u);
   u_set_ship(u, sh);
   CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, u, shipowner(sh));
+  u->number = 0;
+  CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, 0, shipowner(sh));
 }
 
 CuSuite *get_ship_suite(void)
 {
   CuSuite *suite = CuSuiteNew();
   SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_register_ship);
-  SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_shipowner);
+  SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_shipowner_resets_when_dead);
+  SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_shipowner_goes_to_next);
   return suite;
 }