diff --git a/src/kernel/curse.c b/src/kernel/curse.c
index 93df39f49..0f215dbee 100644
--- a/src/kernel/curse.c
+++ b/src/kernel/curse.c
@@ -726,6 +726,7 @@ message *cinfo_simple(const void *obj, objtype_t typ, const struct curse * c,
     UNUSED_ARG(obj);
 
     msg = msg_message(mkname("curseinfo", c->type->cname), "id", c->no);
+    /* TODO: this is never NULL, because of the missing_message logic (used in many tests) */
     if (msg == NULL) {
         log_error("There is no curseinfo for %s.\n", c->type->cname);
     }
diff --git a/src/kernel/messages.c b/src/kernel/messages.c
index 0aa19a79c..058305a58 100644
--- a/src/kernel/messages.c
+++ b/src/kernel/messages.c
@@ -161,12 +161,14 @@ message *msg_message(const char *name, const char *sig, ...)
 
     if (!mtype) {
         log_warning("trying to create message of unknown type \"%s\"\n", name);
+#if 0
         if (strcmp(name, "missing_message") != 0) {
             if (!mt_find("missing_message")) {
                 mt_register(mt_new_va("missing_message", "name:string", 0));
             }
             return msg_message("missing_message", "name", name);
         }
+#endif
         return NULL;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/laws.test.c b/src/laws.test.c
index aca84710f..3ba2936c2 100644
--- a/src/laws.test.c
+++ b/src/laws.test.c
@@ -255,9 +255,9 @@ static void test_force_leave_buildings(CuTest *tc) {
     region *r;
     unit *u1, *u2, *u3;
     building * b;
-    message *msg;
 
     test_setup();
+    mt_register(mt_new_va("force_leave_building", "unit:unit", "owner:unit", "building:building", NULL));
     r = test_create_region(0, 0, test_create_terrain("plain", LAND_REGION));
     u1 = test_create_unit(test_create_faction(NULL), r);
     u2 = test_create_unit(u1->faction, r);
@@ -271,8 +271,7 @@ static void test_force_leave_buildings(CuTest *tc) {
     CuAssertPtrEquals_Msg(tc, "owner should not be forced to leave", b, u1->building);
     CuAssertPtrEquals_Msg(tc, "same faction should not be forced to leave", b, u2->building);
     CuAssertPtrEquals_Msg(tc, "non-allies should be forced to leave", NULL, u3->building);
-    msg = test_get_last_message(u3->faction->msgs);
-    CuAssertStrEquals(tc, "force_leave_building", test_get_messagetype(msg));
+    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, test_find_messagetype(u3->faction->msgs, "force_leave_building"));
 
     u_set_building(u3, b);
     al = ally_add(&u1->faction->allies, u3->faction);
@@ -286,9 +285,9 @@ static void test_force_leave_ships(CuTest *tc) {
     region *r;
     unit *u1, *u2;
     ship *sh;
-    message *msg;
 
     test_setup();
+    mt_register(mt_new_va("force_leave_ship", "unit:unit", "owner:unit", "ship:ship", NULL));
     r = test_create_region(0, 0, test_create_terrain("plain", LAND_REGION));
     u1 = test_create_unit(test_create_faction(NULL), r);
     u2 = test_create_unit(test_create_faction(NULL), r);
@@ -298,8 +297,7 @@ static void test_force_leave_ships(CuTest *tc) {
     ship_set_owner(u1);
     force_leave(r, NULL);
     CuAssertPtrEquals_Msg(tc, "non-allies should be forced to leave", NULL, u2->ship);
-    msg = test_get_last_message(u2->faction->msgs);
-    CuAssertStrEquals(tc, "force_leave_ship", test_get_messagetype(msg));
+    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, test_find_messagetype(u2->faction->msgs, "force_leave_ship"));
     test_teardown();
 }
 
@@ -1590,9 +1588,9 @@ static void test_demon_hunger(CuTest * tc)
     race *rc;
     faction *f;
     unit *u;
-    message* msg;
 
     test_setup();
+    mt_register(mt_new_va("malnourish", "unit:unit", "region:region", NULL));
     init_resources();
     r = test_create_region(0, 0, 0);
     rc = test_create_race("demon");
@@ -1617,8 +1615,7 @@ static void test_demon_hunger(CuTest * tc)
     get_food(r);
 
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 10, i_get(u->items, rtype->itype));
-    msg = test_get_last_message(u->faction->msgs);
-    CuAssertStrEquals(tc, "malnourish", test_get_messagetype(msg));
+    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, test_find_messagetype(f->msgs, "malnourish"));
 
     test_teardown();
 }
diff --git a/src/move.test.c b/src/move.test.c
index ff65fa823..2cb7b7a4e 100644
--- a/src/move.test.c
+++ b/src/move.test.c
@@ -279,6 +279,10 @@ void setup_drift (struct drift_fixture *fix) {
     set_level(fix->u, SK_SAILING, fix->st_boat->sumskill);
     u_set_ship(fix->u, fix->sh = test_create_ship(fix->u->region, fix->st_boat));
     assert(fix->sh);
+
+    mt_register(mt_new_va("ship_drift", "ship:ship", "dir:int", 0));
+    mt_register(mt_new_va("shipsink", "ship:ship", 0));
+    mt_register(mt_new_va("massive_overload", "ship:ship", 0));
 }
 
 static void test_ship_no_overload(CuTest *tc) {
diff --git a/src/spy.test.c b/src/spy.test.c
index e8675a406..c558a1012 100644
--- a/src/spy.test.c
+++ b/src/spy.test.c
@@ -84,6 +84,9 @@ static void test_sabotage_self(CuTest *tc) {
     order *ord;
 
     test_setup();
+    mt_register(mt_new_va("sink_msg", "ship:ship", "region:region", 0));
+    mt_register(mt_new_va("sink_lost_msg", "unit:unit", "region:region", "dead:int", 0));
+    mt_register(mt_new_va("sink_saved_msg", "unit:unit", "region:region", 0));
     r = test_create_region(0, 0, 0);
     assert(r);
     u = test_create_unit(test_create_faction(NULL), r);
@@ -94,6 +97,7 @@ static void test_sabotage_self(CuTest *tc) {
     assert(ord);
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 0, sabotage_cmd(u, ord));
     CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, 0, r->ships);
+    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, test_find_messagetype(u->faction->msgs, "sink_msg"));
     free_order(ord);
     test_teardown();
 }
@@ -106,6 +110,11 @@ static void test_sabotage_other_fail(CuTest *tc) {
     message *msg;
 
     test_setup();
+    mt_register(mt_new_va("destroy_ship_0", "unit:unit", "ship:ship", 0));
+    mt_register(mt_new_va("destroy_ship_1", "unit:unit", "ship:ship", 0));
+    mt_register(mt_new_va("destroy_ship_2", "unit:unit", "ship:ship", 0));
+    mt_register(mt_new_va("destroy_ship_3", "ship:ship", 0));
+    mt_register(mt_new_va("destroy_ship_4", "ship:ship", 0));
     r = test_create_region(0, 0, 0);
     assert(r);
     u = test_create_unit(test_create_faction(NULL), r);
@@ -189,6 +198,9 @@ static void test_sabotage_other_success(CuTest *tc) {
     order *ord;
 
     test_setup();
+    mt_register(mt_new_va("sink_msg", "ship:ship", "region:region", 0));
+    mt_register(mt_new_va("sink_lost_msg", "unit:unit", "region:region", "dead:int", 0));
+    mt_register(mt_new_va("sink_saved_msg", "unit:unit", "region:region", 0));
     r = test_create_region(0, 0, 0);
     assert(r);
     u = test_create_unit(test_create_faction(NULL), r);
diff --git a/src/study.test.c b/src/study.test.c
index 3ca0288c2..e34e06fc9 100644
--- a/src/study.test.c
+++ b/src/study.test.c
@@ -625,6 +625,8 @@ static void test_teach_message(CuTest *tc) {
     teaching_info *teach;
 
     test_setup();
+    mt_register(mt_new_va("teach_teacher", "teacher:unit", "student:unit", "skill:int", "level:int", 0));
+    mt_register(mt_new_va("teach_student", "teacher:unit", "student:unit", "skill:int", 0));
     init_resources();
     u = test_create_unit(test_create_faction(0), test_create_region(0, 0, 0));
     scale_number(u, 20);
diff --git a/src/util/message.c b/src/util/message.c
index a080ff7a6..c3ffbbd32 100644
--- a/src/util/message.c
+++ b/src/util/message.c
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ void msg_free(message * msg)
 
 void msg_release(struct message *msg)
 {
-    assert(msg->refcount > 0);
+    assert(msg && msg->refcount > 0);
     if (--msg->refcount > 0)
         return;
     msg_free(msg);
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ void msg_release(struct message *msg)
 
 struct message *msg_addref(struct message *msg)
 {
-    assert(msg->refcount > 0);
+    assert(msg && msg->refcount > 0);
     ++msg->refcount;
     return msg;
 }