diff --git a/src/kernel/build.c b/src/kernel/build.c
index d2ca8c155..7a05f2def 100644
--- a/src/kernel/build.c
+++ b/src/kernel/build.c
@@ -1167,7 +1167,7 @@ static boolean mayenter(region * r, unit * u, building * b)
   return false;
 }
 
-static int mayboard(const unit * u, const ship * sh)
+static int mayboard(const unit * u, ship * sh)
 {
   unit *u2 = shipowner(sh);
 
diff --git a/src/kernel/magic.c b/src/kernel/magic.c
index 0ab945981..cc15fc53c 100644
--- a/src/kernel/magic.c
+++ b/src/kernel/magic.c
@@ -2494,7 +2494,7 @@ unit *get_clone_mage(const unit * u)
   return NULL;
 }
 
-static boolean is_moving_ship(const region * r, const ship * sh)
+static boolean is_moving_ship(const region * r, ship * sh)
 {
   const unit *u = shipowner(sh);
 
diff --git a/src/kernel/move.c b/src/kernel/move.c
index bf62587d7..99b6c27af 100644
--- a/src/kernel/move.c
+++ b/src/kernel/move.c
@@ -633,7 +633,7 @@ static boolean is_freezing(const unit * u)
 #define SA_NO_INSECT -1
 #define SA_NO_COAST -2
 
-static int ship_allowed(const struct ship *sh, const region * r)
+static int is_ship_allowed(struct ship *sh, const region * r)
 {
   int c = 0;
   static const building_type *bt_harbour = NULL;
@@ -752,7 +752,7 @@ static void drifting_ships(region * r)
         region *rn;
         dir = (direction_t) ((d + d_offset) % MAXDIRECTIONS);
         rn = rconnect(r, dir);
-        if (rn != NULL && fval(rn->terrain, SAIL_INTO) && ship_allowed(sh, rn) > 0) {
+        if (rn != NULL && fval(rn->terrain, SAIL_INTO) && is_ship_allowed(sh, rn) > 0) {
           rnext = rn;
           if (!fval(rnext->terrain, SEA_REGION))
             break;
@@ -1820,7 +1820,7 @@ sail(unit * u, order * ord, boolean move_on_land, region_list ** routep)
         }
       }
 
-      reason = ship_allowed(sh, next_point);
+      reason = is_ship_allowed(sh, next_point);
       if (reason<0) {
         /* for some reason or another, we aren't allowed in there.. */
         if (check_leuchtturm(current_point, NULL) || reason == SA_NO_INSECT) {
diff --git a/src/kernel/ship.c b/src/kernel/ship.c
index e6a529ee3..d8aecfb23 100644
--- a/src/kernel/ship.c
+++ b/src/kernel/ship.c
@@ -287,31 +287,37 @@ void getshipweight(const ship * sh, int *sweight, int *scabins)
   }
 }
 
-unit *shipowner(const ship * sh)
+unit *shipowner(ship * sh)
 {
-  unit *u;
-  unit *first = NULL;
+  unit *owner = sh->owner;
+  if (owner && owner->number<=0) {
+    unit *u, *first = NULL;
 
-  const region *r = sh->region;
-
-  /* Prüfen ob Eigentümer am leben. */
-  for (u = r->units; u; u = u->next) {
-    if (u->ship == sh) {
-      if (!first && u->number > 0)
-        first = u;
-      if (fval(u, UFL_OWNER) && u->number > 0)
-        return u;
-      if (u->number == 0)
-        freset(u, UFL_OWNER);
+    owner->ship = 0;
+    freset(owner, UFL_OWNER);
+    /* Prüfen ob Eigentümer am leben. */
+    for (u = sh->region->units; u; u = u->next) {
+      if (u->ship == sh) {
+        if (u->number > 0) {
+          if (u->faction==owner->faction) {
+            first = u;
+            break;
+          }
+          else if (!first) {
+            first = u; /* you'll do in an emergency */
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    owner = first;
+    if (owner) {
+      fset(owner, UFL_OWNER);
+      sh->owner = owner;
     }
   }
-
   /* Eigentümer tot oder kein Eigentümer vorhanden. Erste lebende Einheit
    * nehmen. */
-
-  if (first)
-    fset(first, UFL_OWNER);
-  return first;
+  return owner;
 }
 
 void write_ship_reference(const struct ship *sh, struct storage *store)
diff --git a/src/kernel/ship.h b/src/kernel/ship.h
index 4a33ac701..517303d99 100644
--- a/src/kernel/ship.h
+++ b/src/kernel/ship.h
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ extern "C" {
 
   extern void damage_ship(ship * sh, double percent);
   extern struct unit *captain(ship * sh);
-  extern struct unit *shipowner(const struct ship *sh);
+  extern struct unit *shipowner(struct ship *sh);
   extern const char *shipname(const struct ship *self);
   extern int shipcapacity(const struct ship *sh);
   extern void getshipweight(const struct ship *sh, int *weight, int *cabins);
diff --git a/src/kernel/ship_test.c b/src/kernel/ship_test.c
index 33bbb3cd3..2fb172422 100644
--- a/src/kernel/ship_test.c
+++ b/src/kernel/ship_test.c
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ static void test_register_ship(CuTest * tc)
   CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, st_find("herp"));
 }
 
-static void test_shipowner_goes_to_next(CuTest * tc)
+static void test_shipowner_goes_to_next_after_death(CuTest * tc)
 {
   struct region *r;
   struct ship *sh;
@@ -58,6 +58,193 @@ static void test_shipowner_goes_to_next(CuTest * tc)
   CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, u2, shipowner(sh));
 }
 
+static void test_shipowner_goes_to_other_after_death(CuTest * tc)
+{
+  struct region *r;
+  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);
+
+  u2 = test_create_unit(f, r);
+  u = 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_goes_to_same_faction_after_death(CuTest * tc)
+{
+  struct region *r;
+  struct ship *sh;
+  struct unit *u, *u2, *u3;
+  struct faction *f1, *f2;
+  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);
+
+  f1 = test_create_faction(human);
+  f2 = test_create_faction(human);
+  r = findregion(0, 0);
+
+  sh = test_create_ship(r, stype);
+  CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, sh);
+
+  u2 = test_create_unit(f2, r);
+  u3 = test_create_unit(f1, r);
+  u = test_create_unit(f1, r);
+  CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, u);
+  u_set_ship(u, sh);
+  u_set_ship(u2, sh);
+  u_set_ship(u3, sh);
+  CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, u, shipowner(sh));
+  CuAssertTrue(tc, fval(u, UFL_OWNER));
+  u->number = 0;
+  CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, u3, shipowner(sh));
+  CuAssertTrue(tc, !fval(u, UFL_OWNER));
+  CuAssertTrue(tc, fval(u3, UFL_OWNER));
+  u3->number = 0;
+  CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, u2, shipowner(sh));
+  CuAssertTrue(tc, !fval(u3, UFL_OWNER));
+  CuAssertTrue(tc, fval(u2, UFL_OWNER));
+}
+
+static void test_shipowner_goes_to_next_after_leave(CuTest * tc)
+{
+  struct region *r;
+  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));
+  leave_ship(u);
+  CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, u2, shipowner(sh));
+}
+
+static void test_shipowner_goes_to_other_after_leave(CuTest * tc)
+{
+  struct region *r;
+  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);
+
+  u2 = test_create_unit(f, r);
+  u = test_create_unit(f, r);
+  CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, u);
+  u_set_ship(u, sh);
+  u_set_ship(u2, sh);
+  CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, u, shipowner(sh));
+  leave_ship(u);
+  CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, u2, shipowner(sh));
+}
+
+static void test_shipowner_goes_to_same_faction_after_leave(CuTest * tc)
+{
+  struct region *r;
+  struct ship *sh;
+  struct unit *u, *u2, *u3;
+  struct faction *f1, *f2;
+  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);
+
+  f1 = test_create_faction(human);
+  f2 = test_create_faction(human);
+  r = findregion(0, 0);
+
+  sh = test_create_ship(r, stype);
+  CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, sh);
+
+  u2 = test_create_unit(f2, r);
+  u3 = test_create_unit(f1, r);
+  u = test_create_unit(f1, r);
+  CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, u);
+  u_set_ship(u, sh);
+  u_set_ship(u2, sh);
+  u_set_ship(u3, sh);
+  CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, u, shipowner(sh));
+  leave_ship(u);
+  CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, u3, shipowner(sh));
+  leave_ship(u3);
+  CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, u2, shipowner(sh));
+  leave_ship(u2);
+  CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, 0, shipowner(sh));
+}
+
 static void test_shipowner_resets_when_dead(CuTest * tc)
 {
   struct region *r;
@@ -95,6 +282,11 @@ CuSuite *get_ship_suite(void)
   CuSuite *suite = CuSuiteNew();
   SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_register_ship);
   SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_shipowner_resets_when_dead);
-  SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_shipowner_goes_to_next);
+  SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_shipowner_goes_to_next_after_death);
+  SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_shipowner_goes_to_other_after_death);
+  SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_shipowner_goes_to_same_faction_after_death);
+  SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_shipowner_goes_to_next_after_leave);
+  SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_shipowner_goes_to_other_after_leave);
+  SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_shipowner_goes_to_same_faction_after_leave);
   return suite;
 }
diff --git a/src/kernel/unit.c b/src/kernel/unit.c
index 2cc272539..58dba10df 100644
--- a/src/kernel/unit.c
+++ b/src/kernel/unit.c
@@ -807,8 +807,8 @@ void leave_ship(unit * u)
         }
       }
     }
+    sh->owner = owner;
     if (owner) {
-      sh->owner = owner;
       fset(owner, UFL_OWNER);
     }
   }