diff --git a/src/kernel/move.c b/src/kernel/move.c
index b7c30a677..8b3572f6d 100644
--- a/src/kernel/move.c
+++ b/src/kernel/move.c
@@ -621,12 +621,7 @@ static bool is_freezing(const unit * u)
   return true;
 }
 
-#define SA_HARBOUR 1
-#define SA_COAST 1
-#define SA_NO_INSECT -1
-#define SA_NO_COAST -2
-
-static bool is_ship_allowed(struct ship *sh, const region * r)
+int check_ship_allowed(struct ship *sh, const region * r)
 {
   int c = 0;
   static const building_type *bt_harbour = NULL;
@@ -634,7 +629,7 @@ static bool is_ship_allowed(struct ship *sh, const region * r)
   if (bt_harbour == NULL)
     bt_harbour = bt_find("harbour");
 
-  if (r_insectstalled(r)) {
+  if (sh->region && r_insectstalled(r)) {
     /* insekten dürfen nicht hier rein. haben wir welche? */
     unit *u;
 
@@ -654,7 +649,7 @@ static bool is_ship_allowed(struct ship *sh, const region * r)
     }
   }
 
-  if (buildingtype_exists(r, bt_harbour, true))
+  if (bt_harbour && buildingtype_exists(r, bt_harbour, true))
     return SA_HARBOUR;
   for (c = 0; sh->type->coasts[c] != NULL; ++c) {
     if (sh->type->coasts[c] == r->terrain)
@@ -746,7 +741,7 @@ 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) && is_ship_allowed(sh, rn) > 0) {
+        if (rn != NULL && fval(rn->terrain, SAIL_INTO) && check_ship_allowed(sh, rn) > 0) {
           rnext = rn;
           if (!fval(rnext->terrain, SEA_REGION))
             break;
@@ -1809,7 +1804,7 @@ sail(unit * u, order * ord, bool move_on_land, region_list ** routep)
         }
       }
 
-      reason = is_ship_allowed(sh, next_point);
+      reason = check_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/move.h b/src/kernel/move.h
index 80744ce9f..c76c362c1 100644
--- a/src/kernel/move.h
+++ b/src/kernel/move.h
@@ -66,7 +66,13 @@ extern "C" {
     const struct building_type *bt);
 
   extern struct attrib_type at_speedup;
+  
+#define SA_HARBOUR 2
+#define SA_COAST 1
+#define SA_NO_INSECT -1
+#define SA_NO_COAST -2
 
+  extern int check_ship_allowed(struct ship *sh, const struct region * r);
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/src/kernel/move_test.c b/src/kernel/move_test.c
index 172012e4d..3183d9a59 100644
--- a/src/kernel/move_test.c
+++ b/src/kernel/move_test.c
@@ -4,12 +4,57 @@
 #include <kernel/building.h>
 #include <kernel/move.h>
 #include <kernel/region.h>
+#include <kernel/ship.h>
+#include <kernel/terrain.h>
 
 #include <util/language.h>
 
 #include <CuTest.h>
 #include <tests.h>
 
+static void test_ship_not_allowed_in_coast(CuTest * tc)
+{
+  region *r;
+  ship * sh;
+  terrain_type * ttype;
+  ship_type * stype;
+  char * names[] = { "derp", "derp_p" };
+
+  test_cleanup();
+  test_create_world();
+
+  ttype = test_create_terrain("glacier", LAND_REGION|ARCTIC_REGION|WALK_INTO|SAIL_INTO);
+  stype = test_create_shiptype(names);
+  stype->coasts = (const struct terrain_type **)calloc(2, sizeof(const struct terrain_type *));
+
+  r = test_create_region(0, 0, ttype);
+  sh = test_create_ship(0, stype);
+
+  CuAssertIntEquals(tc, SA_NO_COAST, check_ship_allowed(sh, r));
+  stype->coasts[0] = ttype;
+  CuAssertIntEquals(tc, SA_COAST, check_ship_allowed(sh, r));
+}
+
+static void test_ship_allowed_with_harbor(CuTest * tc)
+{
+  region *r;
+  ship * sh;
+  terrain_type * ttype;
+  building_type * btype;
+
+  test_cleanup();
+  test_create_world();
+
+  ttype = test_create_terrain("glacier", LAND_REGION|ARCTIC_REGION|WALK_INTO|SAIL_INTO);
+  btype = test_create_buildingtype("harbour");
+
+  r = test_create_region(0, 0, ttype);
+  sh = test_create_ship(0, 0);
+
+  test_create_building(r, btype);
+  CuAssertIntEquals(tc, SA_HARBOUR, check_ship_allowed(sh, r));
+}
+
 static void test_building_type_exists(CuTest * tc)
 {
   region *r;
@@ -35,5 +80,7 @@ CuSuite *get_move_suite(void)
 {
   CuSuite *suite = CuSuiteNew();
   SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_building_type_exists);
+  SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_ship_not_allowed_in_coast);
+  SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_ship_allowed_with_harbor);
   return suite;
 }
diff --git a/src/kernel/ship.c b/src/kernel/ship.c
index 141bd4ba9..96745c59e 100644
--- a/src/kernel/ship.c
+++ b/src/kernel/ship.c
@@ -171,7 +171,6 @@ ship *new_ship(const ship_type * stype, region * r, const struct locale *lang)
   const char *sname = 0;
 
   assert(stype);
-  assert(r);
   sh->no = newcontainerid();
   sh->coast = NODIRECTION;
   sh->type = stype;
@@ -188,7 +187,9 @@ ship *new_ship(const ship_type * stype, region * r, const struct locale *lang)
   slprintf(buffer, sizeof(buffer), "%s %s", sname, shipid(sh));
   sh->name = strdup(buffer);
   shash(sh);
-  addlist(&r->ships, sh);
+  if (r) {
+    addlist(&r->ships, sh);
+  }
   return sh;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/tests.c b/src/tests.c
index a0c5dcd94..dd05c7d93 100644
--- a/src/tests.c
+++ b/src/tests.c
@@ -138,6 +138,26 @@ ship * test_create_ship(region * r, const ship_type * stype)
   return s;
 }
 
+ship_type * test_create_shiptype(const char ** names)
+{
+  ship_type * stype = (ship_type*)calloc(sizeof(ship_type), 1);
+  stype->name[0] = strdup(names[0]);
+  stype->name[1] = strdup(names[1]);
+  locale_setstring(default_locale, names[0], names[0]);
+  st_register(stype);
+  return stype;
+}
+
+building_type * test_create_buildingtype(const char * name)
+{
+  building_type * btype = (building_type*)calloc(sizeof(building_type), 1);
+  btype->flags = BTF_NAMECHANGE;
+  btype->_name = strdup(name);
+  locale_setstring(default_locale, name, name);
+  bt_register(btype);
+  return btype;
+}
+
 item_type * test_create_itemtype(const char ** names) {
   resource_type * rtype;
   item_type * itype;
@@ -160,16 +180,14 @@ void test_create_world(void)
   terrain_type *t_plain, *t_ocean;
   region *island[2];
   int i;
-  building_type *btype;
-  ship_type *stype;
   item_type * itype;
-  const char * horses[2] = { "horse", "horse_p" };
+  const char * names[] = { "horse", "horse_p", "boat", "boat_p" };
 
   make_locale("de");
   init_resources();
   assert(!olditemtype[I_HORSE]);
 
-  itype = test_create_itemtype(horses);
+  itype = test_create_itemtype(names);
   olditemtype[I_HORSE] = itype;
 
   t_plain = test_create_terrain("plain", LAND_REGION | FOREST_REGION | WALK_INTO | CAVALRY_REGION);
@@ -192,17 +210,8 @@ void test_create_world(void)
 
   test_create_race("human");
 
-  btype = (building_type*)calloc(sizeof(building_type), 1);
-  btype->flags = BTF_NAMECHANGE;
-  btype->_name = strdup("castle");
-  locale_setstring(default_locale, "castle", "castle");
-  bt_register(btype);
-
-  stype = (ship_type*)calloc(sizeof(ship_type), 1);
-  stype->name[0] = strdup("boat");
-  stype->name[1] = strdup("boat_p");
-  locale_setstring(default_locale, "boat", "boat");
-  st_register(stype);
+  test_create_buildingtype("castle");
+  test_create_shiptype(names+2);
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char ** argv) {
diff --git a/src/tests.h b/src/tests.h
index 2ea13633e..15aa7a230 100644
--- a/src/tests.h
+++ b/src/tests.h
@@ -39,6 +39,9 @@ extern "C" {
   struct building * test_create_building(struct region * r, const struct building_type * btype);
   struct ship * test_create_ship(struct region * r, const struct ship_type * stype);
   struct item_type * test_create_itemtype(const char ** names);
+  struct ship_type *test_create_shiptype(const char **names);
+  struct building_type *test_create_buildingtype(const char *name);
+
   int RunAllTests(void);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus