diff --git a/cJSON b/cJSON
index 22a4fc9be..8df81fb49 160000
--- a/cJSON
+++ b/cJSON
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 22a4fc9be31f0426e622f5bc9ebd7a1550845001
+Subproject commit 8df81fb497cc48b089a57fcdc3a9933540ebc7c9
diff --git a/scripts/tests/e2/undead.lua b/scripts/tests/e2/undead.lua
index 28d2c20c1..f7586ee4b 100644
--- a/scripts/tests/e2/undead.lua
+++ b/scripts/tests/e2/undead.lua
@@ -31,9 +31,15 @@ function test_undead_reserve_other()
     u1.name = 'Xolgrim'
     process_orders()
 
-    -- Intermittent Failure: expected 0 but was 2
+    if 0 ~= u1:get_item("log") then
+        -- try to catch that intermittent bug:
+        print(u1:show())
+    end
     assert_equal(0, u1:get_item("log"))
-
+    if 2 ~= u2:get_item("log") then
+        -- try to catch that intermittent bug:
+        print(u2:show())
+    end
     assert_equal(2, u2:get_item("log"))
 end
 
diff --git a/src/json.test.c b/src/json.test.c
index 30d4e072e..ec814eec6 100644
--- a/src/json.test.c
+++ b/src/json.test.c
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ static cJSON *export_a_region(CuTest * tc, const struct terrain_type *terrain, r
     int err;
     region *r;
     cJSON *json, *attr, *result, *regs;
+    size_t sz;
 
     r = test_create_region(0, 0, terrain);
 
@@ -65,7 +66,8 @@ static cJSON *export_a_region(CuTest * tc, const struct terrain_type *terrain, r
     err = json_export(&out, EXPORT_REGIONS);
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 0, err);
     out.api->rewind(out.handle);
-    out.api->read(out.handle, buf, sizeof(buf));
+    sz = out.api->read(out.handle, buf, sizeof(buf));
+    buf[sz] = '\0';
     mstream_done(&out);
 
     json = cJSON_Parse(buf);
diff --git a/src/kernel/ally.c b/src/kernel/ally.c
index 1999b34b3..5ecf728bc 100644
--- a/src/kernel/ally.c
+++ b/src/kernel/ally.c
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ typedef struct allies {
 
 static void block_insert(allies *al, struct faction *f, int status) {
     int i = al->num++;
+    assert(status > 0);
     al->status[i] = status;
     al->factions[i] = f;
     /* TODO: heapify */
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@ static int block_search(allies *al, const struct faction *f) {
 
 int allies_walk(struct allies *all, cb_allies_walk callback, void *udata)
 {
-     allies *al;
+    allies *al;
     for (al = all; al; al = al->next) {
         int i;
         for (i = 0; i != al->num; ++i) {
@@ -94,13 +95,17 @@ void ally_set(allies **p_al, struct faction *f, int status)
             return;
         }
         if (al->num < BLOCKSIZE) {
-            block_insert(al, f, status);
+            if (status > 0) {
+                block_insert(al, f, status);
+            }
             return;
         }
         p_al = &al->next;
     }
-    *p_al = calloc(1, sizeof(allies));
-    block_insert(*p_al, f, status);
+    if (status > 0) {
+        *p_al = calloc(1, sizeof(allies));
+        block_insert(*p_al, f, status);
+    }
 }
 
 void write_allies(gamedata * data, const allies *alist)
@@ -112,6 +117,7 @@ void write_allies(gamedata * data, const allies *alist)
             const faction * f = al->factions[i];
             if (f && f->_alive) {
                 write_faction_reference(f, data->store);
+                assert(al->status[i] > 0);
                 WRITE_INT(data->store, al->status[i]);
             }
         }
@@ -132,7 +138,10 @@ void read_allies(gamedata * data, allies **p_al)
         f = findfaction(aid);
         if (!f) f = faction_create(aid);
         READ_INT(data->store, &status);
-        ally_set(p_al, f, status);
+        /* NB: some data files have allies with status=0 */
+        if (status > 0) {
+            ally_set(p_al, f, status);
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/kernel/ally.test.c b/src/kernel/ally.test.c
index 248eb5831..1b42a0f1f 100644
--- a/src/kernel/ally.test.c
+++ b/src/kernel/ally.test.c
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include <platform.h>
 #include "types.h"
 #include "ally.h"
+#include "faction.h"
 
 #include <CuTest.h>
 #include <tests.h>
@@ -41,11 +42,36 @@ static void test_allies(CuTest *tc) {
     test_teardown();
 }
 
+static void test_allies_set(CuTest *tc) {
+    struct faction *f1, *f2;
+    struct allies * al = NULL;
+
+    test_setup();
+    f1 = test_create_faction(NULL);
+    f2 = test_create_faction(NULL);
+
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, NULL, al);
+    ally_set(&al, f1, HELP_ALL);
+    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, al);
+    ally_set(&al, f1, DONT_HELP);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, NULL, f1->allies);
+    ally_set(&al, f1, DONT_HELP);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, NULL, al);
+
+    ally_set(&al, f1, HELP_ALL);
+    ally_set(&al, f2, DONT_HELP);
+    ally_set(&al, f1, DONT_HELP);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, NULL, al);
+
+    test_teardown();
+}
+
 CuSuite *get_ally_suite(void)
 {
     CuSuite *suite = CuSuiteNew();
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_allies);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_allies_clone);
+    SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_allies_set);
     return suite;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/races/dragons.c b/src/races/dragons.c
index ec16f78dc..5ab877c40 100644
--- a/src/races/dragons.c
+++ b/src/races/dragons.c
@@ -27,26 +27,26 @@ static int age_chance(int a, int b, int p) {
     return (r < 0) ? 0 : r;
 }
 
-#define DRAGONAGE                   27
-#define WYRMAGE                     68
+#define DRAGONAGE 27
+#define WYRMAGE 68
+
+static void evolve_dragon(unit * u, const struct race *rc) {
+    scale_number(u, 1);
+    u_setrace(u, rc);
+    u->irace = NULL;
+    u->hp = unit_max_hp(u);
+}
 
 void age_firedragon(unit * u)
 {
     if (u->number > 0 && rng_int() % 100 < age_chance(u->age, DRAGONAGE, 1)) {
-        double q = (double)u->hp / (double)(unit_max_hp(u) * u->number);
-        u_setrace(u, get_race(RC_DRAGON));
-        u->irace = NULL;
-        scale_number(u, 1);
-        u->hp = (int)(unit_max_hp(u) * u->number * q);
+        evolve_dragon(u, get_race(RC_DRAGON));
     }
 }
 
 void age_dragon(unit * u)
 {
     if (u->number > 0 && rng_int() % 100 < age_chance(u->age, WYRMAGE, 1)) {
-        double q = (double)u->hp / (double)(unit_max_hp(u) * u->number);
-        u_setrace(u, get_race(RC_WYRM));
-        u->irace = NULL;
-        u->hp = (int)(unit_max_hp(u) * u->number * q);
+        evolve_dragon(u, get_race(RC_WYRM));
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/report.c b/src/report.c
index 7ea25c8d6..669412cdd 100644
--- a/src/report.c
+++ b/src/report.c
@@ -1509,7 +1509,7 @@ static int show_allies_cb(struct allies *all, faction *af, int status, void *uda
     if ((mode & HELP_ALL) == HELP_ALL) {
         sbs_strcat(sbp, LOC(f->locale, parameters[P_ANY]));
     }
-    else {
+    else if (mode > 0) {
         int h, hh = 0;
         for (h = 1; h <= HELP_TRAVEL; h *= 2) {
             int p = MAXPARAMS;
@@ -2177,8 +2177,8 @@ report_plaintext(const char *filename, report_context * ctx,
 
         if (wants_stats && r->seen.mode >= seen_travel) {
             if (r->land || r->seen.mode >= seen_unit) {
-                newline(out);
                 statistics(out, r, f);
+                newline(out);
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/src/util/base36.c b/src/util/base36.c
index f77823a0b..33701f0f6 100644
--- a/src/util/base36.c
+++ b/src/util/base36.c
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ const char *itoab_r(int i, int base, char *s, size_t len)
             }
         }
         else {
-            log_error("static buffer exhauset, itoab(%d, %d)", i, base);
+            log_error("static buffer exhausted, itoab(%d, %d)", i, base);
             assert(i == 0 || !"itoab: static buffer exhausted");
         }
     }