diff --git a/src/randenc.c b/src/randenc.c
index bff7dacb7..85c3dd8d3 100644
--- a/src/randenc.c
+++ b/src/randenc.c
@@ -682,7 +682,7 @@ static void godcurse(void)
 }
 
 /** handles the "orcish" curse that makes units grow like old orks
- * This would probably be better handled in an age-function for the curse,
+ * TODO: This would probably be better handled in an age-function for the curse,
  * but it's now being called by randomevents()
  */
 static void orc_growth(void)
@@ -691,39 +691,36 @@ static void orc_growth(void)
     for (r = regions; r; r = r->next) {
         unit *u;
         for (u = r->units; u; u = u->next) {
-            static bool init = false;
-            static const curse_type *ct_orcish = 0;
-            curse *c = 0;
-            if (!init) {
-                init = true;
-                ct_orcish = ct_find("orcish");
-            }
-            if (ct_orcish)
-                c = get_curse(u->attribs, ct_orcish);
-
-            if (c && !has_skill(u, SK_MAGIC) && !has_skill(u, SK_ALCHEMY)
+            if (u->attribs && !has_skill(u, SK_MAGIC) && !has_skill(u, SK_ALCHEMY)
                 && !fval(u, UFL_HERO)) {
-                int n;
-                int increase = 0;
-                int num = get_cursedmen(u, c);
-                double prob = curse_geteffect(c);
-                const item_type * it_chastity = it_find("ao_chastity");
+                const curse_type *ct_orcish = ct_find("orcish");
 
-                if (it_chastity) {
-                    num -= i_get(u->items, it_chastity);
-                }
-                for (n = num; n > 0; n--) {
-                    if (chance(prob)) {
-                        ++increase;
+                if (ct_orcish) {
+                    curse *c = get_curse(u->attribs, ct_orcish);
+                    if (c) {
+                        int n;
+                        int increase = 0;
+                        int num = get_cursedmen(u, c);
+                        double prob = curse_geteffect(c);
+                        const item_type * it_chastity = it_find("ao_chastity");
+
+                        if (it_chastity) {
+                            num -= i_get(u->items, it_chastity);
+                        }
+                        for (n = num; n > 0; n--) {
+                            if (chance(prob)) {
+                                ++increase;
+                            }
+                        }
+                        if (increase) {
+                            unit *u2 = create_unit(r, u->faction, increase, u_race(u), 0, NULL, u);
+                            transfermen(u2, u, u2->number);
+
+                            ADDMSG(&u->faction->msgs, msg_message("orcgrowth",
+                                "unit amount race", u, increase, u_race(u)));
+                        }
                     }
                 }
-                if (increase) {
-                    unit *u2 = create_unit(r, u->faction, increase, u_race(u), 0, NULL, u);
-                    transfermen(u2, u, u2->number);
-
-                    ADDMSG(&u->faction->msgs, msg_message("orcgrowth",
-                        "unit amount race", u, increase, u_race(u)));
-                }
             }
         }
     }