diff --git a/src/kernel/item_test.c b/src/kernel/item_test.c
index 4ce7d8bf9..f12845ab4 100644
--- a/src/kernel/item_test.c
+++ b/src/kernel/item_test.c
@@ -12,11 +12,11 @@ void test_resource_type(CuTest * tc)
 
   CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, 0, rt_find("herpderp"));
 
-  names[0] = "herpderp";
+  names[0] = names[1] = "herpderp";
   new_resourcetype(names, NULL, RTF_NONE);
-  names[0] = "herp";
+  names[0] = names[1] = "herp";
   rtype = new_resourcetype(names, NULL, RTF_NONE);
-  names[0] = "herpes";
+  names[0] = names[1] = "herpes";
   new_resourcetype(names, NULL, RTF_NONE);
 
   CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, rtype, rt_find("herp"));
diff --git a/src/tests.c b/src/tests.c
index 3da1d8096..ab345bd88 100644
--- a/src/tests.c
+++ b/src/tests.c
@@ -107,6 +107,8 @@ void test_cleanup(void)
   test_clear_resources();
   global.functions.maintenance = NULL;
   global.functions.wage = NULL;
+  default_locale = 0;
+  locales = 0; /* TODO: this is evil and leaky */
   free_gamedata();
 }
 
@@ -164,6 +166,7 @@ void test_create_world(void)
   item_type * itype;
   const char * horses[2] = { "horse", "horse_p" };
 
+  make_locale("de");
   init_resources();
   assert(!olditemtype[I_HORSE]);
 
diff --git a/src/tests_test.c b/src/tests_test.c
index 65c678e14..3f8a65513 100644
--- a/src/tests_test.c
+++ b/src/tests_test.c
@@ -6,13 +6,17 @@
 static void test_recreate_world(CuTest * tc)
 {
   test_cleanup();
+  CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, 0, find_locale("de"));
   CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, 0, it_find("money"));
   CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, 0, it_find("horse"));
   test_create_world();
+  CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, default_locale, find_locale("de"));
+  CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, default_locale);
   CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, it_find("money"));
   CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, it_find("horse"));
   CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, findregion(0, 0));
   test_cleanup();
+  CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, 0, find_locale("de"));
   CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, 0, it_find("money"));
   CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, 0, it_find("horse"));
   CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, 0, findregion(0, 0));
diff --git a/src/util/language.c b/src/util/language.c
index 9bb36cd2d..2af939234 100644
--- a/src/util/language.c
+++ b/src/util/language.c
@@ -57,6 +57,10 @@ locale *make_locale(const char *name)
   locale *l = (locale *) calloc(sizeof(locale), 1);
   locale **lp = &locales;
 
+  if (!locales) {
+    nextlocaleindex = 0;
+  }
+
   while (*lp && (*lp)->hashkey != hkey)
     lp = &(*lp)->next;
   if (*lp) {
@@ -164,8 +168,10 @@ void locale_setstring(locale * lang, const char *key, const char *value)
   unsigned int hkey = hashstring(key);
   unsigned int id = hkey & (SMAXHASH - 1);
   struct locale_str *find;
-  if (lang == NULL)
+  if (!lang) {
     lang = default_locale;
+  }
+  assert(lang);
   find = lang->strings[id];
   while (find) {
     if (find->hashkey == hkey && strcmp(key, find->key) == 0)