diff --git a/src/bindings/bind_unit.c b/src/bindings/bind_unit.c
index 9de137d90..7084571d8 100644
--- a/src/bindings/bind_unit.c
+++ b/src/bindings/bind_unit.c
@@ -522,7 +522,9 @@ unit_addspell(unit * u, const char * name)
     slist=slist->next;
   }
   if (!spadd) log_error(("spell %s could not be found\n", name));
-  else add_spell(starget, spadd);
+  else {
+    add_spell(starget, spadd);
+  }
 }
 
 static int
diff --git a/src/gamecode/laws.c b/src/gamecode/laws.c
index c5cb1173e..dc638e047 100644
--- a/src/gamecode/laws.c
+++ b/src/gamecode/laws.c
@@ -3596,14 +3596,6 @@ update_spells(void)
 
       if (FactionSpells() && maxlevel>f->max_spelllevel) {
         update_spellbook(f, maxlevel);
-        for (i=0;i!=n;++i) {
-          sc_mage *mage = get_mage(mages[i]);
-          while (mage->spells) {
-            spell_list * slist = mage->spells;
-            mage->spells = slist->next;
-            free(slist);
-          }
-        }
       }
       for (i=0;i!=n;++i) {
         updatespelllist(mages[i]);