diff --git a/src/kernel/item.c b/src/kernel/item.c
index ba6504746..63ba87a53 100644
--- a/src/kernel/item.c
+++ b/src/kernel/item.c
@@ -925,7 +925,7 @@ struct order *ord)
         user->number);
 
     a_add(&f->attribs, make_key(atoi36("mbst")));
-    set_level(user, findskill("magic"), 3);
+    set_level(user, SK_MAGIC, 3);
 
     ADDMSG(&user->faction->msgs, msg_message("use_item",
         "unit item", user, itype->rtype));
diff --git a/src/skill.test.c b/src/skill.test.c
index 451f95d7c..248228a53 100644
--- a/src/skill.test.c
+++ b/src/skill.test.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ static void test_init_skill(CuTest *tc) {
 static void test_get_skill(CuTest *tc) {
     test_cleanup();
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, SK_ALCHEMY, findskill("alchemy"));
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, SK_MAGIC, findskill("magic"));
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, SK_CROSSBOW, findskill("crossbow"));
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, NOSKILL, findskill(""));
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, NOSKILL, findskill("potato"));