diff --git a/src/kernel/faction.c b/src/kernel/faction.c
index 0ab13c150..fd5799265 100755
--- a/src/kernel/faction.c
+++ b/src/kernel/faction.c
@@ -658,6 +658,11 @@ void remove_empty_factions(void)
     }
 }
 
+bool faction_alive(faction *f) {
+    assert(f);
+    return f->_alive || (f->flags&FFL_NPC);
+}
+
 void faction_getorigin(const faction * f, int id, int *x, int *y)
 {
     ursprung *ur;
diff --git a/src/kernel/faction.h b/src/kernel/faction.h
index 6692636f0..722904734 100644
--- a/src/kernel/faction.h
+++ b/src/kernel/faction.h
@@ -123,6 +123,8 @@ extern "C" {
     bool checkpasswd(const faction * f, const char *passwd);
     void destroyfaction(faction ** f);
 
+    bool faction_alive(struct faction *f);
+
     void set_alliance(struct faction *a, struct faction *b, int status);
     int get_alliance(const struct faction *a, const struct faction *b);
 
diff --git a/src/kernel/faction.test.c b/src/kernel/faction.test.c
index 9299f6370..a94a907e8 100644
--- a/src/kernel/faction.test.c
+++ b/src/kernel/faction.test.c
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ static void test_addfaction(CuTest *tc) {
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 1234, f->subscription);
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 0, f->flags);
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 0, f->age);
-    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, true, f->_alive);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, true, faction_alive(f));
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, M_GRAY, f->magiegebiet);
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, turn, f->lastorders);
     CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, f, findfaction(f->no));
diff --git a/src/kernel/unit.c b/src/kernel/unit.c
index 4b5c145fd..04d113033 100644
--- a/src/kernel/unit.c
+++ b/src/kernel/unit.c
@@ -1463,7 +1463,7 @@ unit *create_unit(region * r, faction * f, int number, const struct race *urace,
 
     assert(urace);
     if (f) {
-        assert(f->_alive);
+        assert(faction_alive(f));
         u_setfaction(u, f);
 
         if (f->locale) {
@@ -1828,7 +1828,7 @@ void remove_empty_units_in_region(region * r)
 
         if (u->number) {
             faction *f = u->faction;
-            if (f == NULL || !f->_alive) {
+            if (f == NULL || !faction_alive(f)) {
                 set_number(u, 0);
             }
         }