diff --git a/src/common/gamecode/laws.c b/src/common/gamecode/laws.c
index 0ed332a54..a3bcb8a6d 100644
--- a/src/common/gamecode/laws.c
+++ b/src/common/gamecode/laws.c
@@ -3692,6 +3692,8 @@ void
 process(void)
 {
   processor *proc = processors;
+  faction * f;
+
   while (proc) {
     int prio = proc->priority;
     region *r;
@@ -3775,6 +3777,20 @@ process(void)
 
     }
   }
+
+  if (quiet<2) printf("\n - Leere Gruppen löschen...\n");
+  for (f=factions; f; f=f->next) {
+    group ** gp = &f->groups;
+    while (*gp) {
+      group * g = *gp;
+      if (g->members==0) {
+        *gp = g->next;
+        free_group(g);
+      } else
+        gp = &g->next;
+    }
+  }
+
 }
 
 static void enter_1(region * r) { do_misc(r, false); }
diff --git a/src/common/kernel/region.c b/src/common/kernel/region.c
index be7067cc8..4cd8a273a 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/region.c
+++ b/src/common/kernel/region.c
@@ -446,7 +446,10 @@ r_connect(const region * r, direction_t dir)
   buffer[dir] = rfindhash(r->x + delta_x[dir], r->y + delta_y[dir]);
   set |= (1<<dir);
 #ifdef FAST_CONNECT
-  rmodify->connect[dir] = buffer[dir];
+  if (buffer[dir]) {
+    rmodify->connect[dir] = buffer[dir];
+    buffer[dir]->connect[back[dir]] = rmodify;
+  }
 #endif
   return buffer[dir];
 }
diff --git a/src/common/kernel/save.c b/src/common/kernel/save.c
index 394687160..dc50fe966 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/save.c
+++ b/src/common/kernel/save.c
@@ -88,7 +88,6 @@ const char * xmlfile = "eressea.xml";
 const char * g_datadir;
 int firstx = 0, firsty = 0;
 int enc_gamedata = 0;
-int enc_orderfile = 0;
 
 /* local symbols */
 static region * current_region;
@@ -652,20 +651,19 @@ igetparam (const char *s, const struct locale *lang)
 }
 
 int
-readorders(const char *filename, const char * encoding)
+readorders(const char *filename)
 {
   FILE * F = NULL;
   const char *b;
   int nfactions=0;
   struct faction *f = NULL;
-  int enc = xmlParseCharEncoding(encoding);
 
   if (filename) F = cfopen(filename, "rt");
   if (F==NULL) return 0;
 
   puts(" - lese Befehlsdatei...\n");
 
-  b = getbuf(F, enc);
+  b = getbuf(F, enc_gamedata);
 
   /* Auffinden der ersten Partei, und danach abarbeiten bis zur letzten
    * Partei */
@@ -685,7 +683,7 @@ readorders(const char *filename, const char * encoding)
       }
 #endif
 
-      b = getbuf(F, enc);
+      b = getbuf(F, enc_gamedata);
       break;
     case P_GAMENAME:
     case P_FACTION:
@@ -694,7 +692,7 @@ readorders(const char *filename, const char * encoding)
         ++nfactions;
       }
 
-      b = getbuf(F, enc);
+      b = getbuf(F, enc_gamedata);
       break;
 
       /* in factionorders wird nur eine zeile gelesen:
@@ -703,8 +701,8 @@ readorders(const char *filename, const char * encoding)
        * vermerkt. */
 
     case P_UNIT:
-      if (!f || !unitorders(F, enc, f)) do {
-        b = getbuf(F, enc);
+      if (!f || !unitorders(F, enc_gamedata, f)) do {
+        b = getbuf(F, enc_gamedata);
         if (!b) break;
         p = igetparam(b, lang);
       } while ((p != P_UNIT || !f) && p != P_FACTION && p != P_NEXT && p != P_GAMENAME);
@@ -719,11 +717,11 @@ readorders(const char *filename, const char * encoding)
 
     case P_NEXT:
       f = NULL;
-      b = getbuf(F, enc);
+      b = getbuf(F, enc_gamedata);
       break;
 
     default:
-      b = getbuf(F, enc);
+      b = getbuf(F, enc_gamedata);
       break;
     }
   }
@@ -1736,7 +1734,7 @@ writefaction(FILE * F, const faction * f)
 }
 
 int
-readgame(const char * filename, int backup, int encoding)
+readgame(const char * filename, int backup)
 {
   int i, n, p;
   faction *f, **fp;
@@ -1795,7 +1793,7 @@ readgame(const char * filename, int backup, int encoding)
   while(--n >= 0) {
     plane *pl = calloc(1, sizeof(plane));
     pl->id = ri(F);
-    xrds(F, &pl->name, encoding);
+    xrds(F, &pl->name, enc_gamedata);
     pl->minx = (short)ri(F);
     pl->maxx = (short)ri(F);
     pl->miny = (short)ri(F);
@@ -1830,7 +1828,7 @@ readgame(const char * filename, int backup, int encoding)
   /* fflush (stdout); */
 
   while (--n >= 0) {
-    faction * f = readfaction(F, encoding);
+    faction * f = readfaction(F, enc_gamedata);
 
     *fp = f;
     fp = &f->next;
@@ -1888,7 +1886,7 @@ readgame(const char * filename, int backup, int encoding)
     }
     --rmax;
 
-    r = readregion(F, encoding, x, y);
+    r = readregion(F, enc_gamedata, x, y);
 
     /* Burgen */
     p = ri(F);
@@ -1901,9 +1899,9 @@ readgame(const char * filename, int backup, int encoding)
       *bp = b;
       bp = &b->next;
       bhash(b);
-      xrds(F, &b->name, encoding);
+      xrds(F, &b->name, enc_gamedata);
       if (lomem) rds(F, 0);
-      else xrds(F, &b->display, encoding);
+      else xrds(F, &b->display, enc_gamedata);
       b->size = ri(F);
       if (global.data_version < TYPES_VERSION) {
         assert(!"data format is no longer supported");
@@ -1928,9 +1926,9 @@ readgame(const char * filename, int backup, int encoding)
       *shp = sh;
       shp = &sh->next;
       shash(sh);
-      xrds(F, &sh->name, encoding);
+      xrds(F, &sh->name, enc_gamedata);
       if (lomem) rds(F, NULL);
-      else xrds(F, &sh->display, encoding);
+      else xrds(F, &sh->display, enc_gamedata);
 
       rss(F, token, sizeof(token));
       sh->type = st_find(token);
@@ -1956,7 +1954,7 @@ readgame(const char * filename, int backup, int encoding)
     up = &r->units;
 
     while (--p >= 0) {
-      unit * u = readunit(F, encoding);
+      unit * u = readunit(F, enc_gamedata);
       sc_mage * mage;
 
       assert(u->region==NULL);
@@ -1984,19 +1982,6 @@ readgame(const char * filename, int backup, int encoding)
   if (quiet<2) printf("\n - Referenzen initialisieren...\n");
   resolve();
 
-  if (quiet<2) printf("\n - Leere Gruppen löschen...\n");
-  for (f=factions; f; f=f->next) {
-    group ** gp = &f->groups;
-    while (*gp) {
-      group * g = *gp;
-      if (g->members==0) {
-        *gp = g->next;
-        free_group(g);
-      } else
-        gp = &g->next;
-    }
-  }
-
   for (r=regions;r;r=r->next) {
     building * b;
     for (b=r->buildings;b;b=b->next) update_lighthouse(b);
diff --git a/src/common/kernel/save.h b/src/common/kernel/save.h
index 321e2b05f..e5205ca4b 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/save.h
+++ b/src/common/kernel/save.h
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@ double version(void);
  * dass hier ein Fehler (fehlende ") vorliegt */
 
 FILE * cfopen(const char *filename, const char *mode);
-int readorders(const char *filename, const char * encoding);
+int readorders(const char *filename);
 int creategame(void);
-extern int readgame(const char * filename, int backup, int encoding);
+extern int readgame(const char * filename, int backup);
 int writegame(const char *filename, int quiet);
 
 extern void rsf(FILE * F, char *s, size_t len);
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@ extern int maxregions;
 extern int firstx, firsty;
 extern const char *xmlfile;
 extern int enc_gamedata;
-extern int enc_orderfile;
 
 extern void init_locales(void);
 extern int lastturn(void);
diff --git a/src/eressea/gmtool.c b/src/eressea/gmtool.c
index 724701ba9..109222ac7 100644
--- a/src/eressea/gmtool.c
+++ b/src/eressea/gmtool.c
@@ -1343,7 +1343,7 @@ gmmain(int argc, char *argv[])
   if (turn>first_turn) {
     char datafile[12];
     sprintf(datafile, "%u", turn);
-    readgame(datafile, 0, enc_gamedata);
+    readgame(datafile, 0);
   }
 
   run_mapper();
diff --git a/src/eressea/lua/gamecode.cpp b/src/eressea/lua/gamecode.cpp
index 3b7748ca5..3ea4d4e70 100644
--- a/src/eressea/lua/gamecode.cpp
+++ b/src/eressea/lua/gamecode.cpp
@@ -107,11 +107,22 @@ message_region(unit& sender, const char * str)
   ADDMSG(&sender.region->msgs, msg_message("mail_result", "unit message", &sender, str));
 }
 
-static int
-read_game(const char * filename, const char * encoding)
+static void
+set_encoding(const char * str)
 {
-  int enc = xmlParseCharEncoding(encoding);
-  int rv = readgame(filename, false, enc);
+  enc_gamedata = xmlParseCharEncoding(str);
+}
+
+static const char *
+get_encoding(void)
+{
+  return xmlGetCharEncodingName((xmlCharEncoding)enc_gamedata);
+}
+
+static int
+read_game(const char * filename)
+{
+  int rv = readgame(filename, false);
   printf(" - Korrekturen Runde %d\n", turn);
   korrektur();
   return rv;
@@ -214,6 +225,9 @@ bind_gamecode(lua_State * L)
     def("read_game", &read_game),
     def("write_game", &write_game),
 
+    def("get_encoding", &get_encoding),
+    def("set_encoding", &set_encoding),
+
     def("init_summary", &init_summary),
     def("write_summary", &write_summary),
 
diff --git a/src/eressea/server.cpp b/src/eressea/server.cpp
index cc81b566a..e638f49f4 100644
--- a/src/eressea/server.cpp
+++ b/src/eressea/server.cpp
@@ -615,10 +615,8 @@ load_inifile(const char * filename)
     lomem = iniparser_getint(d, "common:lomem", lomem)?1:0;
     memdebug = iniparser_getint(d, "common:memcheck", memdebug);
 
-    str = iniparser_getstring(d, "common:gamedata_encoding", NULL);
+    str = iniparser_getstring(d, "common:encoding", NULL);
     if (str) enc_gamedata = xmlParseCharEncoding(str);
-    str = iniparser_getstring(d, "common:orderfile_encoding", NULL);
-    if (str) enc_orderfile = xmlParseCharEncoding(str);
 
     quiet = iniparser_getint(d, "eressea:verbose", 0)?0:1;
     battledebug = iniparser_getint(d, "eressea:debug", battledebug)?1:0;
diff --git a/src/scripts/default.lua b/src/scripts/default.lua
index 715986a0e..3872a7954 100644
--- a/src/scripts/default.lua
+++ b/src/scripts/default.lua
@@ -9,8 +9,9 @@ function write_emails(locales)
 
   local faction
   for faction in factions() do
-    -- print(faction.id .. " - " .. faction.locale)
-    files[faction.locale]:write(faction.email .. "\n")
+    if faction.email~="" then
+      files[faction.locale]:write(faction.email .. "\n")
+    end
   end
 
   for key, file in pairs(files) do
diff --git a/src/scripts/eressea.lua b/src/scripts/eressea.lua
index a9ab87224..f89cb6a11 100644
--- a/src/scripts/eressea.lua
+++ b/src/scripts/eressea.lua
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ function process(orders)
   equipment_setitem("new_faction", "money", "4200");
 
   file = "" .. get_turn()
-  if read_game(file, enc_game)~=0 then
+  set_encoding(enc_game)
+  if read_game(file)~=0 then
     print("could not read game")
     return -1
   end
diff --git a/src/scripts/samples.lua b/src/scripts/samples.lua
index acd276cd3..5eea565de 100644
--- a/src/scripts/samples.lua
+++ b/src/scripts/samples.lua
@@ -432,5 +432,17 @@ if 0==1 then
 end
 
 -- test_moving()
-
-read_game("530", "ISO-8859-1")
+if 0==1 then
+ set_encoding("ISO-8859-1")
+ read_game("530")
+ -- read_orders("../game/orders.530")
+ plan_monsters()
+ process_orders()
+ write_game("531")
+else
+ set_encoding("UTF-8")
+ read_game("531")
+ plan_monsters()
+ process_orders()
+ write_game("532")
+end