diff --git a/src/kernel/race.c b/src/kernel/race.c
index 14541346e..2919fdb8b 100644
--- a/src/kernel/race.c
+++ b/src/kernel/race.c
@@ -177,7 +177,11 @@ race *rc_get_or_create(const char *zName)
 
         rc = (race *)calloc(sizeof(race), 1);
         rc->hitpoints = 1;
+        rc->weight = PERSON_WEIGHT;
+        rc->capacity = 540;
         rc->recruit_multi = 1.0F;
+        rc->regaura = 1.0F;
+        rc->speed = 1.0F;
         if (strchr(zName, ' ') != NULL) {
             log_error("race '%s' has an invalid name. remove spaces\n", zName);
             assert(strchr(zName, ' ') == NULL);
diff --git a/src/kernel/race.test.c b/src/kernel/race.test.c
index 31c058bea..ef4fc640e 100644
--- a/src/kernel/race.test.c
+++ b/src/kernel/race.test.c
@@ -8,17 +8,43 @@
 #include <assert.h>
 
 static void test_rc_name(CuTest *tc) {
-    struct race *rc = test_create_race("human");
+    struct race *rc;
+    test_cleanup();
+    rc = test_create_race("human");
     CuAssertStrEquals(tc, "race::human", rc_name_s(rc, NAME_SINGULAR));
     CuAssertStrEquals(tc, "race::human_p", rc_name_s(rc, NAME_PLURAL));
     CuAssertStrEquals(tc, "race::human_d", rc_name_s(rc, NAME_DEFINITIVE));
     CuAssertStrEquals(tc, "race::human_x", rc_name_s(rc, NAME_CATEGORY));
+    test_cleanup();
+}
+
+static void test_rc_defaults(CuTest *tc) {
+    struct race *rc;
+    test_cleanup();
+    rc = rc_get_or_create("human");
+    CuAssertStrEquals(tc, "human", rc->_name);
+    CuAssertDblEquals(tc, 0.0, rc->magres, 0.0);
+    CuAssertDblEquals(tc, 0.0, rc->maxaura, 0.0);
+    CuAssertDblEquals(tc, 1.0, rc->recruit_multi, 0.0);
+    CuAssertDblEquals(tc, 1.0, rc->regaura, 0.0);
+    CuAssertDblEquals(tc, 1.0, rc->speed, 0.0);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 0, rc->flags);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 0, rc->recruitcost);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 0, rc->maintenance);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 540, rc->capacity);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 1, rc->hitpoints);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 0, rc->armor);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 0, rc->at_bonus);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 0, rc->df_bonus);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, PERSON_WEIGHT, rc->weight);
+    test_cleanup();
 }
 
 CuSuite *get_race_suite(void)
 {
     CuSuite *suite = CuSuiteNew();
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_rc_name);
+    SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_rc_defaults);
     return suite;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/kernel/xmlreader.c b/src/kernel/xmlreader.c
index 1b1c6b356..5061abb07 100644
--- a/src/kernel/xmlreader.c
+++ b/src/kernel/xmlreader.c
@@ -1626,22 +1626,22 @@ static int parse_races(xmlDocPtr doc)
         rc->def_damage = _strdup((const char *)propValue);
         xmlFree(propValue);
 
-        rc->magres = (float)xml_fvalue(node, "magres", 0.0);
-        rc->maxaura = (float)xml_fvalue(node, "maxaura", 0.0);
-        rc->regaura = (float)xml_fvalue(node, "regaura", 1.0);
-        rc->recruitcost = xml_ivalue(node, "recruitcost", 0);
-        rc->maintenance = xml_ivalue(node, "maintenance", 0);
-        rc->weight = xml_ivalue(node, "weight", PERSON_WEIGHT);
-        rc->capacity = xml_ivalue(node, "capacity", 540);
-        rc->speed = (float)xml_fvalue(node, "speed", 1.0F);
-        rc->hitpoints = xml_ivalue(node, "hp", 0);
-        rc->armor = (char)xml_ivalue(node, "ac", 0);
+        rc->magres = (float)xml_fvalue(node, "magres", rc->magres);
+        rc->maxaura = (float)xml_fvalue(node, "maxaura", rc->maxaura);
+        rc->regaura = (float)xml_fvalue(node, "regaura", rc->regaura);
+        rc->recruitcost = xml_ivalue(node, "recruitcost", rc->recruitcost);
+        rc->maintenance = xml_ivalue(node, "maintenance", rc->maintenance);
+        rc->weight = xml_ivalue(node, "weight", rc->weight);
+        rc->capacity = xml_ivalue(node, "capacity", rc->capacity);
+        rc->speed = (float)xml_fvalue(node, "speed", rc->speed);
+        rc->hitpoints = xml_ivalue(node, "hp", rc->hitpoints);
+        rc->armor = (char)xml_ivalue(node, "ac", rc->armor);
         study_speed_base = xml_ivalue(node, "studyspeed", 0);
 
         rc->at_default = (char)xml_ivalue(node, "unarmedattack", -2);
         rc->df_default = (char)xml_ivalue(node, "unarmeddefense", -2);
-        rc->at_bonus = (char)xml_ivalue(node, "attackmodifier", 0);
-        rc->df_bonus = (char)xml_ivalue(node, "defensemodifier", 0);
+        rc->at_bonus = (char)xml_ivalue(node, "attackmodifier", rc->at_bonus);
+        rc->df_bonus = (char)xml_ivalue(node, "defensemodifier", rc->df_bonus);
 
         if (!xml_bvalue(node, "playerrace", false))
             rc->flags |= RCF_NPC;