diff --git a/src/kernel/save.c b/src/kernel/save.c
index 1d610d013..578c80a05 100644
--- a/src/kernel/save.c
+++ b/src/kernel/save.c
@@ -1170,6 +1170,9 @@ faction *readfaction(struct gamedata * data)
     }
     READ_INT(data->store, &f->subscription);
 
+    if (data->version >= SPELL_LEVEL_VERSION) {
+        READ_INT(data->store, &f->max_spelllevel);
+    }
     if (alliances || data->version >= OWNER_2_VERSION) {
         int allianceid;
         READ_INT(data->store, &allianceid);
@@ -1299,6 +1302,9 @@ void writefaction(struct gamedata *data, const faction * f)
 
     write_faction_reference(f, data->store);
     WRITE_INT(data->store, f->subscription);
+#if RELEASE_VERSION >= SPELL_LEVEL_VERSION
+    WRITE_INT(data->store, f->max_spelllevel);
+#endif
     if (f->alliance) {
         WRITE_INT(data->store, f->alliance->id);
         if (f->alliance->flags & ALF_NON_ALLIED) {
@@ -1353,6 +1359,14 @@ void writefaction(struct gamedata *data, const faction * f)
     write_spellbook(f->spellbook, data->store);
 }
 
+static int cb_sb_maxlevel(spellbook_entry *sbe, void *cbdata) {
+    faction *f = (faction *)cbdata;
+    if (sbe->level > f->max_spelllevel) {
+        f->max_spelllevel = sbe->level;
+    }
+    return 0;
+}
+
 int readgame(const char *filename, bool backup)
 {
     int n, p, nread;
@@ -1653,32 +1667,40 @@ int readgame(const char *filename, bool backup)
         }
         else {
             for (u = f->units; u; u = u->nextF) {
-                sc_mage *mage = get_mage(u);
-                if (mage) {
-                    faction *f = u->faction;
-                    int skl = effskill(u, SK_MAGIC);
-                    if (f->magiegebiet == M_GRAY) {
-                        log_error("faction %s had magic=gray, fixing (%s)\n", factionname(f), magic_school[mage->magietyp]);
-                        f->magiegebiet = mage->magietyp;
-                    }
-                    if (f->max_spelllevel < skl) {
-                        f->max_spelllevel = skl;
-                    }
-                    if (mage->spellcount < 0) {
-                        mage->spellcount = 0;
+                if (global.data_version < SPELL_LEVEL_VERSION) {
+                    sc_mage *mage = get_mage(u);
+                    if (mage) {
+                        faction *f = u->faction;
+                        int skl = effskill(u, SK_MAGIC);
+                        if (f->magiegebiet == M_GRAY) {
+                            log_error("faction %s had magic=gray, fixing (%s)\n", factionname(f), magic_school[mage->magietyp]);
+                            f->magiegebiet = mage->magietyp;
+                        }
+                        if (f->max_spelllevel < skl) {
+                            f->max_spelllevel = skl;
+                        }
+                        if (mage->spellcount < 0) {
+                            mage->spellcount = 0;
+                        }
                     }
                 }
                 if (u->number > 0) {
                     f->alive = true;
-                    break;
+                    if (global.data_version >= SPELL_LEVEL_VERSION) {
+                        break;
+                    }
                 }
             }
+            if (global.data_version < SPELL_LEVEL_VERSION) {
+                spellbook_foreach(f->spellbook, cb_sb_maxlevel, f);
+            }
         }
     }
     if (loadplane || maxregions >= 0) {
         remove_empty_factions();
     }
     log_printf(stdout, "Done loading turn %d.\n", turn);
+
     return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/kernel/version.h b/src/kernel/version.h
index 430628157..a32cfbe96 100644
--- a/src/kernel/version.h
+++ b/src/kernel/version.h
@@ -30,8 +30,9 @@
 #define AUTO_RACENAME_VERSION 345 /* NPC units with name==NULL will automatically get their race for a name */
 #define JSON_REPORT_VERSION 346 /* bit 3 in f->options flags the json report */
 #define EXPLICIT_CURSE_ISNEW_VERSION 347 /* CURSE_ISNEW is not reset in read/write, but in age() */
+#define SPELL_LEVEL_VERSION 348 /* f->max_spelllevel gets stored, not calculated */
 
-#define RELEASE_VERSION EXPLICIT_CURSE_ISNEW_VERSION /* current datafile */
+#define RELEASE_VERSION SPELL_LEVEL_VERSION /* current datafile */
 #define MIN_VERSION INTPAK_VERSION      /* minimal datafile we support */
 #define MAX_VERSION RELEASE_VERSION /* change this if we can need to read the future datafile, and we can do so */
 
diff --git a/src/laws.c b/src/laws.c
index 44caa72f9..a04655439 100755
--- a/src/laws.c
+++ b/src/laws.c
@@ -4520,8 +4520,6 @@ void init_processor(void)
 void processorders(void)
 {
     init_processor();
-
-    update_spells();
     process();
     /*************************************************/
 
diff --git a/src/magic.c b/src/magic.c
index 1221a7c95..a02eff09f 100644
--- a/src/magic.c
+++ b/src/magic.c
@@ -465,11 +465,13 @@ void pick_random_spells(faction * f, int level, spellbook * book, int num_spells
                 spellno = rng_int() % maxspell;
                 sbe = commonspells[spellno];
                 if (sbe->level > f->max_spelllevel) {
+                    // not going to pick it in this round, move it to the end for later
                     commonspells[spellno] = commonspells[--maxspell];
                     commonspells[maxspell] = sbe;
                     sbe = 0;
                 }
                 else if (f->spellbook && spellbook_get(f->spellbook, sbe->sp)) {
+                    // already have this spell, remove it from the list of candidates
                     commonspells[spellno] = commonspells[--numspells];
                     if (maxspell > numspells) {
                         maxspell = numspells;