diff --git a/src/give.c b/src/give.c
index e1a3cec66..d6813abd3 100644
--- a/src/give.c
+++ b/src/give.c
@@ -302,7 +302,12 @@ static void transfer_ships(ship *s1, ship *s2, int n)
     if (s1->coast != NODIRECTION) {
         s2->coast = s1->coast;
     }
-    scale_ship(s1, s1->number - n);
+    if (n == s1->number) {
+        s1->number = 0;
+    }
+    else {
+        scale_ship(s1, s1->number - n);
+    }
 }
 
 static void transfer_units(ship *s1, ship *s2)
diff --git a/src/kernel/ship.c b/src/kernel/ship.c
index 87194834b..29867ca15 100644
--- a/src/kernel/ship.c
+++ b/src/kernel/ship.c
@@ -510,12 +510,15 @@ void ship_update_owner(ship * sh) {
 
 unit *ship_owner(const ship * sh)
 {
-    unit *owner = sh->_owner;
-    if (!owner || (owner->ship != sh || owner->number <= 0)) {
-        unit * heir = ship_owner_ex(sh, owner ? owner->faction : 0);
-        return (heir && heir->number > 0) ? heir : 0;
+    if (sh->number > 0) {
+        unit *owner = sh->_owner;
+        if (!owner || (owner->ship != sh || owner->number <= 0)) {
+            unit * heir = ship_owner_ex(sh, owner ? owner->faction : 0);
+            return (heir && heir->number > 0) ? heir : 0;
+        }
+        return owner;
     }
-    return owner;
+    return NULL;
 }
 
 void write_ship_reference(const struct ship *sh, struct storage *store)
diff --git a/src/laws.c b/src/laws.c
index 1b055932f..1d91add39 100644
--- a/src/laws.c
+++ b/src/laws.c
@@ -2584,22 +2584,27 @@ void sinkships(struct region * r)
     while (*shp) {
         ship *sh = *shp;
 
-        if (!sh->type->construction || sh->size >= sh->type->construction->maxsize) {
-            if (fval(r->terrain, SEA_REGION)) {
-                if (!ship_crewed(sh)) {
-                    /* ship is at sea, but not enough people to control it */
-                    double dmg = config_get_flt("rules.ship.damage.nocrewocean", 0.3);
+        if (sh->number > 0) {
+            if (!sh->type->construction || sh->size >= sh->type->construction->maxsize) {
+                if (fval(r->terrain, SEA_REGION)) {
+                    if (!ship_crewed(sh)) {
+                        /* ship is at sea, but not enough people to control it */
+                        double dmg = config_get_flt("rules.ship.damage.nocrewocean", 0.3);
+                        damage_ship(sh, dmg);
+                    }
+                }
+                else if (!ship_owner(sh)) {
+                    /* any ship lying around without an owner slowly rots */
+                    double dmg = config_get_flt("rules.ship.damage.nocrew", 0.05);
                     damage_ship(sh, dmg);
                 }
             }
-            else if (!ship_owner(sh)) {
-                /* any ship lying around without an owner slowly rots */
-                double dmg = config_get_flt("rules.ship.damage.nocrew", 0.05);
-                damage_ship(sh, dmg);
+            if (sh->damage >= sh->size * DAMAGE_SCALE) {
+                sink_ship(sh);
+                remove_ship(shp, sh);
             }
         }
-        if (sh->damage >= sh->size * DAMAGE_SCALE) {
-            sink_ship(sh);
+        else {
             remove_ship(shp, sh);
         }
         if (*shp == sh)