diff --git a/src/give.c b/src/give.c
index d875dc34a..93cba504e 100644
--- a/src/give.c
+++ b/src/give.c
@@ -595,7 +595,7 @@ void give_cmd(unit * u, order * ord)
 
     else if (p == P_HERBS) {
         bool given = false;
-        if (!(u_race(u)->ec_flags & GIVEITEM) && u2 != NULL) {
+        if ((u_race(u)->ec_flags & ECF_KEEP_ITEM) && u2 != NULL) {
             ADDMSG(&u->faction->msgs,
                 msg_feedback(u, ord, "race_nogive", "race", u_race(u)));
             return;
@@ -660,7 +660,7 @@ void give_cmd(unit * u, order * ord)
         if (!s || *s == 0) {              /* GIVE ALL items that you have */
 
             /* do these checks once, not for each item we have: */
-            if (!(u_race(u)->ec_flags & GIVEITEM) && u2 != NULL) {
+            if ((u_race(u)->ec_flags & ECF_KEEP_ITEM) && u2 != NULL) {
                 ADDMSG(&u->faction->msgs,
                     msg_feedback(u, ord, "race_nogive", "race", u_race(u)));
                 return;
@@ -704,7 +704,7 @@ void give_cmd(unit * u, order * ord)
                     }
                 }
             }
-            else if (!(u_race(u)->ec_flags & GIVEITEM) && u2 != NULL) {
+            else if ((u_race(u)->ec_flags & ECF_KEEP_ITEM) && u2 != NULL) {
                 ADDMSG(&u->faction->msgs,
                     msg_feedback(u, ord, "race_nogive", "race", u_race(u)));
             }
@@ -763,7 +763,7 @@ void give_cmd(unit * u, order * ord)
     }
 
     if (u2 != NULL) {
-        if (!(u_race(u)->ec_flags & GIVEITEM) && u2 != NULL) {
+        if ((u_race(u)->ec_flags & ECF_KEEP_ITEM) && u2 != NULL) {
             ADDMSG(&u->faction->msgs,
                 msg_feedback(u, ord, "race_nogive", "race", u_race(u)));
             return;
diff --git a/src/kernel/jsonconf.c b/src/kernel/jsonconf.c
index 1b6995778..8db61376c 100644
--- a/src/kernel/jsonconf.c
+++ b/src/kernel/jsonconf.c
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ static int json_flags(cJSON *json, const char *flags[]) {
             for (i = 0; flags[i]; ++i) {
                 if (strcmp(flags[i], entry->valuestring) == 0) {
                     result |= (1 << i);
+                    break;
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -344,7 +345,7 @@ static void json_race(cJSON *json, race *rc) {
         "coastal", "", "cansail", 0
     };
     const char *ecflags[] = {
-        "", "giveitem", "giveperson",
+        "", "keepitem", "giveperson",
         "giveunit", "getitem", 0
     };
     if (json->type != cJSON_Object) {
diff --git a/src/kernel/jsonconf.test.c b/src/kernel/jsonconf.test.c
index db861fcfc..bbe222fb6 100644
--- a/src/kernel/jsonconf.test.c
+++ b/src/kernel/jsonconf.test.c
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ static void test_flags(CuTest *tc) {
     check_flag(tc, "dragon", RCF_DRAGON);
     check_flag(tc, "fly", RCF_FLY);
     check_ec_flag(tc, "getitem", GETITEM);
-    check_ec_flag(tc, "giveitem", GIVEITEM);
+    check_ec_flag(tc, "keepitem", ECF_KEEP_ITEM);
     check_ec_flag(tc, "giveperson", GIVEPERSON);
     check_ec_flag(tc, "giveunit", GIVEUNIT);
     test_cleanup();
diff --git a/src/kernel/pool.c b/src/kernel/pool.c
index e487abf23..12e314fd3 100644
--- a/src/kernel/pool.c
+++ b/src/kernel/pool.c
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ int count)
             if (u != v && (v->items || rtype->uget)) {
                 int mask;
 
-                if ((urace(v)->ec_flags & GIVEITEM) == 0)
+                if ((urace(v)->ec_flags & ECF_KEEP_ITEM))
                     continue;
 
                 if (v->faction == f) {
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ use_pooled(unit * u, const resource_type * rtype, unsigned int mode, int count)
         for (v = r->units; use > 0 && v != NULL; v = v->next) {
             if (u != v) {
                 int mask;
-                if ((urace(v)->ec_flags & GIVEITEM) == 0)
+                if ((urace(v)->ec_flags & ECF_KEEP_ITEM))
                     continue;
                 if (v->items == NULL && rtype->uget == NULL)
                     continue;
diff --git a/src/kernel/race.h b/src/kernel/race.h
index cccc88167..d8246a382 100644
--- a/src/kernel/race.h
+++ b/src/kernel/race.h
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ extern "C" {
 #define RCF_IRONGOLEM      (1<<28)      /* race gets irongolem properties */
 
     /* Economic flags */
-#define GIVEITEM       (1<<1)   /* gibt Gegenstände weg */
+#define ECF_KEEP_ITEM       (1<<1)   /* gibt Gegenstände weg */
 #define GIVEPERSON     (1<<2)   /* übergibt Personen */
 #define GIVEUNIT       (1<<3)   /* Einheiten an andere Partei übergeben */
 #define GETITEM        (1<<4)   /* nimmt Gegenstände an */
diff --git a/src/kernel/unit.c b/src/kernel/unit.c
index d65c7b3c2..a946caae0 100644
--- a/src/kernel/unit.c
+++ b/src/kernel/unit.c
@@ -257,9 +257,9 @@ static buddy *get_friends(const unit * u, int *numfriends)
                         *fr = nf;
                     }
                     else if (nf->faction == u2->faction
-                        && (u_race(u2)->ec_flags & GIVEITEM)) {
+                        && !(u_race(u2)->ec_flags & ECF_KEEP_ITEM)) {
                         /* we don't like to gift it to units that won't give it back */
-                        if ((u_race(nf->unit)->ec_flags & GIVEITEM) == 0) {
+                        if ((u_race(nf->unit)->ec_flags & ECF_KEEP_ITEM)) {
                             nf->unit = u2;
                         }
                     }
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ int gift_items(unit * u, int flags)
 
     if (u->items == NULL || fval(u_race(u), RCF_ILLUSIONARY))
         return 0;
-    if ((u_race(u)->ec_flags & GIVEITEM) == 0)
+    if ((u_race(u)->ec_flags & ECF_KEEP_ITEM))
         return 0;
 
     /* at first, I should try giving my crap to my own units in this region */
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ int gift_items(unit * u, int flags)
                 /* some units won't take stuff: */
                 if (u_race(u2)->ec_flags & GETITEM) {
                     /* we don't like to gift it to units that won't give it back */
-                    if (u_race(u2)->ec_flags & GIVEITEM) {
+                    if (!(u_race(u2)->ec_flags & ECF_KEEP_ITEM)) {
                         i_merge(&u2->items, &u->items);
                         u->items = NULL;
                         break;
diff --git a/src/kernel/xmlreader.c b/src/kernel/xmlreader.c
index 00f10b8ac..ae9cf9c43 100644
--- a/src/kernel/xmlreader.c
+++ b/src/kernel/xmlreader.c
@@ -1693,8 +1693,8 @@ static int parse_races(xmlDocPtr doc)
         if (xml_bvalue(node, "irongolem", false))
             rc->flags |= RCF_IRONGOLEM;
 
-        if (xml_bvalue(node, "giveitem", true))
-            rc->ec_flags |= GIVEITEM;
+        if (!xml_bvalue(node, "keepitem", false))
+            rc->ec_flags |= ECF_KEEP_ITEM;
         if (xml_bvalue(node, "giveperson", false))
             rc->ec_flags |= GIVEPERSON;
         if (xml_bvalue(node, "giveunit", false))
diff --git a/src/laws.c b/src/laws.c
index 8caf8eb60..9a1358733 100755
--- a/src/laws.c
+++ b/src/laws.c
@@ -3092,7 +3092,7 @@ static building *age_building(building * b)
          * find out if there's a magician in there. */
         for (u = r->units; u; u = u->next) {
             if (b == u->building && inside_building(u)) {
-                if (!(u_race(u)->ec_flags & GIVEITEM) == 0) {
+                if ((u_race(u)->ec_flags & ECF_KEEP_ITEM) == 0) {
                     int n, unicorns = 0;
                     for (n = 0; n != u->number; ++n) {
                         if (chance(0.02)) {
diff --git a/src/tests.c b/src/tests.c
index ed554915b..9c03e1e18 100644
--- a/src/tests.c
+++ b/src/tests.c
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ struct race *test_create_race(const char *name)
 {
     race *rc = rc_get_or_create(name);
     rc->maintenance = 10;
-    rc->ec_flags |= GETITEM | GIVEITEM;
+    rc->ec_flags |= GETITEM;
     return rc;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/upkeep.c b/src/upkeep.c
index 5eecc1b42..d1c34f476 100644
--- a/src/upkeep.c
+++ b/src/upkeep.c
@@ -42,9 +42,7 @@ int lifestyle(const unit * u)
 
 static bool help_money(const unit * u)
 {
-    if (u_race(u)->ec_flags & GIVEITEM)
-        return true;
-    return false;
+    return !(u_race(u)->ec_flags & ECF_KEEP_ITEM);
 }
 
 static void help_feed(unit * donor, unit * u, int *need_p)