diff --git a/res/translations/messages.de.po b/res/translations/messages.de.po
index 776a1e207..759f41ed1 100644
--- a/res/translations/messages.de.po
+++ b/res/translations/messages.de.po
@@ -2768,6 +2768,12 @@ msgstr "\"$unit($unit) verspeiste $int($amount) Bauern.\""
 msgid "error320"
 msgstr "\"$unit($unit) in $region($region): '$order($command)' - Die Einheit kann nicht bewachen, da sie versucht zu fliehen.\""
 
+msgid "error321"
+msgstr "\"$unit($unit) in $region($region): '$order($command)' - Die Einheit gehört nicht zu unserer Partei.\""
+
+msgid "error322"
+msgstr "\"$unit($unit) in $region($region): '$order($command)' - Die Einheit ist bereits auf einem Schiff.\""
+
 msgid "dissolve_units_2"
 msgstr "\"$unit($unit) in $region($region): $int($number) $race($race,$number) $if($eq($number,1),\"wurde zum Baum\", \"wurden zu Bäumen\").\""
 
diff --git a/scripts/tests/e2/ships.lua b/scripts/tests/e2/ships.lua
index a50182c0d..1e101b5b2 100644
--- a/scripts/tests/e2/ships.lua
+++ b/scripts/tests/e2/ships.lua
@@ -190,3 +190,38 @@ function test_give_ship_merge()
     assert_equal(1, u1.ship.number)
     assert_equal(2, u2.ship.number)
 end
+
+function test_give_ship_max()
+    local r = region.create(1, 0, 'plain')
+    local f = faction.create("human")
+    local u1 = unit.create(f, r, 1)
+    local u2 = unit.create(f, r, 1)
+    local sh = ship.create(r, 'boat')
+    sh.number = 3
+    sh.damage = 9
+    sh.size = 12
+    u1.ship = sh
+    u1:add_order("GIB " .. itoa36(u2.id) .. " 4 SCHIFF")
+    process_orders()
+    assert_equal(1, u1.ship.number)
+    assert_equal(3, u1.ship.damage)
+    assert_equal(4, u1.ship.size)
+    assert_equal(2, u2.ship.number)
+    assert_equal(6, u2.ship.damage)
+    assert_equal(8, u2.ship.size)
+end
+
+function test_give_ship_self_only()
+    local r = region.create(1, 0, 'plain')
+    local f1 = faction.create("human")
+    local f2 = faction.create("human")
+    local u1 = unit.create(f1, r, 1)
+    local u2 = unit.create(f2, r, 1)
+    local sh = ship.create(r, 'boat')
+    sh.number = 2
+    u1.ship = sh
+    u1:add_order("GIB " .. itoa36(u2.id) .. " 1 SCHIFF")
+    process_orders()
+    assert_equal(2, u1.ship.number)
+    assert_equal(nil, u2.ship)
+end
diff --git a/src/bind_ship.c b/src/bind_ship.c
index 6711b0370..71b6ae4f4 100644
--- a/src/bind_ship.c
+++ b/src/bind_ship.c
@@ -49,8 +49,7 @@ static int tolua_ship_set_number(lua_State * L)
 {
     ship *sh = (ship *)tolua_tousertype(L, 1, NULL);
     int n = (int)tolua_tonumber(L, 2, 0);
-    sh->number = n;
-    sh->size += sh->type->construction->maxsize;
+    scale_ship(sh, n);
     return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/give.c b/src/give.c
index 036a7ae04..52b017448 100644
--- a/src/give.c
+++ b/src/give.c
@@ -293,8 +293,40 @@ bool rule_transfermen(void)
     return rule != 0;
 }
 
-message * give_ship(unit *u, unit *u2, int n, order *ord) {
+static void transfer_ships(ship *s1, ship *s2, int n)
+{
+    assert(n < s1->number);
+    s2->damage += s1->damage * n / s1->number;
+    s2->size += s1->size * n / s1->number;
+    s2->number += n;
+    scale_ship(s1, s1->number - n);
+}
+
+message * give_ship(unit *u, unit *u2, int n, order *ord)
+{
     assert(u->ship);
+    assert(n > 0 && n < u->ship->number);
+    if (u->faction != u2->faction) {
+        return msg_error(u, ord, 321);
+    }
+    if (u2->ship) {
+        if (u2->ship->type != u->ship->type) {
+            return msg_error(u, ord, 322);
+        }
+        transfer_ships(u->ship, u2->ship, n);
+    }
+    else{
+        if (fval(u_race(u2), RCF_CANSAIL)) {
+            ship * sh = new_ship(u->ship->type, u->region, u->faction->locale);
+            scale_ship(sh, 0);
+            u_set_ship(u2, sh);
+            transfer_ships(u->ship, sh, n);
+        }
+        else {
+            return msg_error(u, ord, 233);
+        }
+
+    }
     if (u->ship->number < n) {
         n = u->ship->number;
     }
@@ -661,18 +693,7 @@ static void give_all_items(unit *u, unit *u2, order *ord) {
     }
     else {
         param_t p = findparam(s, u->faction->locale);
-        if (p == P_SHIP) {
-            if (u->ship) {
-                message * msg = give_ship(u, u2, u->ship->number, ord);
-                if (msg) {
-                    ADDMSG(&u->faction->msgs, msg);
-                }
-            }
-            else {
-                cmistake(u, ord, 144, MSG_COMMERCE);
-            }
-        }
-        else if (p == P_PERSON) {
+        if (p == P_PERSON) {
             if (!(u_race(u)->ec_flags & ECF_GIVEPERSON)) {
                 ADDMSG(&u->faction->msgs,
                     msg_feedback(u, ord, "race_noregroup", "race", u_race(u)));
@@ -838,7 +859,11 @@ void give_cmd(unit * u, order * ord)
     p = findparam(s, u->faction->locale);
     if (p == P_SHIP) {
         if (u->ship) {
-            message * msg = give_ship(u, u2, n, ord);
+            message * msg;
+            if (n >= u->ship->number) {
+                n = u->ship->number - 1;
+            }
+            msg = give_ship(u, u2, n, ord);
             if (msg) {
                 ADDMSG(&u->faction->msgs, msg);
             }
diff --git a/src/kernel/build.c b/src/kernel/build.c
index 3a73f8fd5..447db8662 100644
--- a/src/kernel/build.c
+++ b/src/kernel/build.c
@@ -932,8 +932,7 @@ static void build_ship(unit * u, ship * sh, int want)
             msg_message("buildship", "ship unit size", sh, u, n));
 }
 
-void
-create_ship(unit * u, const struct ship_type *newtype, int want,
+void create_ship(unit * u, const struct ship_type *newtype, int want,
     order * ord)
 {
     ship *sh;
diff --git a/src/kernel/ship.c b/src/kernel/ship.c
index ca2da27b9..1e38257d9 100644
--- a/src/kernel/ship.c
+++ b/src/kernel/ship.c
@@ -424,6 +424,13 @@ bool ship_crewed(const ship *sh) {
     return (capskill >= ship_captain_minskill(sh)) && (sumskill >= sh->type->sumskill * sh->number);
 }
 
+void scale_ship(ship *sh, int n)
+{
+    sh->size = sh->size * n / sh->number;
+    sh->damage = sh->damage * n / sh->number;
+    sh->number = n;
+}
+
 int ship_capacity(const ship * sh)
 {
     if (ship_finished(sh)) {
diff --git a/src/kernel/ship.h b/src/kernel/ship.h
index 34230f55b..a9a678848 100644
--- a/src/kernel/ship.h
+++ b/src/kernel/ship.h
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ extern "C" {
     int ship_captain_minskill(const struct ship *sh);
 
     int ship_damage_percent(const struct ship *sh);
+    void scale_ship(struct ship *sh, int n);
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif