diff --git a/src/kernel/config.c b/src/kernel/config.c
index 8d98165ca..bd9a30d81 100644
--- a/src/kernel/config.c
+++ b/src/kernel/config.c
@@ -1065,12 +1065,7 @@ void free_gamedata(void)
             defaults[i] = 0;
         }
     }
-    while (factions) {
-        faction *f = factions;
-        factions = f->next;
-        free_faction(f);
-        free(f);
-    }
+    free_factions();
     free_units();
     free_regions();
     free_borders();
diff --git a/src/kernel/faction.c b/src/kernel/faction.c
index ec80160cc..d13c1ea90 100755
--- a/src/kernel/faction.c
+++ b/src/kernel/faction.c
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ faction *factions;
  * but you should still call funhash and remove the faction from the
  * global list.
  */
-void free_faction(faction * f)
+static void free_faction(faction * f)
 {
     funhash(f);
     if (f->alliance && f->alliance->_leader == f) {
@@ -328,12 +328,33 @@ void write_faction_reference(const faction * f, struct storage *store)
     WRITE_INT(store, (f && f->_alive) ? f->no : 0);
 }
 
+static faction *dead_factions;
+
+void free_flist(faction **fp) {
+    faction * flist = *fp;
+    for (flist = factions; flist;) {
+        faction *f = flist;
+        flist = f->next;
+        free_faction(f);
+        free(f);
+    }
+    *fp = 0;
+}
+
+void free_factions(void) {
+    free_flist(&factions);
+    free_flist(&dead_factions);
+}
+
 void destroyfaction(faction ** fp)
 {
     faction * f = *fp;
     unit *u = f->units;
 
     *fp = f->next;
+    f->next = dead_factions;
+    dead_factions = f;
+
     fset(f, FFL_QUIT);
     f->_alive = false;
 
diff --git a/src/kernel/faction.h b/src/kernel/faction.h
index 6c76f5383..933421da5 100644
--- a/src/kernel/faction.h
+++ b/src/kernel/faction.h
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ extern "C" {
     int resolve_faction(variant data, void *addr);
 
     void renumber_faction(faction * f, int no);
-    void free_faction(struct faction *f);
+    void free_factions(void);
     void remove_empty_factions(void);
 
 #ifdef SMART_INTERVALS