diff --git a/src/kernel/save.c b/src/kernel/save.c
index c1bf3eaa3..e99ad2612 100644
--- a/src/kernel/save.c
+++ b/src/kernel/save.c
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@
 #define MAXPERSISTENT 128
 
 /* exported symbols symbols */
-int firstx = 0, firsty = 0;
+int g_writegame = 1;
 
 static void read_alliances(gamedata *data)
 {
@@ -1719,6 +1719,9 @@ int writegame(const char *filename)
     stream strm;
     FILE *F;
 
+    if (g_writegame == 0) {
+        return -1;
+    }
     create_directories();
     path_join(datapath(), filename, path, sizeof(path));
     /* make sure we don't overwrite an existing file (hard links) */
diff --git a/src/kernel/save.h b/src/kernel/save.h
index 8c000e911..267430a40 100644
--- a/src/kernel/save.h
+++ b/src/kernel/save.h
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ extern "C" {
      * dass hier ein Fehler (fehlende ") vorliegt */
 
     /* TODO: is this *really* still in use? */
-    extern int enc_gamedata;
+    extern int g_writegame;
 
     int readgame(const char *filename);
     int writegame(const char *filename);
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 9cf76f262..b937c80fa 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include <kernel/config.h>
 #include <kernel/messages.h>
 #include <kernel/version.h>
+#include <kernel/save.h>
 
 #include <util/language.h>
 #include <util/log.h>
@@ -196,6 +197,9 @@ static int parse_args(int argc, char **argv)
         else {
             const char *arg;
             switch (argi[1]) {
+            case 'D':
+                g_writegame = 0;
+                break;
             case 'c':
                 i = get_arg(argc, argv, 2, i, &arg, 0);
                 config_set("config.path", arg);