diff --git a/src/common/gamecode/economy.c b/src/common/gamecode/economy.c
index 949a0cf72..3a4fe6a11 100644
--- a/src/common/gamecode/economy.c
+++ b/src/common/gamecode/economy.c
@@ -641,7 +641,7 @@ give_control(unit * u, unit * u2)
     region * r = u->region;
     faction * f = region_get_owner(r);
     if (f==u->faction) {
-      building * b = largestbuilding(r, &is_owner_building, false);
+      building * b = largestbuilding(r, &cmp_current_owner, false);
       if (b==u->building) {
         int morale = region_get_morale(r);
         region_set_owner(r, u2->faction, turn);
diff --git a/src/common/gamecode/laws.c b/src/common/gamecode/laws.c
index 793391d30..9f124d8cd 100644
--- a/src/common/gamecode/laws.c
+++ b/src/common/gamecode/laws.c
@@ -1554,7 +1554,7 @@ display_cmd(unit * u, struct order * ord)
       cmistake(u, ord, 148, MSG_EVENT);
       break;
     }
-    if (b != largestbuilding(r, &is_owner_building, false)) {
+    if (b != largestbuilding(r, &cmp_current_owner, false)) {
       cmistake(u, ord, 147, MSG_EVENT);
       break;
     }
@@ -1797,7 +1797,7 @@ name_cmd(unit * u, struct order * ord)
       cmistake(u, ord, 148, MSG_EVENT);
       break;
     }
-    if (b != largestbuilding(r, &is_owner_building, false)) {
+    if (b != largestbuilding(r, &cmp_current_owner, false)) {
       cmistake(u, ord, 147, MSG_EVENT);
       break;
     }
diff --git a/src/common/kernel/building.h b/src/common/kernel/building.h
index f6e38f3af..b471b69d9 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/building.h
+++ b/src/common/kernel/building.h
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ typedef struct building_type {
   void (*init)(struct building_type*);
   void (*age)(struct building *);
   int (*protection)(struct building *, struct unit *);
-  double (*taxes)(struct building *, int size);
+  double (*taxes)(const struct building *, int size);
   struct attrib * attribs;
 } building_type;
 
diff --git a/src/common/kernel/eressea.c b/src/common/kernel/eressea.c
index b4d2f3005..5c532781f 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/eressea.c
+++ b/src/common/kernel/eressea.c
@@ -1689,21 +1689,17 @@ cstring(const char *s)
 }
 
 building *
-largestbuilding(const region * r, boolean (*eval)(const struct building *), boolean imaginary)
+largestbuilding(const region * r, int (*cmp_gt)(const struct building *, const struct building *), boolean imaginary)
 {
   building *b, *best = NULL;
-  /* durch die verw. von '>' statt '>=' werden die aelteren burgen
-   * bevorzugt. */
 
   for (b = rbuildings(r); b; b = b->next) {
-    if (eval && !eval(b)) continue;
+    if (cmp_gt(b, best)<=0) continue;
     if (!imaginary) {
       const attrib * a = a_find(b->attribs, &at_icastle);
       if (a) continue;
     }
-    if (best==NULL || b->size > best->size) {
-      best = b;
-    }
+    best = b;
   }
   return best;
 }
@@ -2614,12 +2610,17 @@ static const int wagetable[7][4] = {
   {15, 13, 16,  2}      /* Zitadelle */
 };
 
-boolean
-is_castle(const struct building * b)
+int
+cmp_wage(const struct building * b, const building * a)
 {
   static const struct building_type * bt_castle;
   if (!bt_castle) bt_castle = bt_find("castle");
-  return (b->type==bt_castle);
+  if (b->type==bt_castle) {
+    if (!a) return 1;
+    if (b->size>a->size) return 1;
+    if (b->size==a->size) return 0;
+  }
+  return -1;
 }
 
 boolean is_owner_building(const struct building * b)
@@ -2632,13 +2633,57 @@ boolean is_owner_building(const struct building * b)
   return false;
 }
 
-boolean is_tax_building(const building * b)
+int
+cmp_taxes(const building * b, const building * a)
 {
+  faction * f = region_get_owner(b->region);
   if (b->type->taxes) {
-    unit * u = buildingowner(b->region, b);
-    return u!=NULL;
+    if (a) {
+      int newsize = buildingeffsize(b, false);
+      double newtaxes = b->type->taxes(b, newsize);
+      int oldsize = buildingeffsize(a, false);
+      double oldtaxes = a->type->taxes(a, oldsize);
+
+      if (newtaxes<oldtaxes) return -1;
+      else if (newtaxes>oldtaxes) return 1;
+      else if (b->size<a->size) return -1;
+      else if (b->size>a->size) return 1;
+      else {
+        unit * u = buildingowner(b->region, b);
+        if (u && u->faction==f) {
+          u = buildingowner(a->region, a);
+          if (u && u->faction==f) return -1;
+          return 1;
+        }
+      }
+    } else {
+      return 1;
+    }
   }
-  return false;
+  return -1;
+}
+
+int
+cmp_current_owner(const building * b, const building * a)
+{
+  faction * f = region_get_owner(b->region);
+  if (f && b->type->taxes) {
+    unit * u = buildingowner(b->region, b);
+    if (!u || u->faction!=f) return -1;
+    if (a) {
+      int newsize = buildingeffsize(b, false);
+      double newtaxes = b->type->taxes(b, newsize);
+      int oldsize = buildingeffsize(a, false);
+      double oldtaxes = a->type->taxes(a, oldsize);
+
+      if (newtaxes<oldtaxes) return -1;
+      else if (newtaxes>oldtaxes) return 1;
+      return 0;
+    } else {
+      return 1;
+    }
+  }
+  return -1;
 }
 
 int rule_auto_taxation(void)
@@ -2651,7 +2696,7 @@ int rule_auto_taxation(void)
 static int
 default_wage(const region *r, const faction * f, const race * rc, int in_turn)
 {
-  building *b = largestbuilding(r, &is_castle, false);
+  building *b = largestbuilding(r, &cmp_wage, false);
   int      esize = 0;
   curse * c;
   double wage;
diff --git a/src/common/kernel/eressea.h b/src/common/kernel/eressea.h
index 85e5a0306..d8bd245af 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/eressea.h
+++ b/src/common/kernel/eressea.h
@@ -244,10 +244,10 @@ extern char *cstring_i(char *s);
 extern const char *unitname(const struct unit * u);
 extern char * write_unitname(const struct unit * u, char * buffer, size_t size);
 
-struct building *largestbuilding(const struct region * r, boolean (*eval)(const struct building *), boolean imaginary);
-boolean is_castle(const struct building * b);
-boolean is_tax_building(const struct building * b);
-boolean is_owner_building(const struct building * b);
+struct building *largestbuilding(const struct region * r, int (*eval_gt)(const struct building *,const struct building *), boolean imaginary);
+int cmp_wage(const struct building * b, const struct building * bother);
+int cmp_taxes(const struct building * b, const struct building * bother);
+int cmp_current_owner(const struct building * b, const struct building * bother);
 
 #define TAX_ORDER 0x00
 #define TAX_OWNER 0x01
diff --git a/src/common/kernel/move.c b/src/common/kernel/move.c
index 736929538..da82eedc2 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/move.c
+++ b/src/common/kernel/move.c
@@ -909,7 +909,7 @@ is_guardian_r(const unit * guard)
   if (guard->building && fval(guard, UFL_OWNER)) {
     faction * owner = region_get_owner(guard->region);
     if (owner==guard->faction) {
-      building * bowner = largestbuilding(guard->region, &is_owner_building, false);
+      building * bowner = largestbuilding(guard->region, &cmp_taxes, false);
       if (bowner==guard->building) {
         return true;
       }
diff --git a/src/common/kernel/region.c b/src/common/kernel/region.c
index 313e0a3a2..ef2bdcc99 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/region.c
+++ b/src/common/kernel/region.c
@@ -1476,8 +1476,8 @@ faction * update_owners(region * r)
 {
   faction * f = NULL;
   if (r->land) {
-    building * bowner = largestbuilding(r, &is_owner_building, false);
-    building * blargest = largestbuilding(r, &is_tax_building, false);
+    building * bowner = largestbuilding(r, &cmp_current_owner, false);
+    building * blargest = largestbuilding(r, &cmp_taxes, false);
     if (blargest) {
       if (!bowner || bowner->size<blargest->size) {
         /* region owners update? */
diff --git a/src/common/kernel/xmlreader.c b/src/common/kernel/xmlreader.c
index 3a1add737..6561696aa 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/xmlreader.c
+++ b/src/common/kernel/xmlreader.c
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ parse_buildings(xmlDocPtr doc)
           } else if (strcmp((const char*)propValue, "protection")==0) {
             btype->protection = (int (*)(struct building*, struct unit *))fun;
           } else if (strcmp((const char*)propValue, "taxes")==0) {
-            btype->taxes = (double (*)(struct building*, int))fun;
+            btype->taxes = (double (*)(const struct building*, int))fun;
           } else if (strcmp((const char*)propValue, "age")==0) {
             btype->age = (void (*)(struct building*))fun;
           } else {
diff --git a/src/scripts/tests.lua b/src/scripts/tests.lua
index 249b7dd04..8a45f192a 100644
--- a/src/scripts/tests.lua
+++ b/src/scripts/tests.lua
@@ -268,8 +268,6 @@ local function test_recruit2()
   u:add_order("REKRUTIERE 1 mensch")
   u:add_order("REKRUTIERE 1")
   process_orders()
-  print(u:get_item("money"))
-  print(u.number)
 end
 
 local function test_owners()
@@ -678,8 +676,9 @@ tests = {
     ["market"] = test_market
 }
 mytests = {
---    ["blessed"] = test_blessed -- foiled by peasantgrowth
-    ["morale"] = test_morale
+    ["morale"] = test_morale,
+    ["taxes"] = test_taxes,
+    ["owners"] = test_owners
 }
 fail = 0
 for k, v in pairs(tests) do