diff --git a/src/kernel/save.c b/src/kernel/save.c
index c1140e9ca..153829ace 100644
--- a/src/kernel/save.c
+++ b/src/kernel/save.c
@@ -642,9 +642,6 @@ unit *read_unit(struct gamedata *data)
     READ_INT(data->store, &number);
     set_number(u, number);
 
-
-
-
     READ_INT(data->store, &n);
     u->age = (short)n;
 
@@ -1711,6 +1708,13 @@ int readgame(const char *filename, int backup)
             unit *u = read_unit(&gdata);
             sc_mage *mage;
 
+            if (gdata.version < AUTO_RACENAME_VERSION) {
+                if (u->name && fval(u->faction, FFL_NPC)) {
+                    if (unit_name_equals_race(u)) {
+                        unit_setname(u, NULL);
+                    }
+                }
+            }
             assert(u->region == NULL);
             u->region = r;
             *up = u;
diff --git a/src/kernel/unit.c b/src/kernel/unit.c
index ddc1e0dc7..2170b888e 100644
--- a/src/kernel/unit.c
+++ b/src/kernel/unit.c
@@ -1853,8 +1853,9 @@ char *write_unitname(const unit * u, char *buffer, size_t size)
     if (u->name) {
         slprintf(buffer, size, "%s (%s)", u->name, itoa36(u->no));
     } else {
+        const struct locale * lang = u->faction ? u->faction->locale : default_locale;
         const char * name = rc_name_s(u->_race, u->number == 1 ? NAME_SINGULAR : NAME_PLURAL);
-        slprintf(buffer, size, "%s (%s)", locale_string(u->faction->locale, name), itoa36(u->no));
+        slprintf(buffer, size, "%s (%s)", locale_string(lang, name), itoa36(u->no));
     }
     buffer[size - 1] = 0;
     return buffer;
@@ -1866,15 +1867,17 @@ const char *unitname(const unit * u)
     return write_unitname(u, ubuf, sizeof(name));
 }
 
-void update_monster_name(unit *u) {
-    char sing[32], plur[32];
-    const struct locale *lang = u->faction->locale;
-    if (!u->name) return;
-    rc_name(u->_race, NAME_SINGULAR, sing, sizeof(sing));
-    rc_name(u->_race, NAME_PLURAL, plur, sizeof(plur));
-    if (strcmp(u->name, sing) == 0 || strcmp(u->name, plur) == 0 ||
-        strcmp(u->name, locale_string(lang, sing)) == 0 ||
-        strcmp(u->name, locale_string(lang, plur)) == 0) {
-        unit_setname(u, 0);
+bool unit_name_equals_race(const unit *u) {
+    if (u->name) {
+        char sing[32], plur[32];
+        const struct locale *lang = u->faction->locale;
+        rc_name(u->_race, NAME_SINGULAR, sing, sizeof(sing));
+        rc_name(u->_race, NAME_PLURAL, plur, sizeof(plur));
+        if (strcmp(u->name, sing) == 0 || strcmp(u->name, plur) == 0 ||
+            strcmp(u->name, locale_string(lang, sing)) == 0 ||
+            strcmp(u->name, locale_string(lang, plur)) == 0) {
+            return true;
+        }
     }
+    return false;
 }
diff --git a/src/kernel/unit.h b/src/kernel/unit.h
index 80fafae91..bd5ffd493 100644
--- a/src/kernel/unit.h
+++ b/src/kernel/unit.h
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ extern "C" {
 
   const char *unitname(const struct unit *u);
   char *write_unitname(const struct unit *u, char *buffer, size_t size);
-  void update_monster_name(struct unit *u);
+  bool unit_name_equals_race(const struct unit *u);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/src/kernel/unit.test.c b/src/kernel/unit.test.c
index 8af5504f8..76d708721 100644
--- a/src/kernel/unit.test.c
+++ b/src/kernel/unit.test.c
@@ -175,16 +175,22 @@ static void test_update_monster_name(CuTest *tc) {
     locale_setstring(lang, rc_name_s(u->_race, NAME_PLURAL), "Menschen");
 
     unit_setname(u, "Hodor");
-    update_monster_name(u);
-    CuAssertStrEquals(tc, "Hodor", u->name);
+    CuAssertTrue(tc, !unit_name_equals_race(u));
+
+    unit_setname(u, "Menschling");
+    CuAssertTrue(tc, !unit_name_equals_race(u));
+
+    unit_setname(u, rc_name_s(u->_race, NAME_SINGULAR));
+    CuAssertTrue(tc, unit_name_equals_race(u));
+
+    unit_setname(u, rc_name_s(u->_race, NAME_PLURAL));
+    CuAssertTrue(tc, unit_name_equals_race(u));
 
     unit_setname(u, "Mensch");
-    update_monster_name(u);
-    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, 0, u->name);
+    CuAssertTrue(tc, unit_name_equals_race(u));
 
     unit_setname(u, "Menschen");
-    update_monster_name(u);
-    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, 0, u->name);
+    CuAssertTrue(tc, unit_name_equals_race(u));
 
     test_cleanup();
 }
diff --git a/src/kernel/version.h b/src/kernel/version.h
index 42f653070..e21c2c74b 100644
--- a/src/kernel/version.h
+++ b/src/kernel/version.h
@@ -73,8 +73,8 @@
 #define INTFLAGS_VERSION 342   /* turn 876, FFL_NPC is now bit 25, flags is an int */
 #define SAVEGAMEID_VERSION 343 /* instead of XMLNAME, save the game.id parameter from the config */
 #define BUILDNO_VERSION 344 /* storing the build number in the save */
-
+#define AUTO_RACENAME_VERSION 345 /* NPC units with name==NULL will automatically get their race for a name */
 #define MIN_VERSION CURSETYPE_VERSION      /* minimal datafile we support */
-#define RELEASE_VERSION BUILDNO_VERSION /* current datafile */
+#define RELEASE_VERSION AUTO_RACENAME_VERSION /* current datafile */
 
 #define STREAM_VERSION 2 /* internal encoding of binary files */