diff --git a/src/automate.c b/src/automate.c
index 2f188f352..ec4ea83d8 100644
--- a/src/automate.c
+++ b/src/automate.c
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include <platform.h>
 
 #include "kernel/faction.h"
+#include "kernel/messages.h"
 #include "kernel/order.h"
 #include "kernel/region.h"
 #include "kernel/unit.h"
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@
 
 #include "automate.h"
 #include "keyword.h"
+#include "laws.h"
 #include "study.h"
 
 #include <stdlib.h>
@@ -34,15 +36,21 @@ int autostudy_init(scholar scholars[], int max_scholars, region *r)
     for (u = r->units; u; u = u->next) {
         keyword_t kwd = getkeyword(u->thisorder);
         if (kwd == K_AUTOSTUDY) {
-            scholar * st = scholars + nscholars;
-            if (++nscholars == max_scholars) {
-                log_fatal("you must increase MAXSCHOLARS");
+            if (long_order_allowed(u) && unit_can_study(u)) {
+                scholar * st = scholars + nscholars;
+                if (++nscholars == max_scholars) {
+                    log_fatal("you must increase MAXSCHOLARS");
+                }
+                st->u = u;
+                init_order(u->thisorder, u->faction->locale);
+                st->sk = getskill(u->faction->locale);
+                st->level = effskill_study(u, st->sk);
+                st->learn = 0;
+            }
+            else {
+                ADDMSG(&u->faction->msgs, msg_feedback(u, u->thisorder, "error_race_nolearn", "race",
+                    u_race(u)));
             }
-            st->u = u;
-            init_order(u->thisorder, u->faction->locale);
-            st->sk = getskill(u->faction->locale);
-            st->level = effskill_study(u, st->sk);
-            st->learn = 0;
         }
     }
     if (nscholars > 0) {
@@ -54,11 +62,13 @@ int autostudy_init(scholar scholars[], int max_scholars, region *r)
 static void teaching(scholar *s, int n) {
     assert(n <= s->u->number);
     s->learn += n;
+    fset(s->u, UFL_LONGACTION);
 }
 
 static void learning(scholar *s, int n) {
     assert(n <= s->u->number);
     s->learn += n;
+    fset(s->u, UFL_LONGACTION);
 }
 
 void autostudy_run(scholar scholars[], int nscholars)
diff --git a/src/automate.test.c b/src/automate.test.c
index 999cb25d4..a77376668 100644
--- a/src/automate.test.c
+++ b/src/automate.test.c
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ static void test_autostudy_run(CuTest *tc) {
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 0, scholars[0].learn);
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 20, scholars[1].learn);
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 15, scholars[2].learn);
+    test_teardown();
 }
 
 static void test_autostudy_run_noteachers(CuTest *tc) {
@@ -100,6 +101,7 @@ static void test_autostudy_run_noteachers(CuTest *tc) {
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 2, scholars[0].learn);
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 10, scholars[1].learn);
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 15, scholars[2].learn);
+    test_teardown();
 }
 
 CuSuite *get_automate_suite(void)
diff --git a/src/laws.c b/src/laws.c
index 80c730c8f..68f2894b3 100644
--- a/src/laws.c
+++ b/src/laws.c
@@ -3637,6 +3637,24 @@ void add_proc_unit(int priority, void(*process) (unit *), const char *name)
     }
 }
 
+bool long_order_allowed(const unit *u)
+{
+    const region *r = u->region;
+    if (fval(u, UFL_LONGACTION)) {
+        /* this message was already given in laws.update_long_order
+        cmistake(u, ord, 52, MSG_PRODUCE);
+        */
+        return false;
+    }
+    else if (fval(r->terrain, SEA_REGION)
+        && u_race(u) != get_race(RC_AQUARIAN)
+        && !(u_race(u)->flags & RCF_SWIM)) {
+        /* error message disabled by popular demand */
+        return false;
+    }
+    return true;
+}
+
 /* per priority, execute processors in order from PR_GLOBAL down to PR_ORDER */
 void process(void)
 {
@@ -3706,16 +3724,7 @@ void process(void)
                                         cmistake(u, ord, 224, MSG_MAGIC);
                                         ord = NULL;
                                     }
-                                    else if (fval(u, UFL_LONGACTION)) {
-                                        /* this message was already given in laws.update_long_order
-                                           cmistake(u, ord, 52, MSG_PRODUCE);
-                                           */
-                                        ord = NULL;
-                                    }
-                                    else if (fval(r->terrain, SEA_REGION)
-                                        && u_race(u) != get_race(RC_AQUARIAN)
-                                        && !(u_race(u)->flags & RCF_SWIM)) {
-                                        /* error message disabled by popular demand */
+                                    else if (!long_order_allowed(u)) {
                                         ord = NULL;
                                     }
                                 }
@@ -4157,7 +4166,7 @@ void update_subscriptions(void)
 /** determine if unit can be seen by faction
  * @param f -- the observiong faction
  * @param u -- the unit that is observed
- * @param r -- the region that u is obesrved in (see below)
+ * @param r -- the region that u is obesrved from (see below)
  * @param m -- terrain modifier to stealth
  * 
  * r kann != u->region sein, wenn es um Durchreisen geht,
diff --git a/src/laws.h b/src/laws.h
index ae2c712ca..0b5db17c7 100755
--- a/src/laws.h
+++ b/src/laws.h
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ extern "C" {
     void update_long_order(struct unit *u);
     void sinkships(struct region * r);
     void do_enter(struct region *r, bool is_final_attempt);
+    bool long_order_allowed(const struct unit *u);
 
     int password_cmd(struct unit *u, struct order *ord);
     int banner_cmd(struct unit *u, struct order *ord);
diff --git a/src/laws.test.c b/src/laws.test.c
index 8d13b7c81..c7c7a6682 100644
--- a/src/laws.test.c
+++ b/src/laws.test.c
@@ -1759,6 +1759,34 @@ static void test_nmr_timeout(CuTest *tc) {
     test_teardown();
 }
 
+static void test_long_orders(CuTest *tc) {
+    unit *u;
+
+    test_setup();
+    u = test_create_unit(test_create_faction(NULL), test_create_plain(0, 0));
+    CuAssertTrue(tc, long_order_allowed(u));
+    u->flags |= UFL_LONGACTION;
+    CuAssertTrue(tc, !long_order_allowed(u));
+    test_teardown();
+}
+
+static void test_long_order_on_ocean(CuTest *tc) {
+    unit *u;
+    race * rc;
+
+    test_setup();
+    rc = test_create_race("pikachu");
+    u = test_create_unit(test_create_faction(rc), test_create_ocean(0, 0));
+    CuAssertTrue(tc, !long_order_allowed(u));
+    rc->flags |= RCF_SWIM;
+    CuAssertTrue(tc, long_order_allowed(u));
+
+    rc = test_create_race("aquarian");
+    u = test_create_unit(test_create_faction(rc), u->region);
+    CuAssertTrue(tc, long_order_allowed(u));
+    test_teardown();
+}
+
 CuSuite *get_laws_suite(void)
 {
     CuSuite *suite = CuSuiteNew();
@@ -1831,6 +1859,8 @@ CuSuite *get_laws_suite(void)
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_cansee_ring);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_cansee_sphere);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_nmr_timeout);
+    SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_long_orders);
+    SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_long_order_on_ocean);
 
     return suite;
 }
diff --git a/src/study.test.c b/src/study.test.c
index c1d0b0841..a63be7cf1 100644
--- a/src/study.test.c
+++ b/src/study.test.c
@@ -89,15 +89,15 @@ static void setup_teacher(study_fixture *fix, skill_t sk) {
     setup_locale(lang);
     fix->u = test_create_unit(f, r);
     assert(fix->u);
-    fix->u->thisorder = create_order(K_STUDY, f->locale, "%s", skillnames[sk]);
+    fix->u->thisorder = create_order(K_STUDY, f->locale, skillnames[sk]);
 
     fix->teachers[0] = test_create_unit(f, r);
     assert(fix->teachers[0]);
-    fix->teachers[0]->thisorder = create_order(K_TEACH, f->locale, "%s", itoa36(fix->u->no));
+    fix->teachers[0]->thisorder = create_order(K_TEACH, f->locale, itoa36(fix->u->no));
 
     fix->teachers[1] = test_create_unit(f, r);
     assert(fix->teachers[1]);
-    fix->teachers[1]->thisorder = create_order(K_TEACH, f->locale, "%s", itoa36(fix->u->no));
+    fix->teachers[1]->thisorder = create_order(K_TEACH, f->locale, itoa36(fix->u->no));
     test_clear_messages(f);
 }
 
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ static void test_study_no_teacher(CuTest *tc) {
     CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, sv = unit_skill(fix.u, SK_CROSSBOW));
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 1, sv->level);
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 2, sv->weeks);
-    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, 0, test_get_last_message(fix.u->faction->msgs));
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, NULL, test_get_last_message(fix.u->faction->msgs));
     test_teardown();
 }
 
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ static void test_study_with_teacher(CuTest *tc) {
     setup_teacher(&fix, SK_CROSSBOW);
     set_level(fix.teachers[0], SK_CROSSBOW, TEACHDIFFERENCE);
     teach_cmd(fix.teachers[0], fix.teachers[0]->thisorder);
-    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, 0, test_get_last_message(fix.u->faction->msgs));
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, NULL, test_get_last_message(fix.u->faction->msgs));
     study_cmd(fix.u, fix.u->thisorder);
     CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, sv = unit_skill(fix.u, SK_CROSSBOW));
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 1, sv->level);
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ static void test_academy_bonus(CuTest *tc) {
     u1 = test_create_unit(u->faction, u->region);
     u3 = test_create_unit(u->faction, u->region);
     u0->thisorder = create_order(K_TEACH, loc, "%s %s", itoa36(u3->no), itoa36(u1->no));
-    u->thisorder = create_order(K_TEACH, loc, "%s", itoa36(u1->no));
+    u->thisorder = create_order(K_TEACH, loc, itoa36(u1->no));
     u1->thisorder = create_order(K_STUDY, loc, skillnames[SK_CROSSBOW]);
     u3->thisorder = create_order(K_STUDY, loc, skillnames[SK_CROSSBOW]);
     
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ static void test_study_magic(CuTest *tc) {
     f = test_create_faction(NULL);
     lang = f->locale;
     u = test_create_unit(f, test_create_region(0, 0, NULL));
-    u->thisorder = create_order(K_STUDY, lang, "%s", skillnames[SK_MAGIC]);
+    u->thisorder = create_order(K_STUDY, lang, skillnames[SK_MAGIC]);
     itype = test_create_silver();
 
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, -1, study_cmd(u, u->thisorder));
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ static void test_study_magic(CuTest *tc) {
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, M_GWYRRD, f->magiegebiet);
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 0, i_get(u->items, itype));
     CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, get_mage_depr(u));
-    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, 0, test_find_messagetype(f->msgs, "error65"));
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, NULL, test_find_messagetype(f->msgs, "error65"));
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, M_GWYRRD, get_mage_depr(u)->magietyp);
 
     test_teardown();
@@ -491,12 +491,12 @@ static void test_teach_magic(CuTest *tc) {
     f = test_create_faction(NULL);
     f->magiegebiet = M_GWYRRD;
     u = test_create_unit(f, test_create_region(0, 0, NULL));
-    u->thisorder = create_order(K_STUDY, f->locale, "%s", skillnames[SK_MAGIC]);
+    u->thisorder = create_order(K_STUDY, f->locale, skillnames[SK_MAGIC]);
     i_change(&u->items, itype, study_cost(u, SK_MAGIC));
     ut = test_create_unit(f, u->region);
     set_level(ut, SK_MAGIC, TEACHDIFFERENCE);
     create_mage(ut, M_GWYRRD);
-    ut->thisorder = create_order(K_TEACH, f->locale, "%s", itoa36(u->no));
+    ut->thisorder = create_order(K_TEACH, f->locale, itoa36(u->no));
     learn_inject();
     teach_cmd(ut, ut->thisorder);
     study_cmd(u, u->thisorder);