diff --git a/src/kernel/CMakeLists.txt b/src/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
index 9dbb73b49..bc2c20418 100644
--- a/src/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ race.test.c
 spellbook.test.c
 curse.test.c
 jsonconf.test.c
+messages.test.c
 )
 
 SET(_FILES
diff --git a/src/kernel/messages.c b/src/kernel/messages.c
index f7297f832..46329d66b 100644
--- a/src/kernel/messages.c
+++ b/src/kernel/messages.c
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
 **/
 
 #include <platform.h>
-#include <kernel/config.h>
 #include "messages.h"
 
 /* kernel includes */
@@ -140,7 +139,7 @@ struct message *msg_feedback(const struct unit *u, struct order *ord,
 message *msg_message(const char *name, const char *sig, ...)
         /* msg_message("oops_error", "unit region command", u, r, cmd) */
 {
-  va_list marker;
+  va_list vargs;
   const message_type *mtype = mt_find(name);
   char paramname[64];
   const char *ic = sig;
@@ -155,7 +154,7 @@ message *msg_message(const char *name, const char *sig, ...)
     return NULL;
   }
 
-  va_start(marker, sig);
+  va_start(vargs, sig);
   while (*ic && !isalnum(*ic))
     ic++;
   while (*ic) {
@@ -172,9 +171,9 @@ message *msg_message(const char *name, const char *sig, ...)
     }
     if (i != mtype->nparameters) {
       if (mtype->types[i]->vtype == VAR_VOIDPTR) {
-        args[i].v = va_arg(marker, void *);
+          args[i].v = va_arg(vargs, void *);
       } else if (mtype->types[i]->vtype == VAR_INT) {
-        args[i].i = va_arg(marker, int);
+          args[i].i = va_arg(vargs, int);
       } else {
         assert(!"unknown variant type");
       }
@@ -185,7 +184,7 @@ message *msg_message(const char *name, const char *sig, ...)
     while (*ic && !isalnum(*ic))
       ic++;
   }
-  va_end(marker);
+  va_end(vargs);
 
   return msg_create(mtype, args);
 }
diff --git a/src/kernel/messages.h b/src/kernel/messages.h
index 83c0f2613..b9c07b0c9 100644
--- a/src/kernel/messages.h
+++ b/src/kernel/messages.h
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
+#include <kernel/types.h>
 #include <util/message.h>
 
     struct faction;
diff --git a/src/kernel/messages.test.c b/src/kernel/messages.test.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e237ab8de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/kernel/messages.test.c
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+#include <platform.h>
+#include "messages.h"
+
+#include <CuTest.h>
+#include <tests.h>
+
+void test_missing_message(CuTest *tc) {
+    message *msg;
+    msg = msg_message("unknown", "unit", NULL);
+    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, msg);
+    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, msg->type);
+    CuAssertStrEquals(tc, msg->type->name, "missing_message");
+    msg_release(msg);
+}
+
+void test_message(CuTest *tc) {
+    message *msg;
+//    const char * args[] = { }
+    message_type *mtype = mt_new("custom", NULL);
+    mt_register(mtype);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, mtype, (void *)mt_find("custom"));
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 0, mtype->nparameters);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, NULL, (void *)mtype->pnames);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, NULL, (void *)mtype->types);
+    msg = msg_message("custom", "");
+    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, msg);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 1, msg->refcount);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, NULL, msg->parameters);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, mtype, (void *)msg->type);
+
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, msg, msg_addref(msg));
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 2, msg->refcount);
+    msg_release(msg);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 1, msg->refcount);
+    msg_release(msg);
+    test_cleanup();
+}
+
+CuSuite *get_messages_suite(void) {
+    CuSuite *suite = CuSuiteNew();
+    SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_missing_message);
+    SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_message);
+    return suite;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/test_eressea.c b/src/test_eressea.c
index b8ff259b6..ca6ebf604 100644
--- a/src/test_eressea.c
+++ b/src/test_eressea.c
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ int RunAllTests(void)
   RUN_TESTS(suite, building);
   RUN_TESTS(suite, spell);
   RUN_TESTS(suite, ally);
+  RUN_TESTS(suite, messages);
   /* gamecode */
   RUN_TESTS(suite, battle);
   RUN_TESTS(suite, economy);
diff --git a/src/util/message.c b/src/util/message.c
index 7e9c1a9f0..b557e4832 100644
--- a/src/util/message.c
+++ b/src/util/message.c
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ message *msg_create(const struct message_type *mtype, variant args[])
     return NULL;
   }
   msg->type = mtype;
-  msg->parameters = (variant *) calloc(mtype->nparameters, sizeof(variant));
+  msg->parameters = (variant *)mtype->nparameters ? calloc(mtype->nparameters, sizeof(variant)) : NULL;
   msg->refcount = 1;
   for (i = 0; i != mtype->nparameters; ++i) {
     msg->parameters[i] = copy_arg(mtype->types[i], args[i]);