diff --git a/src/items.c b/src/items.c
index 41c913f1f..e585e14d6 100644
--- a/src/items.c
+++ b/src/items.c
@@ -292,15 +292,8 @@ struct order *ord)
             rcfailure = rc_find("toad");
         }
         if (rcfailure) {
-            trigger *trestore = trigger_changerace(u, u_race(u), u->irace);
-            if (trestore) {
-                int duration = 2 + rng_int() % 8;
-
-                add_trigger(&u->attribs, "timer", trigger_timeout(duration,
-                    trestore));
-                u->irace = NULL;
-                u_setrace(u, rcfailure);
-            }
+            int duration = 2 + rng_int() % 8;
+            change_race(u, duration, rcfailure, NULL);
         }
     }
     use_pooled(u, itype->rtype, GET_SLACK | GET_RESERVE | GET_POOLED_SLACK,
diff --git a/src/magic.c b/src/magic.c
index 5642db417..4e0582a3c 100644
--- a/src/magic.c
+++ b/src/magic.c
@@ -1273,10 +1273,12 @@ static void do_fumble(castorder * co)
     unit *caster = co_get_caster(co);
     const spell *sp = co->sp;
     int level = co->level;
-    int duration;
     double effect;
     static int rc_cache;
+    static const race *rc_toad = NULL;
     fumble_f fun;
+    trigger *trestore;
+    int duration;
 
     ADDMSG(&caster->faction->msgs,
         msg_message("patzer", "unit region spell", caster, r, sp));
@@ -1293,32 +1295,26 @@ static void do_fumble(castorder * co)
         break;
 
     case 1: /* toad */
-    {
-        /* one or two things will happen: the toad changes her race back,
+        /* one or two things will happen: the toad changes its race back,
          * and may or may not get toadslime.
          * The list of things to happen are attached to a timeout
-         * trigger and that's added to the triggerlit of the mage gone toad.
+         * trigger and that's added to the triggerlist of the mage gone toad.
          */
-        static const race *rc_toad;
-        trigger *trestore = trigger_changerace(mage, u_race(mage), mage->irace);
-        if (chance(0.7)) {
-            const resource_type *rtype = rt_find("toadslime");
-            if (rtype) {
-                t_add(&trestore, trigger_giveitem(mage, rtype->itype, 1));
-            }
-        }
-        duration = rng_int() % level / 2;
-        if (duration < 2) duration = 2;
-        add_trigger(&mage->attribs, "timer", trigger_timeout(duration, trestore));
         if (rc_changed(&rc_cache)) {
             rc_toad = get_race(RC_TOAD);
         }
-        u_setrace(mage, rc_toad);
-        mage->irace = NULL;
-        ADDMSG(&r->msgs, msg_message("patzer6", "unit region spell", mage, r, sp));
+        duration = rng_int() % level / 2;
+        trestore = change_race(mage, duration, rc_toad, NULL);
+        if (trestore) {
+            if (chance(0.7)) {
+                const resource_type *rtype = rt_find("toadslime");
+                if (rtype) {
+                    t_add(&trestore, trigger_giveitem(mage, rtype->itype, 1));
+                }
+            }
+            ADDMSG(&r->msgs, msg_message("patzer6", "unit region spell", mage, r, sp));
+        }
         break;
-    }
-    /* fall-through is intentional! */
 
     case 2:
         /* temporary skill loss */
@@ -1330,6 +1326,7 @@ static void do_fumble(castorder * co)
         c->data.i = SK_MAGIC;
         ADDMSG(&caster->faction->msgs, msg_message("patzer2", "unit region", caster, r));
         break;
+ 
     case 3:
     case 4:
         /* Spruch schlaegt fehl, alle Magiepunkte weg */
diff --git a/src/spells.c b/src/spells.c
index e5f1a3b53..51c150bf7 100644
--- a/src/spells.c
+++ b/src/spells.c
@@ -4551,13 +4551,13 @@ int sp_illusionary_shapeshift(castorder * co)
         return 0;
     }
 
-    add_trigger(&u->attribs, "timer", trigger_timeout((int)power + 3,
-        trigger_changerace(u, NULL, irace)));
-    u->irace = rc;
-
+    if (NULL == change_race(u, 3 + (int)power, NULL, irace)) {
+        ADDMSG(&mage->faction->msgs, msg_feedback(mage, co->order,
+            "sp_shapeshift_fail", "target race", u, rc));
+        return 0;
+    }
     ADDMSG(&mage->faction->msgs, msg_message("shapeshift_effect",
         "mage target race", mage, u, rc));
-
     return cast_level;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/spells.test.c b/src/spells.test.c
index af107cee0..aa5fd78d4 100644
--- a/src/spells.test.c
+++ b/src/spells.test.c
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 #include <kernel/config.h>
 #include <kernel/curse.h>
+#include <kernel/event.h>
 #include <kernel/faction.h>
 #include <kernel/order.h>
 #include <kernel/plane.h>
@@ -19,6 +20,9 @@
 
 #include <attributes/attributes.h>
 
+#include <triggers/changerace.h>
+#include <triggers/timeout.h>
+
 #include <CuTest.h>
 #include <tests.h>
 
@@ -280,6 +284,38 @@ static void test_watch_region(CuTest *tc) {
     test_teardown();
 }
 
+static void test_change_race(CuTest *tc) {
+    unit *u;
+    race *rctoad;
+    trigger **tp, *tr;
+    timeout_data *td;
+    changerace_data *crd;
+
+    test_setup();
+    rctoad = test_create_race("toad");
+    u = test_create_unit(test_create_faction(), test_create_plain(0, 0));
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, (void *)u->faction->race, (void *)u->_race);
+    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, change_race(u, 2, rctoad, NULL));
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, (void *)rctoad, (void *)u->_race);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, NULL, (void *)u->irace);
+    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, u->attribs);
+    tp = get_triggers(u->attribs, "timer");
+    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, tp);
+    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, tr = *tp);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, &tt_timeout, tr->type);
+    td = (timeout_data *)tr->data.v;
+    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, td);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 2, td->timer);
+    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, td->triggers);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, &tt_changerace, td->triggers->type);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, NULL, td->triggers->next);
+    crd = (changerace_data *)td->triggers->data.v;
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, (void *)u->faction->race, (void *)crd->race);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, NULL, (void *)crd->irace);
+
+    test_teardown();
+}
+
 CuSuite *get_spells_suite(void)
 {
     CuSuite *suite = CuSuiteNew();
@@ -289,5 +325,6 @@ CuSuite *get_spells_suite(void)
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_good_dreams);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_bad_dreams);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_dreams);
+    SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_change_race);
     return suite;
 }
diff --git a/src/triggers/changerace.c b/src/triggers/changerace.c
index 173b20d77..9011b1660 100644
--- a/src/triggers/changerace.c
+++ b/src/triggers/changerace.c
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include <platform.h>
 #include "changerace.h"
+#include "timeout.h"
 
 /* kernel includes */
 #include <kernel/unit.h>
@@ -26,12 +27,6 @@
  ** restore a mage that was turned into a toad
  **/
 
-typedef struct changerace_data {
-    struct unit *u;
-    const struct race *race;
-    const struct race *irace;
-} changerace_data;
-
 static void changerace_init(trigger * t)
 {
     t->data.v = calloc(1, sizeof(changerace_data));
@@ -97,3 +92,13 @@ trigger *trigger_changerace(unit * u, const race * prace, const race * irace)
     td->irace = irace;
     return t;
 }
+
+extern struct trigger *change_race(struct unit *u, int duration, const struct race *urace, const struct race *irace) {
+    trigger *trestore = trigger_changerace(u, u_race(u), u->irace);
+    if (trestore) {
+        add_trigger(&u->attribs, "timer", trigger_timeout(duration, trestore));
+        u->irace = irace;
+        u_setrace(u, urace);
+    }
+    return trestore;
+}
diff --git a/src/triggers/changerace.h b/src/triggers/changerace.h
index 950f04784..a3ca744ca 100644
--- a/src/triggers/changerace.h
+++ b/src/triggers/changerace.h
@@ -10,11 +10,15 @@ extern "C" {
     struct unit;
     struct race;
 
+    typedef struct changerace_data {
+        struct unit *u;
+        const struct race *race;
+        const struct race *irace;
+    } changerace_data;
+
     extern struct trigger_type tt_changerace;
 
-    extern struct trigger *trigger_changerace(struct unit *u,
-        const struct race *urace, const struct race *irace);
-
+    extern struct trigger *change_race(struct unit *u, int duration, const struct race *urace, const struct race *irace);
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/src/triggers/timeout.c b/src/triggers/timeout.c
index fa4cbc46b..f36bc8c31 100644
--- a/src/triggers/timeout.c
+++ b/src/triggers/timeout.c
@@ -16,12 +16,6 @@
  ** timeout
  **/
 
-typedef struct timeout_data {
-    trigger *triggers;
-    int timer;
-    variant trigger_data;
-} timeout_data;
-
 static void timeout_init(trigger * t)
 {
     t->data.v = calloc(1, sizeof(timeout_data));
diff --git a/src/triggers/timeout.h b/src/triggers/timeout.h
index dc8c22d92..498b52192 100644
--- a/src/triggers/timeout.h
+++ b/src/triggers/timeout.h
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@ extern "C" {
     struct trigger_type;
     struct trigger;
 
+    typedef struct timeout_data {
+        struct trigger *triggers;
+        int timer;
+    } timeout_data;
+
     extern struct trigger_type tt_timeout;
 
     extern struct trigger *trigger_timeout(int time, struct trigger *callbacks);