diff --git a/src/kernel/event.c b/src/kernel/event.c
index fbf46d11f..0581aa999 100644
--- a/src/kernel/event.c
+++ b/src/kernel/event.c
@@ -59,13 +59,15 @@ int read_triggers(struct gamedata *data, trigger ** tp)
     return 0;
 }
 
-trigger *t_new(trigger_type * ttype)
+trigger *t_new(trigger_type *ttype)
 {
     trigger *t = calloc(1, sizeof(trigger));
-    if (!t) abort();
-    t->type = ttype;
-    if (ttype->initialize)
-        ttype->initialize(t);
+    if (t) {
+        t->type = ttype;
+        if (ttype->initialize) {
+            ttype->initialize(t);
+        }
+    }
     return t;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/spells.c b/src/spells.c
index 51c150bf7..a6a01513b 100644
--- a/src/spells.c
+++ b/src/spells.c
@@ -4551,7 +4551,7 @@ int sp_illusionary_shapeshift(castorder * co)
         return 0;
     }
 
-    if (NULL == change_race(u, 3 + (int)power, NULL, irace)) {
+    if (NULL == change_race(u, 3 + (int)power, NULL, rc)) {
         ADDMSG(&mage->faction->msgs, msg_feedback(mage, co->order,
             "sp_shapeshift_fail", "target race", u, rc));
         return 0;
diff --git a/src/spells.test.c b/src/spells.test.c
index aa5fd78d4..59052bfdb 100644
--- a/src/spells.test.c
+++ b/src/spells.test.c
@@ -286,23 +286,43 @@ static void test_watch_region(CuTest *tc) {
 
 static void test_change_race(CuTest *tc) {
     unit *u;
-    race *rctoad;
+    race *rctoad, *rcsmurf;
     trigger **tp, *tr;
     timeout_data *td;
     changerace_data *crd;
 
     test_setup();
     rctoad = test_create_race("toad");
+    rcsmurf = test_create_race("smurf");
     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));
+    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, tr = change_race(u, 2, rctoad, NULL));
     CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, (void *)rctoad, (void *)u->_race);
     CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, NULL, (void *)u->irace);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, &tt_timeout, tr->type);
     CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, u->attribs);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, NULL, u->attribs->next);
     tp = get_triggers(u->attribs, "timer");
     CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, tp);
-    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, tr = *tp);
-    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, &tt_timeout, tr->type);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, tr, *tp);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, NULL, tr->next);
+    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);
+
+    /* change race, but do not add a second change_race trigger */
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, tr, change_race(u, 2, rctoad, NULL));
+    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, u->attribs);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, NULL, u->attribs->next);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, NULL, tr->next);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, (void *)rctoad, (void *)u->_race);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, NULL, (void *)u->irace);
     td = (timeout_data *)tr->data.v;
     CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, td);
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 2, td->timer);
diff --git a/src/triggers/changefaction.c b/src/triggers/changefaction.c
index 85403083b..e87c18543 100644
--- a/src/triggers/changefaction.c
+++ b/src/triggers/changefaction.c
@@ -86,8 +86,10 @@ trigger_type tt_changefaction = {
 trigger *trigger_changefaction(unit * u, struct faction * f)
 {
     trigger *t = t_new(&tt_changefaction);
-    changefaction_data *td = (changefaction_data *)t->data.v;
-    td->unit = u;
-    td->faction = f;
+    if (t) {
+        changefaction_data *td = (changefaction_data *)t->data.v;
+        td->unit = u;
+        td->faction = f;
+    }
     return t;
 }
diff --git a/src/triggers/changerace.c b/src/triggers/changerace.c
index 9011b1660..48557a0c0 100644
--- a/src/triggers/changerace.c
+++ b/src/triggers/changerace.c
@@ -85,20 +85,35 @@ trigger_type tt_changerace = {
 trigger *trigger_changerace(unit * u, const race * prace, const race * irace)
 {
     trigger *t = t_new(&tt_changerace);
-    changerace_data *td = (changerace_data *)t->data.v;
+    if (t) {
+        changerace_data *td = (changerace_data *)t->data.v;
 
-    td->u = u;
-    td->race = prace;
-    td->irace = irace;
+        td->u = u;
+        td->race = prace;
+        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);
+    trigger **texists = get_triggers(u->attribs, "timer");
+    trigger *tr = NULL;
+
+    if (texists) {
+        tr = *texists;
     }
-    return trestore;
+    else {
+        trigger *trestore = trigger_changerace(u, u_race(u), u->irace);
+        if (trestore) {
+            tr = trigger_timeout(duration, trestore);
+            add_trigger(&u->attribs, "timer", tr);
+        }
+    }
+    if (tr) {
+        u->irace = irace;
+        if (urace) {
+            u_setrace(u, urace);
+        }
+    }
+    return tr;
 }
diff --git a/src/triggers/clonedied.c b/src/triggers/clonedied.c
index 500104ba1..666a29a03 100644
--- a/src/triggers/clonedied.c
+++ b/src/triggers/clonedied.c
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ trigger_type tt_clonedied = {
 trigger *trigger_clonedied(unit * u)
 {
     trigger *t = t_new(&tt_clonedied);
-    t->data.v = (void *)u;
+    if (t) {
+        t->data.v = (void *)u;
+    }
     return t;
 }
diff --git a/src/triggers/createcurse.c b/src/triggers/createcurse.c
index 760834a3d..8993343c9 100644
--- a/src/triggers/createcurse.c
+++ b/src/triggers/createcurse.c
@@ -115,13 +115,15 @@ trigger *trigger_createcurse(struct unit * mage, struct unit * target,
     const curse_type * ct, double vigour, int duration, double effect, int men)
 {
     trigger *t = t_new(&tt_createcurse);
-    createcurse_data *td = (createcurse_data *)t->data.v;
-    td->mage = mage;
-    td->target = target;
-    td->type = ct;
-    td->vigour = vigour;
-    td->duration = duration;
-    td->effect = effect;
-    td->men = men;
+    if (t) {
+        createcurse_data *td = (createcurse_data *)t->data.v;
+        td->mage = mage;
+        td->target = target;
+        td->type = ct;
+        td->vigour = vigour;
+        td->duration = duration;
+        td->effect = effect;
+        td->men = men;
+    }
     return t;
 }
diff --git a/src/triggers/createunit.c b/src/triggers/createunit.c
index d9437c87b..33c01e4ad 100644
--- a/src/triggers/createunit.c
+++ b/src/triggers/createunit.c
@@ -103,10 +103,12 @@ trigger *trigger_createunit(region * r, struct faction * f,
     const struct race * rc, int number)
 {
     trigger *t = t_new(&tt_createunit);
-    createunit_data *td = (createunit_data *)t->data.v;
-    td->r = r;
-    td->f = f;
-    td->race = rc;
-    td->number = number;
+    if (t) {
+        createunit_data *td = (createunit_data *)t->data.v;
+        td->r = r;
+        td->f = f;
+        td->race = rc;
+        td->number = number;
+    }
     return t;
 }
diff --git a/src/triggers/giveitem.c b/src/triggers/giveitem.c
index 1664c1d3a..4b1f98cbb 100644
--- a/src/triggers/giveitem.c
+++ b/src/triggers/giveitem.c
@@ -96,9 +96,11 @@ trigger_type tt_giveitem = {
 trigger *trigger_giveitem(unit * u, const item_type * itype, int number)
 {
     trigger *t = t_new(&tt_giveitem);
-    giveitem_data *td = (giveitem_data *)t->data.v;
-    td->number = number;
-    td->u = u;
-    td->itype = itype;
+    if (t) {
+        giveitem_data *td = (giveitem_data *)t->data.v;
+        td->number = number;
+        td->u = u;
+        td->itype = itype;
+    }
     return t;
 }
diff --git a/src/triggers/killunit.c b/src/triggers/killunit.c
index 5f221350e..a4511a062 100644
--- a/src/triggers/killunit.c
+++ b/src/triggers/killunit.c
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ trigger_type tt_killunit = {
 trigger *trigger_killunit(unit * u)
 {
     trigger *t = t_new(&tt_killunit);
-    t->data.v = (void *)u;
+    if (t) {
+        t->data.v = (void *)u;
+    }
     return t;
 }
diff --git a/src/triggers/shock.c b/src/triggers/shock.c
index 416b628ac..0dc37f084 100644
--- a/src/triggers/shock.c
+++ b/src/triggers/shock.c
@@ -130,6 +130,8 @@ trigger_type tt_shock = {
 trigger *trigger_shock(unit * u)
 {
     trigger *t = t_new(&tt_shock);
-    t->data.v = (void *)u;
+    if (t) {
+        t->data.v = (void *)u;
+    }
     return t;
 }
diff --git a/src/triggers/timeout.c b/src/triggers/timeout.c
index f36bc8c31..711a45b39 100644
--- a/src/triggers/timeout.c
+++ b/src/triggers/timeout.c
@@ -79,8 +79,10 @@ trigger_type tt_timeout = {
 trigger *trigger_timeout(int time, trigger * callbacks)
 {
     trigger *t = t_new(&tt_timeout);
-    timeout_data *td = (timeout_data *)t->data.v;
-    td->triggers = callbacks;
-    td->timer = time;
+    if (t) {
+        timeout_data *td = (timeout_data *)t->data.v;
+        td->triggers = callbacks;
+        td->timer = time;
+    }
     return t;
 }
diff --git a/tests/data/test.dat b/tests/data/test.dat
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6e35b67f1
Binary files /dev/null and b/tests/data/test.dat differ