diff --git a/res/eressea/races.xml b/res/eressea/races.xml
index b3f384923..7c3a5ab0c 100644
--- a/res/eressea/races.xml
+++ b/res/eressea/races.xml
@@ -671,7 +671,7 @@
     <skill name="stamina" modifier="-10"/>
     <attack type="4" damage="1d2"/>
   </race>
-  <race name="mountainguard" unarmedguard="yes" magres="0.500000" maxaura="1.000000" regaura="0.500000" recruitcost="50000" weight="10000" capacity="2000" speed="0.000000" hp="1000" ac="12" damage="2d40" unarmedattack="0" unarmeddefense="0" attackmodifier="6" defensemodifier="8" cannotmove="yes" canlearn="no" teach="no" noweapons="yes">
+  <race name="mountainguard" unarmedguard="yes" magres="0.500000" maxaura="1.000000" regaura="0.500000" weight="10000" capacity="2000" speed="0.000000" hp="1000" ac="12" damage="2d40" unarmedattack="0" unarmeddefense="0" attackmodifier="6" defensemodifier="8" cannotmove="yes" canlearn="no" teach="no" noweapons="yes">
     <ai splitsize="1"/>
     <function name="name" value="namegeneric"/>
     <attack type="4" damage="2d40"/>
@@ -717,7 +717,7 @@
     <attack type="4" damage="1d6"/>
     <attack type="1" damage="1d5"/>
   </race>
-  <race name="catdragon" magres="0.900000" maxaura="1.000000" regaura="1.000000" recruitcost="500000" weight="20000" capacity="10000" speed="1.000000" hp="20" damage="2d40" unarmedattack="0" unarmeddefense="0" defensemodifier="50" fly="yes" walk="yes" teach="no" shapeshift="yes" giveperson="yes" getitem="yes" dragon="yes">
+  <race name="catdragon" magres="0.900000" maxaura="1.000000" regaura="1.000000" weight="20000" capacity="10000" speed="1.000000" hp="20" damage="2d40" unarmedattack="0" unarmeddefense="0" defensemodifier="50" fly="yes" walk="yes" teach="no" shapeshift="yes" giveperson="yes" getitem="yes" dragon="yes">
     <ai splitsize="1"/>
     <attack type="4" damage="2d40"/>
     <attack type="4" damage="2d40"/>
diff --git a/src/kernel/xmlreader.c b/src/kernel/xmlreader.c
index 1dd822130..68f62d11f 100644
--- a/src/kernel/xmlreader.c
+++ b/src/kernel/xmlreader.c
@@ -1673,8 +1673,10 @@ static int parse_races(xmlDocPtr doc)
         rc->at_bonus = (char)xml_ivalue(node, "attackmodifier", rc->at_bonus);
         rc->df_bonus = (char)xml_ivalue(node, "defensemodifier", rc->df_bonus);
 
-        if (!xml_bvalue(node, "playerrace", false))
+        if (!xml_bvalue(node, "playerrace", false)) {
+            assert(rc->recruitcost == 0);
             rc->flags |= RCF_NPC;
+        }
         if (xml_bvalue(node, "scarepeasants", false))
             rc->flags |= RCF_SCAREPEASANTS;
         if (!xml_bvalue(node, "cansteal", true))