diff --git a/include/game.h b/include/game.h
index 1a5f1f36..4f78585b 100644
--- a/include/game.h
+++ b/include/game.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ struct gamestr {
     /* initial part must match struct empobj */
     short ef_type;
     /* end of part matching struct empobj */
+    char game_upd_disable;	/* updates disabled? */
     /*
      * The Empire clock.
      * Access it through game_tick_tick(), or else it'll be late.
@@ -52,6 +53,8 @@ struct gamestr {
 #define putgame() ef_write(EF_GAME, 0, ef_ptr(EF_GAME, 0))
 #define getgamep() ((struct gamestr *)ef_ptr(EF_GAME, 0))
 
+extern void game_ctrl_update(int);
+extern int updates_disabled(void);
 extern void game_record_update(time_t);
 extern struct gamestr *game_tick_tick(void);
 extern int game_tick_to_now(short *);
diff --git a/include/optlist.h b/include/optlist.h
index dcf00314..0b8c396e 100644
--- a/include/optlist.h
+++ b/include/optlist.h
@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@ extern char *schedulefil;
 
 extern char motdfil[];
 extern char downfil[];
-extern char disablefil[];
 extern char annfil[];
 extern char teldir[];
 extern char telfil[];
diff --git a/include/prototypes.h b/include/prototypes.h
index 4a381ba0..44aa7843 100644
--- a/include/prototypes.h
+++ b/include/prototypes.h
@@ -346,7 +346,6 @@ extern int sct_typematch(char *);
 extern int demand_update_want(int *, int *, int);
 extern int demand_check(void);
 extern int demandupdatecheck(void);
-extern int updates_disabled(void);
 /* xundump.c */
 extern int xundump(FILE *, char *, int);
 
diff --git a/src/lib/commands/disa.c b/src/lib/commands/disa.c
index ca2534d5..66316000 100644
--- a/src/lib/commands/disa.c
+++ b/src/lib/commands/disa.c
@@ -33,25 +33,13 @@
 
 #include <config.h>
 
-#if defined(_WIN32)
-#include <io.h>
-#endif
-#include <fcntl.h>
-#include <sys/stat.h>
-#if !defined(_WIN32)
-#include <unistd.h>
-#endif
 #include "commands.h"
-#include "optlist.h"
+#include "game.h"
 
 int
 disa(void)
 {
-    int fd;
-
-    if ((fd = open(disablefil, O_RDWR | O_CREAT | O_TRUNC, S_IRWUG)) < 0)
-	return RET_FAIL;
-    close(fd);
+    game_ctrl_update(0);
     pr("Updates are disabled\n");
     return RET_OK;
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/commands/enab.c b/src/lib/commands/enab.c
index 2579fd9d..9dd59f8a 100644
--- a/src/lib/commands/enab.c
+++ b/src/lib/commands/enab.c
@@ -33,18 +33,13 @@
 
 #include <config.h>
 
-#if !defined(_WIN32)
-#include <unistd.h>
-#elif defined(__GNUC__)
-#include <io.h>
-#endif
 #include "commands.h"
-#include "optlist.h"
+#include "game.h"
 
 int
 enab(void)
 {
-    (void)unlink(disablefil);
+    game_ctrl_update(1);
     pr("Updates are enabled\n");
     return RET_OK;
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/common/game.c b/src/lib/common/game.c
index 25dcea03..121b56c2 100644
--- a/src/lib/common/game.c
+++ b/src/lib/common/game.c
@@ -50,6 +50,27 @@
 #include "prototypes.h"
 #include "server.h"
 
+/*
+ * Disable updates 
+ */
+void
+game_ctrl_update(int enable)
+{
+    struct gamestr *game = getgamep();
+
+    game->game_upd_disable = !enable;
+    putgame();
+}
+
+/*
+ * Are updates disabled?
+ */
+int
+updates_disabled(void)
+{
+    return getgamep()->game_upd_disable;
+}
+
 /*
  * Record an update in the game file, the current time is NOW.
  */
diff --git a/src/lib/common/wantupd.c b/src/lib/common/wantupd.c
index f58fedec..30b0e634 100644
--- a/src/lib/common/wantupd.c
+++ b/src/lib/common/wantupd.c
@@ -116,14 +116,3 @@ demandupdatecheck(void)
 	&& demand_update_time(&now)
 	&& demand_check();
 }
-
-int
-updates_disabled(void)
-{
-    int fd;
-
-    if ((fd = open(disablefil, O_RDONLY, 0)) < 0)
-	return 0;
-    close(fd);
-    return 1;
-}
diff --git a/src/lib/global/nsc.c b/src/lib/global/nsc.c
index 8a58a4cd..eb68eae9 100644
--- a/src/lib/global/nsc.c
+++ b/src/lib/global/nsc.c
@@ -546,6 +546,9 @@ struct castr realm_ca[] = {
 };
 
 struct castr game_ca[] = {
+    /* no need for uid */
+    {NSC_CHAR, 0, 0, offsetof(struct gamestr, game_upd_disable),
+     "upd_disable", EF_BAD},
     {NSC_SHORT, 0, 0, offsetof(struct gamestr, game_turn), "turn", EF_BAD},
     {NSC_SHORT, NSC_DEITY, 0, offsetof(struct gamestr, game_tick), "tick",
      EF_BAD},