diff --git a/src/lib/common/xundump.c b/src/lib/common/xundump.c
index 12854457..d0cb523f 100644
--- a/src/lib/common/xundump.c
+++ b/src/lib/common/xundump.c
@@ -406,10 +406,11 @@ xundump(FILE *fp, char *file, int expected_table)
 {
     char name[64];
     char sep;
+    struct empfile *ep;
     int row, res, rows, ch;
     struct value values[MAX_NUM_COLUMNS + 1];
     int type;
-    int fixed_rows;
+    int fixed_rows, need_sentinel;
 
     if (strcmp(fname, file) != 0) {
         fname = file;
@@ -425,12 +426,16 @@ xundump(FILE *fp, char *file, int expected_table)
     type = ef_byname(name);
     if (type < 0)
 	return gripe("Unknown table `%s'", name);
+    ep = &empfile[type];
+    if (CANT_HAPPEN(!(ep->flags & EFF_MEM)))
+	return -1;		/* not implemented */
 
     if (expected_table != EF_BAD && expected_table != type)
 	return gripe("Expected table `%s', not `%s'",
 		     ef_nameof(expected_table), name);
 
     fixed_rows = has_const(ef_cadef(type));
+    need_sentinel = !fixed_rows; /* FIXME only approximation */
 
     for (row = 0; ; row++) {
 	lineno++;
@@ -443,12 +448,12 @@ xundump(FILE *fp, char *file, int expected_table)
 	 * Add column count check to the return value of xuflds()
 	 */
 	res = xuflds(fp, values);
-	if (res > 0 && row >= empfile[type].csize - 1) {
+	if (res > 0 && row >= ep->csize - 1) {
+	    /* TODO grow cache unless EFF_STATIC */
 	    gripe("Too many rows for table %s", name);
 	    res = -1;
 	}
 	if (res > 0) {
-	    empfile[type].fids = row + 1;
 	    if (!fixed_rows)
 		xuinitrow(type, row);
 	    res = xuloadrow(type, row, values);
@@ -465,14 +470,14 @@ xundump(FILE *fp, char *file, int expected_table)
     if (row != rows)
 	return gripe("Read %d rows, which doesn't match footer",
 		     row);
-    if (fixed_rows && row != empfile[type].csize -1)
+    if (fixed_rows && row != ep->csize -1)
 	return gripe("Table %s requires %d rows, got %d",
-		     name, empfile[type].csize - 1, row);
+		     name, ep->csize - 1, row);
     if (sep != '\n')
 	return gripe("Junk after table footer");
-
-    if (!fixed_rows)
+    if (need_sentinel)
 	xuinitrow(type, row);
 
-    return 0;
+    ep->fids = ep->cids = row;
+    return type;
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/subs/fileinit.c b/src/lib/subs/fileinit.c
index 7f1dc2b0..8af390d2 100644
--- a/src/lib/subs/fileinit.c
+++ b/src/lib/subs/fileinit.c
@@ -35,6 +35,56 @@
 #include "file.h"
 #include "prototypes.h"
 
+struct fileinit {
+    int ef_type;
+    void (*init) (int, char *);
+    int (*postread) (int, char *);
+    int (*prewrite) (int, char *);
+};
+
+static struct fileinit fileinit[] = {
+    {EF_SECTOR, NULL, sct_postread, sct_prewrite},
+    {EF_SHIP, shp_init, shp_postread, shp_prewrite},
+    {EF_PLANE, pln_init, pln_postread, pln_prewrite},
+    {EF_LAND, lnd_init, lnd_postread, lnd_prewrite},
+    {EF_NUKE, nuk_init, nuk_postread, nuk_prewrite}
+};
+
+static void ef_open_srv(void);
+static void ef_close_srv(void);
+
+/*
+ * Initialize empfile for full server operations.
+ * Like ef_init(), but additionally installs the server's callbacks.
+ * This is separate from ef_init(), so that utility programs like
+ * files can use empfile.
+ */
+void
+ef_init_srv(void)
+{
+    unsigned i;
+
+    ef_init();
+    if (ef_load() < 0)
+	exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+
+    for (i = 0; i < sizeof(fileinit) / sizeof(fileinit[0]); i++) {
+	empfile[fileinit[i].ef_type].init = fileinit[i].init;
+	empfile[fileinit[i].ef_type].postread = fileinit[i].postread;
+	empfile[fileinit[i].ef_type].prewrite = fileinit[i].prewrite;
+    }
+    ef_open_srv();
+    if (ef_verify() < 0)
+	exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    global_init();
+}
+
+void
+ef_fin_srv(void)
+{
+    ef_close_srv();
+}
+
 static void
 ef_open_srv(void)
 {
@@ -60,47 +110,6 @@ ef_open_srv(void)
     }
 }
 
-struct fileinit {
-    int ef_type;
-    void (*init) (int, char *);
-    int (*postread) (int, char *);
-    int (*prewrite) (int, char *);
-};
-
-static struct fileinit fileinit[] = {
-    {EF_SECTOR, NULL, sct_postread, sct_prewrite},
-    {EF_SHIP, shp_init, shp_postread, shp_prewrite},
-    {EF_PLANE, pln_init, pln_postread, pln_prewrite},
-    {EF_LAND, lnd_init, lnd_postread, lnd_prewrite},
-    {EF_NUKE, nuk_init, nuk_postread, nuk_prewrite}
-};
-
-/*
- * Initialize empfile for full server operations.
- * Like ef_init(), but additionally installs the server's callbacks.
- * This is separate from ef_init(), so that utility programs like
- * files can use empfile.
- */
-void
-ef_init_srv(void)
-{
-    unsigned i;
-
-    if (ef_load() < 0)
-	exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
-
-    for (i = 0; i < sizeof(fileinit) / sizeof(fileinit[0]); i++) {
-	empfile[fileinit[i].ef_type].init = fileinit[i].init;
-	empfile[fileinit[i].ef_type].postread = fileinit[i].postread;
-	empfile[fileinit[i].ef_type].prewrite = fileinit[i].prewrite;
-    }
-    ef_init();
-    ef_open_srv();
-    if (ef_verify() < 0)
-	exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
-    global_init();
-}
-
 static void
 ef_close_srv(void)
 {
@@ -120,9 +129,3 @@ ef_close_srv(void)
     ef_close(EF_BMAP);
     ef_close(EF_LOST);
 }
-
-void
-ef_fin_srv(void)
-{
-    ef_close_srv();
-}