diff --git a/include/file.h b/include/file.h
index 73816c6f..a4e2a7e3 100644
--- a/include/file.h
+++ b/include/file.h
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ extern int ef_nelem(int);
 extern int ef_flags(int);
 extern int ef_byname(char *);
 extern int ef_byname_from(char *, int *);
-extern int ef_verify(void);
+extern int ef_verify(int);
 extern int ef_elt_byname(int, char *);
 
 extern struct empfile empfile[EF_MAX + 1];
diff --git a/src/lib/common/ef_verify.c b/src/lib/common/ef_verify.c
index a288cb4f..139d0431 100644
--- a/src/lib/common/ef_verify.c
+++ b/src/lib/common/ef_verify.c
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ verify_row(int type, int row)
 }
 
 static void
-pln_zap_transient_flags(void)
+pln_zap_transient_flags(int may_put)
 {
     int i;
     struct plnstr *pp;
@@ -216,12 +216,18 @@ pln_zap_transient_flags(void)
 	     */
 	}
     }
-    if (dirty)
+    if (dirty && may_put)
 	ef_flush(EF_PLANE);	/* pretty wasteful */
 }
 
+/*
+ * Verify game state and configuration are sane.
+ * Correct minor problems, but write corrections to backing files only
+ * if MAY_PUT is non-zero.
+ * Return -1 if uncorrected problems remain, else 0.
+ */
 int
-ef_verify(void)
+ef_verify(int may_put)
 {
     struct empfile *ep;
     int retval = 0;
@@ -248,6 +254,6 @@ ef_verify(void)
 	}
     }
 
-    pln_zap_transient_flags();
+    pln_zap_transient_flags(may_put);
     return retval;
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/subs/fileinit.c b/src/lib/subs/fileinit.c
index 4664b5e3..8e758012 100644
--- a/src/lib/subs/fileinit.c
+++ b/src/lib/subs/fileinit.c
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ ef_init_srv(void)
 
     nsc_init();
     ef_open_srv();
-    if (ef_verify() < 0)
+    if (ef_verify(1) < 0)
 	exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
     global_init();
     unit_cargo_init();
diff --git a/src/util/empdump.c b/src/util/empdump.c
index 1e929682..652beb00 100644
--- a/src/util/empdump.c
+++ b/src/util/empdump.c
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	    exit(1);
     }
 
-    if (ef_verify() < 0)
+    if (ef_verify(0) < 0)
 	exit(1);
 
     /* export to stdout */