diff --git a/src/lib/subs/land.c b/src/lib/subs/land.c
index 4776087d..5ba2c1fe 100644
--- a/src/lib/subs/land.c
+++ b/src/lib/subs/land.c
@@ -63,14 +63,13 @@ lnd_prewrite(int n, void *old, void *new)
 {
     struct lndstr *oldlp = old;
     struct lndstr *lp = new;
-    natid own = lp->lnd_own;
+    natid own = lp->lnd_effic < LAND_MINEFF ? 0 : lp->lnd_own;
 
-    if (lp->lnd_own && lp->lnd_effic < LAND_MINEFF) {
-	own = 0;
+    if (!own) {
+	lp->lnd_effic = 0;
 	lp->lnd_ship = lp->lnd_land = -1;
-    } else {
-	item_prewrite(lp->lnd_item);
     }
+    item_prewrite(lp->lnd_item);
 
     if (CANT_HAPPEN(lp->lnd_ship >= 0 && lp->lnd_land >= 0))
 	lp->lnd_land = -1;
@@ -79,7 +78,7 @@ lnd_prewrite(int n, void *old, void *new)
     if (oldlp->lnd_land != lp->lnd_land)
 	lnd_carrier_change(lp, EF_LAND, oldlp->lnd_land, lp->lnd_land);
 
-    /* We've avoided assigning to lp->lnd_own, in case oldsp == sp */
+    /* We've avoided assigning to lp->lnd_own, in case oldlp == lp */
     if (oldlp->lnd_own != own)
 	lost_and_found(EF_LAND, oldlp->lnd_own, own,
 		       lp->lnd_uid, lp->lnd_x, lp->lnd_y);
diff --git a/src/lib/subs/nuke.c b/src/lib/subs/nuke.c
index 4746c32f..6924cf05 100644
--- a/src/lib/subs/nuke.c
+++ b/src/lib/subs/nuke.c
@@ -60,17 +60,17 @@ nuk_prewrite(int n, void *old, void *new)
 {
     struct nukstr *oldnp = old;
     struct nukstr *np = new;
-    natid own = np->nuk_own;
+    natid own = np->nuk_effic == 0 ? 0 : np->nuk_own;
 
-    if (np->nuk_effic == 0) {
-	own = 0;
+    if (!own) {
+	np->nuk_effic = 0;
 	np->nuk_plane = -1;
     }
 
     if (oldnp->nuk_plane != np->nuk_plane)
 	nuk_carrier_change(np, EF_PLANE, oldnp->nuk_plane, np->nuk_plane);
 
-    /* We've avoided assigning to np->nuk_own, in case oldsp == sp */
+    /* We've avoided assigning to np->nuk_own, in case oldnp == np */
     if (oldnp->nuk_own != own)
 	lost_and_found(EF_NUKE, oldnp->nuk_own, own,
 		       np->nuk_uid, np->nuk_x, np->nuk_y);
diff --git a/src/lib/subs/plane.c b/src/lib/subs/plane.c
index 39e0ee80..0fd36829 100644
--- a/src/lib/subs/plane.c
+++ b/src/lib/subs/plane.c
@@ -63,10 +63,9 @@ pln_prewrite(int n, void *old, void *new)
 {
     struct plnstr *oldpp = old;
     struct plnstr *pp = new;
-    natid own = pp->pln_own;
+    natid own = pp->pln_effic < PLANE_MINEFF ? 0 : pp->pln_own;
 
-    if (pp->pln_effic < PLANE_MINEFF) {
-	own = 0;
+    if (!own) {
 	pp->pln_effic = 0;
 	pp->pln_ship = pp->pln_land = -1;
     }
@@ -78,7 +77,7 @@ pln_prewrite(int n, void *old, void *new)
     if (oldpp->pln_land != pp->pln_land)
 	pln_carrier_change(pp, EF_LAND, oldpp->pln_land, pp->pln_land);
 
-    /* We've avoided assigning to pp->pln_own, in case oldsp == sp */
+    /* We've avoided assigning to pp->pln_own, in case oldpp == pp */
     if (oldpp->pln_own != own)
 	lost_and_found(EF_PLANE, oldpp->pln_own, own,
 		       pp->pln_uid, pp->pln_x, pp->pln_y);
diff --git a/src/lib/subs/ship.c b/src/lib/subs/ship.c
index 9111176f..3e9462bb 100644
--- a/src/lib/subs/ship.c
+++ b/src/lib/subs/ship.c
@@ -64,14 +64,14 @@ shp_prewrite(int n, void *old, void *new)
 {
     struct shpstr *oldsp = old;
     struct shpstr *sp = new;
-    natid own = sp->shp_own;
+    natid own = sp->shp_effic < SHIP_MINEFF ? 0 : sp->shp_own;
 
-    if (own && sp->shp_effic < SHIP_MINEFF) {
-	mpr(own, "\t%s sunk!\n", prship(sp));
-	own = 0;
-    } else {
-	item_prewrite(sp->shp_item);
+    if (!own) {
+	sp->shp_effic = 0;
+	if (sp->shp_own)
+	    mpr(own, "\t%s sunk!\n", prship(sp));
     }
+    item_prewrite(sp->shp_item);
 
     /* We've avoided assigning to sp->shp_own, in case oldsp == sp */
     if (oldsp->shp_own != own)