diff --git a/src/lib/commands/orde.c b/src/lib/commands/orde.c
index 3cd98a5d..3b6706a8 100644
--- a/src/lib/commands/orde.c
+++ b/src/lib/commands/orde.c
@@ -474,12 +474,10 @@ sorde(void)
 		c = BestShipPath(buf, ship.shp_x,
 				 ship.shp_y, ship.shp_destx[0],
 				 ship.shp_desty[0], ship.shp_own);
-		if (!c || !*c)
+		if (!c)
 		    pr(" no route possible");
 		else if (*c == 'h')
 		    pr(" has arrived");
-		else if (*c == '?')
-		    pr(" route too long");
 		else {
 		    /* distance to destination */
 		    eta_calc(&ship, c, &len, &updates);
diff --git a/src/lib/common/bestpath.c b/src/lib/common/bestpath.c
index be159102..0d9c011a 100644
--- a/src/lib/common/bestpath.c
+++ b/src/lib/common/bestpath.c
@@ -176,8 +176,8 @@ bestownedpath(s_char *bpath,
     maxy = y + 1;
 
     do {
-	if (++routelen == MAXROUTE)
-	    return "?";
+	if (++routelen == MAXROUTE - 1)
+	    return NULL;
 	markedsectors = 0;
 	for (scanx = minx; scanx <= maxx; scanx++) {
 	    x = XNORM(scanx);
@@ -200,7 +200,8 @@ bestownedpath(s_char *bpath,
 				}
 			    }
 			    if (tx == ex && ty == ey) {
-				bpath[routelen] = 0;
+				bpath[routelen] = 'h';
+				bpath[routelen + 1] = 0;
 				while (routelen--) {
 				    i = ((mapindex[tx][ty]) >> 13) - 1;
 				    bpath[routelen] = dirchar[i];
diff --git a/src/lib/update/nav_ship.c b/src/lib/update/nav_ship.c
index 9907e012..9c8e5018 100644
--- a/src/lib/update/nav_ship.c
+++ b/src/lib/update/nav_ship.c
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ nav_ship(struct shpstr *sp)
 	    cp = BestShipPath(buf, sp->shp_x, sp->shp_y,
 			      sp->shp_destx[0], sp->shp_desty[0],
 			      sp->shp_own);
-	    if (cp == 0 || (*cp == '\0') || (*cp == '?')) {
+	    if (cp == 0) {
 		wu(0, cnum,
 		   "%s bad path, ship put on standby\n", prship(sp));
 		sp->shp_autonav |= AN_STANDBY;