diff --git a/include/empobj.h b/include/empobj.h
index f0e6563b..cb8a0596 100644
--- a/include/empobj.h
+++ b/include/empobj.h
@@ -100,5 +100,6 @@ struct empobj_chr;
 
 extern char *empobj_chr_name(struct empobj *gp);
 extern int get_empobj_mob_max(int type);
+extern int empobj_in_use(int, void *);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/lib/commands/xdump.c b/src/lib/commands/xdump.c
index dfa7f840..133714a6 100644
--- a/src/lib/commands/xdump.c
+++ b/src/lib/commands/xdump.c
@@ -35,10 +35,7 @@
 #include <ctype.h>
 #include "commands.h"
 #include "empobj.h"
-#include "news.h"
 #include "optlist.h"
-#include "product.h"
-#include "version.h"
 #include "xdump.h"
 
 /*
@@ -53,63 +50,45 @@ xdvisible(int type, void *p)
     struct lonstr *lp = p;
     struct natstr *natp;
     int tlev;
-    char *name;
+
+    if (!empobj_in_use(type, p))
+	return 0;
 
     switch (type) {
     case EF_SECTOR:
-	return gp->own == player->cnum || player->god;
     case EF_SHIP:
     case EF_PLANE:
     case EF_LAND:
     case EF_NUKE:
     case EF_LOST:
-	return gp->own != 0 && (gp->own == player->cnum || player->god);
-    case EF_NATION:
-	return ((struct natstr *)p)->nat_stat != STAT_UNUSED;
+    case EF_REALM:
+	return gp->own == player->cnum || player->god;
     case EF_COUNTRY:
 	return gp->own == player->cnum;
     case EF_NEWS:
-	return ((struct nwsstr *)p)->nws_vrb != 0
-	    && (!opt_HIDDEN || player->god); /* FIXME */
+	return !opt_HIDDEN || player->god; /* FIXME */
     case EF_TREATY:
-	return tp->trt_status != TS_FREE
-	    && (tp->trt_cna == player->cnum || tp->trt_cnb == player->cnum
-		|| player->god);
+	return tp->trt_cna == player->cnum
+	    || tp->trt_cnb == player->cnum
+	    || player->god;
     case EF_LOAN:
-	if (lp->l_status == LS_FREE)
-	    return 0;
 	if (lp->l_status == LS_SIGNED)
 	    return 1;
 	return lp->l_loner == player->cnum || lp->l_lonee == player->cnum
 	    || player->god;
-    case EF_TRADE:
-    case EF_COMM:
-	return gp->own != 0;
-    case EF_REALM:
-	natp = getnatp(((struct realmstr *)p)->r_cnum);
-	return (gp->own == player->cnum || player->god)
-	    && (natp->nat_stat != STAT_UNUSED);
-    case EF_PRODUCT:
-	return ((struct pchrstr *)p)->p_sname[0] != 0;
     case EF_SHIP_CHR:
 	tlev = ((struct mchrstr *)p)->m_tech;
-	name = ((struct mchrstr *)p)->m_name;
 	goto tech;
     case EF_PLANE_CHR:
 	tlev = ((struct plchrstr *)p)->pl_tech;
-	name = ((struct plchrstr *)p)->pl_name;
 	goto tech;
     case EF_LAND_CHR:
 	tlev = ((struct lchrstr *)p)->l_tech;
-	name = ((struct lchrstr *)p)->l_name;
     tech:
 	natp = getnatp(player->cnum);
-	if (!name[0])
-	    return 0;
 	return player->god || tlev <= (int)(1.25 * natp->nat_level[NAT_TLEV]);
     case EF_NUKE_CHR:
 	tlev = ((struct nchrstr *)p)->n_tech;
-	name = ((struct nchrstr *)p)->n_name;
 	if (drnuke_const > MIN_DRNUKE_CONST) {
 	    natp = getnatp(player->cnum);
 	    if (tlev > (int)((int)(1.25 * natp->nat_level[NAT_RLEV])
@@ -117,8 +96,6 @@ xdvisible(int type, void *p)
 		return player->god;
 	}
 	goto tech;
-    case EF_NEWS_CHR:
-	return ((struct rptstr *)p)->r_newspage != 0;
     case EF_TABLE:
 	return ((struct empfile *)p)->cadef != NULL;
     default:
diff --git a/src/lib/common/ef_verify.c b/src/lib/common/ef_verify.c
index fb18e663..1ddd89e0 100644
--- a/src/lib/common/ef_verify.c
+++ b/src/lib/common/ef_verify.c
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
  *
  *  Known contributors to this file:
  *     Ron Koenderink, 2005
- *     Markus Armbruster, 2006-2010
+ *     Markus Armbruster, 2006-2011
  */
 
 #include <config.h>
@@ -36,10 +36,10 @@
 #include <stdarg.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
+#include "empobj.h"
 #include "file.h"
 #include "misc.h"
 #include "nsc.h"
-#include "plane.h"
 #include "product.h"
 
 static void verify_fail(int, int, struct castr *, int, char *, ...)
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ static int
 verify_row(int type, int row)
 {
     struct castr *ca = ef_cadef(type);
-    struct emptypedstr *row_ref;
+    struct empobj *row_ref;
     int i, j, n;
     struct valstr val;
     int ret_val = 0;
@@ -150,6 +150,9 @@ verify_row(int type, int row)
 	}
     }
 
+    if (!empobj_in_use(type, row_ref))
+	return ret_val;
+
     for (i = 0; ca[i].ca_name; ++i) {
 	if (ca[i].ca_get)
 	    continue;		/* virtual */
@@ -166,10 +169,6 @@ verify_row(int type, int row)
 	    }
 	    if (ca[i].ca_table == type && i == 0) {
 		/* uid */
-		/* Some files contain zeroed records, cope */
-		/* TODO tighten this check */
-		if (val.val_as.lng == 0)
-		    continue;
 		if (val.val_as.lng != row) {
 		    verify_fail(type, row, &ca[i], j,
 				"value is %ld instead of %d",
diff --git a/src/lib/common/empobj.c b/src/lib/common/empobj.c
index a43c7281..5efe9458 100644
--- a/src/lib/common/empobj.c
+++ b/src/lib/common/empobj.c
@@ -36,7 +36,9 @@
 
 #include "empobj.h"
 #include "file.h"
+#include "news.h"
 #include "optlist.h"
+#include "product.h"
 
 char *
 empobj_chr_name(struct empobj *gp)
@@ -73,3 +75,45 @@ get_empobj_mob_max(int type)
     CANT_REACH();
     return -1;
 }
+
+int
+empobj_in_use(int type, void *p)
+{
+    switch (type) {
+    case EF_SHIP:
+    case EF_PLANE:
+    case EF_LAND:
+    case EF_NUKE:
+    case EF_TRADE:
+    case EF_COMM:
+    case EF_LOST:
+	return ((struct empobj *)p)->own != 0;
+    case EF_NATION:
+    case EF_COUNTRY:
+	return ((struct natstr *)p)->nat_stat != STAT_UNUSED;
+    case EF_NEWS:
+	return ((struct nwsstr *)p)->nws_vrb != 0;
+    case EF_TREATY:
+	return ((struct trtstr *)p)->trt_status != TS_FREE;
+    case EF_LOAN:
+	return ((struct lonstr *)p)->l_status != LS_FREE;
+    case EF_REALM:
+	return empobj_in_use(EF_NATION,
+			     ef_ptr(EF_NATION,
+				    ((struct realmstr *)p)->r_cnum));
+    case EF_PRODUCT:
+	return ((struct pchrstr *)p)->p_sname[0];
+    case EF_SHIP_CHR:
+	return ((struct mchrstr *)p)->m_name[0];
+    case EF_PLANE_CHR:
+	return ((struct plchrstr *)p)->pl_name[0];
+    case EF_LAND_CHR:
+	return ((struct lchrstr *)p)->l_name[0];
+    case EF_NUKE_CHR:
+	return ((struct nchrstr *)p)->n_name[0];
+    case EF_NEWS_CHR:
+	return ((struct rptstr *)p)->r_newspage != 0;
+    default:
+	return 1;
+    }
+}