diff --git a/src/lib/commands/boar.c b/src/lib/commands/boar.c
index 72f95dd0..356eb379 100644
--- a/src/lib/commands/boar.c
+++ b/src/lib/commands/boar.c
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
  *
  *  Known contributors to this file:
  *     Ken Stevens, 1995
+ *     Markus Armbruster, 2011-2015
  */
 
 #include <config.h>
@@ -52,7 +53,7 @@ boar(void)
     struct sctstr sect;
     struct lndstr land;
     struct nstr_item ni;
-    int foundland;
+    int foundland, def_uid;
     char *p;
     char buf[1024];
 
@@ -155,11 +156,16 @@ boar(void)
      * Death, carnage, and destruction.
      */
 
+    /*
+     * Careful: when the fight sinks the ship, putcombat() clobbers
+     * *def (see FIXME there).
+     */
+    def_uid = def->shp_uid;
     if (!(att_fight(A_BOARD, off, &olist, 1.0, def, &dlist, 1.0))) {
-	getship(def->shp_uid, &ship);
+	getship(def_uid, &ship);
 	if (ship.shp_rflags & RET_BOARDED) {
 	    retreat_ship(&ship, 'u');
-	    putship(def->shp_uid, &ship);
+	    putship(def_uid, &ship);
 	}
     }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/subs/attsub.c b/src/lib/subs/attsub.c
index a3acccb3..4248f19e 100644
--- a/src/lib/subs/attsub.c
+++ b/src/lib/subs/attsub.c
@@ -415,6 +415,11 @@ put_combat(struct combat *com)
 	putship(com->shp_uid, &ship);
     }
     com->mobcost = 0;
+    /*
+     * FIXME if we just sank the ship att_get_combat() will report
+     * "not in the same sector", and proceed to clobber *com.  See
+     * also the workaround in boar().
+     */
     att_get_combat(com, com->own != player->cnum);
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/retreat/01-retreat-1 b/tests/retreat/01-retreat-1
index 5b9fcb68..d52c9e0b 100644
--- a/tests/retreat/01-retreat-1
+++ b/tests/retreat/01-retreat-1
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ board 130 5
 board 132 5
 50
 | BUG: group does not retreat
+| BUG: oopses!
 __cmd added 1 4 0
 ||| Land units
 | BUG: condition b triggers only on hit
diff --git a/tests/retreat/server.log b/tests/retreat/server.log
index 1a978003..8509c993 100644
--- a/tests/retreat/server.log
+++ b/tests/retreat/server.log
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ Connect from 127.0.0.1
 Connect from 127.0.0.1
 tester@127.0.0.1 using country #1
 tester@127.0.0.1 logged in as country #1
+Oops: !sp->shp_own in ../src/lib/subs/retreat.c:79
+Crash dump complete
 tester@127.0.0.1 logged out, country #1
 Connect from 127.0.0.1
 tester@127.0.0.1 using country #0