diff --git a/src/load_save.c b/src/load_save.c
index 4dc52ac0..18279984 100644
--- a/src/load_save.c
+++ b/src/load_save.c
@@ -256,6 +256,21 @@ load_save_load_game(Bygfoot *bygfoot, const gchar* filename, gboolean create_mai
 
     xml_loadsave_leagues_cups_read(bygfoot, dirname, prefix);
 
+    if(debug > 60)
+        g_print("load_save_load misc \n");
+
+    bygfoot_show_progress(bygfoot,
+        ((PROGRESS_MAX * bygfoot_get_progress_bar_fraction(bygfoot)) + 1) / PROGRESS_MAX,
+        _("Loading miscellaneous..."),
+        PIC_TYPE_LOAD);
+
+    xml_loadsave_misc_read(bygfoot, dirname, prefix);
+
+    /* Now that all the teams have been loaded, replace the team ids with team ptrs
+     * where necessary. */
+    xml_loadsave_leagues_cups_adjust_team_ptrs();
+
+
     if(debug > 60)
         g_print("load_save_load users \n");
 
@@ -307,16 +322,6 @@ load_save_load_game(Bygfoot *bygfoot, const gchar* filename, gboolean create_mai
 
     xml_loadsave_newspaper_read(dirname, prefix);
 
-    if(debug > 60)
-        g_print("load_save_load misc \n");
-
-    bygfoot_show_progress(bygfoot,
-        ((PROGRESS_MAX * bygfoot_get_progress_bar_fraction(bygfoot)) + 1) / PROGRESS_MAX,
-        _("Loading miscellaneous..."),
-        PIC_TYPE_LOAD);
-
-    xml_loadsave_misc_read(bygfoot, dirname, prefix);
-
     if(debug > 60)
         g_print("load_save_load done \n");
 
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index e036fb9c..af3e65b8 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -288,6 +288,7 @@ main_init_variables(void)
     ligs = g_array_new(FALSE, FALSE, sizeof(League));
     cps = g_array_new(FALSE, FALSE, sizeof(Cup));;
     acps = g_ptr_array_new();
+    country_list = NULL;
     country.name = NULL;
     country.symbol = NULL;
     country.sid = NULL;
diff --git a/src/xml_loadsave_leagues_cups.c b/src/xml_loadsave_leagues_cups.c
index 901fe28c..92895a59 100644
--- a/src/xml_loadsave_leagues_cups.c
+++ b/src/xml_loadsave_leagues_cups.c
@@ -167,8 +167,6 @@ xml_loadsave_leagues_cups_read(Bygfoot *bygfoot, const gchar *dirname, const gch
 	debug_print_message("xml_loadsave_misc_read: error parsing file %s\n", file);
 	misc_print_error(&error, TRUE);
     }
-
-    xml_loadsave_leagues_cups_adjust_team_ptrs();
 }
 
 /** Write the leagues into xml files with the given prefix. */
diff --git a/src/xml_loadsave_misc.c b/src/xml_loadsave_misc.c
index fd0ec418..e0c671b4 100644
--- a/src/xml_loadsave_misc.c
+++ b/src/xml_loadsave_misc.c
@@ -271,7 +271,8 @@ xml_loadsave_misc_read(Bygfoot *bygfoot, const gchar *dirname, const gchar *base
     g_ptr_array_free(acps, TRUE);
     acps = g_ptr_array_new();
 
-    g_ptr_array_free(country_list, TRUE);
+    if (country_list)
+        g_ptr_array_free(country_list, TRUE);
     country_list = g_ptr_array_new();
     free_bets(TRUE);
 
diff --git a/test/test-load-save.sh b/test/test-load-save.sh
index 8a10bf5d..f7506e9c 100644
--- a/test/test-load-save.sh
+++ b/test/test-load-save.sh
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ tmphome=`mktemp -d`
 pushd $bygfoot_bindir
 HOME=$tmphome ./bygfoot --random-seed=1 --json=$json_file
 
+# Verify that the save file are identical.
 for f in save0 save1 save2 save3; do
 
     mkdir -p $save_dir/$f
@@ -38,3 +39,13 @@ for f in save0 save1 save2 save3; do
 done
 diff -r $save_dir/save0 $save_dir/save1
 diff -r $save_dir/save2 $save_dir/save3
+
+# Test that we can load the saves on start up.
+cat << EOF > $json_file
+{ 'commands' : [
+  {'load_bygfoot' : {'filename' : '$save_dir/save0.zip'}},
+  {'load_bygfoot' : {'filename' : '$save_dir/save2.zip'}}
+]}
+EOF
+
+HOME=$tmphome ./bygfoot --random-seed=1 --json=$json_file