diff --git a/src/company_cmd.cpp b/src/company_cmd.cpp
index b925f70aa5..7395983854 100644
--- a/src/company_cmd.cpp
+++ b/src/company_cmd.cpp
@@ -545,14 +545,16 @@ void ResetCompanyLivery(Company *c)
 /**
  * Create a new company and sets all company variables default values
  *
- * @param is_ai is an AI company?
+ * @param flags oepration flags
  * @param company CompanyID to use for the new company
  * @return the company struct
  */
-Company *DoStartupNewCompany(bool is_ai, CompanyID company = INVALID_COMPANY)
+Company *DoStartupNewCompany(DoStartupNewCompanyFlag flags, CompanyID company)
 {
 	if (!Company::CanAllocateItem()) return nullptr;
 
+	const bool is_ai = (flags & DSNC_AI);
+
 	/* we have to generate colour before this company is valid */
 	Colours colour = GenerateCompanyColour();
 
@@ -595,7 +597,7 @@ Company *DoStartupNewCompany(bool is_ai, CompanyID company = INVALID_COMPANY)
 	AI::BroadcastNewEvent(new ScriptEventCompanyNew(c->index), c->index);
 	Game::NewEvent(new ScriptEventCompanyNew(c->index));
 
-	if (!is_ai) UpdateAllTownVirtCoords();
+	if (!is_ai && !(flags & DSNC_DURING_LOAD)) UpdateAllTownVirtCoords();
 
 	return c;
 }
@@ -849,7 +851,7 @@ CommandCost CmdCompanyCtrl(TileIndex tile, DoCommandFlag flags, uint32 p1, uint3
 			/* Delete multiplayer progress bar */
 			DeleteWindowById(WC_NETWORK_STATUS_WINDOW, WN_NETWORK_STATUS_WINDOW_JOIN);
 
-			Company *c = DoStartupNewCompany(false);
+			Company *c = DoStartupNewCompany(DSNC_NONE);
 
 			/* A new company could not be created, revert to being a spectator */
 			if (c == nullptr) {
@@ -884,7 +886,7 @@ CommandCost CmdCompanyCtrl(TileIndex tile, DoCommandFlag flags, uint32 p1, uint3
 			if (!(flags & DC_EXEC)) return CommandCost();
 
 			if (company_id != INVALID_COMPANY && (company_id >= MAX_COMPANIES || Company::IsValidID(company_id))) return CMD_ERROR;
-			Company *c = DoStartupNewCompany(true, company_id);
+			Company *c = DoStartupNewCompany(DSNC_AI, company_id);
 			if (c != nullptr) {
 				NetworkServerNewCompany(c, nullptr);
 				DEBUG(desync, 1, "new_company_ai: date{%08x; %02x; %02x}, company_id: %u", _date, _date_fract, _tick_skip_counter, c->index);
diff --git a/src/company_func.h b/src/company_func.h
index fd0de0c90b..d8d69efffe 100644
--- a/src/company_func.h
+++ b/src/company_func.h
@@ -60,4 +60,16 @@ int CompanyServiceInterval(const Company *c, VehicleType type);
 
 CompanyID GetDefaultLocalCompany();
 
+/**
+ * List of flags for DoStartupNewCompany.
+ */
+enum DoStartupNewCompanyFlag {
+	DSNC_NONE                = 0x000, ///< no flag is set
+	DSNC_AI                  = 0x001, ///< start an AI company
+	DSNC_DURING_LOAD         = 0x002, ///< the save is currently being loaded, do not perform operations which require that loading has completed
+};
+DECLARE_ENUM_AS_BIT_SET(DoStartupNewCompanyFlag)
+
+Company *DoStartupNewCompany(DoStartupNewCompanyFlag flags, CompanyID company = INVALID_COMPANY);
+
 #endif /* COMPANY_FUNC_H */
diff --git a/src/openttd.cpp b/src/openttd.cpp
index 87785264e9..b5b4742220 100644
--- a/src/openttd.cpp
+++ b/src/openttd.cpp
@@ -94,7 +94,6 @@ void ResetMusic();
 void CallWindowGameTickEvent();
 bool HandleBootstrap();
 
-extern Company *DoStartupNewCompany(bool is_ai, CompanyID company = INVALID_COMPANY);
 extern void ShowOSErrorBox(const char *buf, bool system);
 extern char *_config_file;
 
@@ -1041,7 +1040,7 @@ static void MakeNewGameDone()
 	}
 
 	/* Create a single company */
-	DoStartupNewCompany(false);
+	DoStartupNewCompany(DSNC_NONE);
 
 	Company *c = Company::Get(COMPANY_FIRST);
 	c->settings = _settings_client.company;
diff --git a/src/saveload/afterload.cpp b/src/saveload/afterload.cpp
index bf1581c19f..1626b2e660 100644
--- a/src/saveload/afterload.cpp
+++ b/src/saveload/afterload.cpp
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@
 #include "../water.h"
 #include "../settings_func.h"
 #include "../animated_tile.h"
+#include "../company_func.h"
 
 
 #include "saveload_internal.h"
@@ -73,8 +74,6 @@
 
 #include "../safeguards.h"
 
-extern Company *DoStartupNewCompany(bool is_ai, CompanyID company = INVALID_COMPANY);
-
 /**
  * Makes a tile canal or water depending on the surroundings.
  *
@@ -972,7 +971,7 @@ bool AfterLoadGame()
 	 * 1 exception: network-games. Those can have 0 companies
 	 *   But this exception is not true for non-dedicated network servers! */
 	if (!Company::IsValidID(GetDefaultLocalCompany()) && (!_networking || (_networking && _network_server && !_network_dedicated))) {
-		Company *c = DoStartupNewCompany(false);
+		Company *c = DoStartupNewCompany(DSNC_DURING_LOAD);
 		c->settings = _settings_client.company;
 	}