diff --git a/src/saveload/saveload.cpp b/src/saveload/saveload.cpp
index 74274c1f40..1eb6da59c1 100644
--- a/src/saveload/saveload.cpp
+++ b/src/saveload/saveload.cpp
@@ -1086,6 +1086,7 @@ static void SlString(void *ptr, size_t length, VarType conv)
 					free(*(char **)ptr);
 					if (len == 0) {
 						*(char **)ptr = NULL;
+						return;
 					} else {
 						*(char **)ptr = MallocT<char>(len + 1); // terminating '\0'
 						ptr = *(char **)ptr;