diff --git a/eos/saveddata/character.py b/eos/saveddata/character.py
index 85cd2645d..9316b32f7 100644
--- a/eos/saveddata/character.py
+++ b/eos/saveddata/character.py
@@ -57,8 +57,15 @@ class Character(object):
     def init(self):
 
         self.__skillIdMap = {}
+
         for skill in self.__skills:
             self.__skillIdMap[skill.itemID] = skill
+
+        # get a list of skills that the character does no have, and add them (removal of old skills happens in the
+        # Skill loading)
+        for skillID in set(self.getSkillIDMap().keys()).difference(set(self.__skillIdMap.keys())):
+            self.addSkill(Skill(self, skillID, self.defaultLevel))
+
         self.dirtySkills = set()
 
         self.alphaClone = None