diff --git a/src/newgrf.cpp b/src/newgrf.cpp
--- a/src/newgrf.cpp
+++ b/src/newgrf.cpp
@@ -2896,13 +2896,13 @@ static void NewSpriteGroup(byte *buf, si
 
 				case GSF_TOWNHOUSE:
 				case GSF_INDUSTRYTILES: {
-					byte sprites     = _cur_grffile->spriteset_numents;
-					byte num_sprites = max((uint8)1, type);
+					byte num_sprite_sets      = _cur_grffile->spriteset_numents;
+					byte num_building_sprites = max((uint8)1, type);
 					uint i;
 
 					TileLayoutSpriteGroup *group = new TileLayoutSpriteGroup();
 					act_group = group;
-					group->num_sprites = sprites;
+					group->num_building_stages = num_sprite_sets;
 					group->dts = CallocT<DrawTileSprites>(1);
 
 					/* Groundsprite */
@@ -2915,14 +2915,14 @@ static void NewSpriteGroup(byte *buf, si
 					if (HasBit(group->dts->ground.pal, 15)) {
 						/* Bit 31 set means this is a custom sprite, so rewrite it to the
 						 * last spriteset defined. */
-						SpriteID sprite = _cur_grffile->spriteset_start + GB(group->dts->ground.sprite, 0, 14) * sprites;
+						SpriteID sprite = _cur_grffile->spriteset_start + GB(group->dts->ground.sprite, 0, 14) * num_sprite_sets;
 						SB(group->dts->ground.sprite, 0, SPRITE_WIDTH, sprite);
 						ClrBit(group->dts->ground.pal, 15);
 					}
 
-					group->dts->seq = CallocT<DrawTileSeqStruct>(num_sprites + 1);
-
-					for (i = 0; i < num_sprites; i++) {
+					group->dts->seq = CallocT<DrawTileSeqStruct>(num_building_sprites + 1);
+
+					for (i = 0; i < num_building_sprites; i++) {
 						DrawTileSeqStruct *seq = const_cast<DrawTileSeqStruct*>(&group->dts->seq[i]);
 
 						seq->image.sprite = grf_load_word(&buf);
@@ -2935,7 +2935,7 @@ static void NewSpriteGroup(byte *buf, si
 						if (HasBit(seq->image.pal, 15)) {
 							/* Bit 31 set means this is a custom sprite, so rewrite it to the
 							 * last spriteset defined. */
-							SpriteID sprite = _cur_grffile->spriteset_start + GB(seq->image.sprite, 0, 14) * sprites;
+							SpriteID sprite = _cur_grffile->spriteset_start + GB(seq->image.sprite, 0, 14) * num_sprite_sets;
 							SB(seq->image.sprite, 0, SPRITE_WIDTH, sprite);
 							ClrBit(seq->image.pal, 15);
 						}
diff --git a/src/newgrf_house.cpp b/src/newgrf_house.cpp
--- a/src/newgrf_house.cpp
+++ b/src/newgrf_house.cpp
@@ -439,14 +439,13 @@ void DrawNewHouseTile(TileInfo *ti, Hous
 	NewHouseResolver(&object, house_id, ti->tile, Town::GetByTile(ti->tile));
 
 	group = SpriteGroup::Resolve(hs->spritegroup, &object);
-	if (group == NULL || group->type != SGT_TILELAYOUT) {
-		/* XXX: This is for debugging purposes really, and shouldn't stay. */
-		DrawGroundSprite(SPR_SHADOW_CELL, PAL_NONE);
+	const TileLayoutSpriteGroup *tlgroup = (const TileLayoutSpriteGroup *)group;
+	if (group == NULL || group->type != SGT_TILELAYOUT || tlgroup->num_building_stages == 0) {
+		return;
 	} else {
-		const TileLayoutSpriteGroup *tlgroup = (const TileLayoutSpriteGroup *)group;
 		/* Limit the building stage to the number of stages supplied. */
 		byte stage = GetHouseBuildingStage(ti->tile);
-		stage = Clamp(stage - 4 + tlgroup->num_sprites, 0, tlgroup->num_sprites - 1);
+		stage = Clamp(stage - 4 + tlgroup->num_building_stages, 0, tlgroup->num_building_stages - 1);
 		DrawTileLayout(ti, tlgroup, stage, house_id);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/newgrf_industrytiles.cpp b/src/newgrf_industrytiles.cpp
--- a/src/newgrf_industrytiles.cpp
+++ b/src/newgrf_industrytiles.cpp
@@ -254,12 +254,12 @@ bool DrawNewIndustryTile(TileInfo *ti, I
 
 	group = SpriteGroup::Resolve(inds->grf_prop.spritegroup, &object);
 	const TileLayoutSpriteGroup *tlgroup = (const TileLayoutSpriteGroup *)group;
-	if (group == NULL || group->type != SGT_TILELAYOUT || tlgroup->num_sprites == 0) {
+	if (group == NULL || group->type != SGT_TILELAYOUT || tlgroup->num_building_stages == 0) {
 		return false;
 	} else {
 		/* Limit the building stage to the number of stages supplied. */
 		byte stage = GetIndustryConstructionStage(ti->tile);
-		stage = Clamp(stage - 4 + tlgroup->num_sprites, 0, tlgroup->num_sprites - 1);
+		stage = Clamp(stage - 4 + tlgroup->num_building_stages, 0, tlgroup->num_building_stages - 1);
 		IndustryDrawTileLayout(ti, tlgroup, i->random_colour, stage, gfx);
 		return true;
 	}
diff --git a/src/newgrf_spritegroup.h b/src/newgrf_spritegroup.h
--- a/src/newgrf_spritegroup.h
+++ b/src/newgrf_spritegroup.h
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ struct TileLayoutSpriteGroup : SpriteGro
 	TileLayoutSpriteGroup() : SpriteGroup(SGT_TILELAYOUT) {}
 	~TileLayoutSpriteGroup();
 
-	byte num_sprites; ///< Number of sprites in the spriteset, used for loading stages
+	byte num_building_stages;    ///< Number of building stages to show for this house/industry tile
 	struct DrawTileSprites *dts;
 };