diff --git a/saveload.h b/saveload.h
--- a/saveload.h
+++ b/saveload.h
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ typedef SaveLoad SaveLoadGlobVarList;
 #define SLE_ARR(base, variable, type, length) SLE_CONDARR(base, variable, type, length, 0, SL_MAX_VERSION)
 #define SLE_STR(base, variable, type, length) SLE_CONDSTR(base, variable, type, length, 0, SL_MAX_VERSION)
 
-#define SLE_CONDNULL(length, from, to) SLE_CONDARR(NullStruct, null, SLE_FILE_U8 | SLE_VAR_NULL, length, from, to)
+#define SLE_CONDNULL(length, from, to) SLE_CONDARR(NullStruct, null, SLE_FILE_U8 | SLE_VAR_NULL | SLF_CONFIG_NO, length, from, to)
 
 /* Translate values ingame to different values in the savegame and vv */
 #define SLE_WRITEBYTE(base, variable, game_value, file_value) SLE_GENERAL(SL_WRITEBYTE, base, variable, 0, 0, game_value, file_value)
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ typedef SaveLoad SaveLoadGlobVarList;
 #define SLEG_ARR(variable, type) SLEG_CONDARR(variable, type, lengthof(variable), 0, SL_MAX_VERSION)
 #define SLEG_STR(variable, type) SLEG_CONDSTR(variable, type, lengthof(variable), 0, SL_MAX_VERSION)
 
-#define SLEG_CONDNULL(length, from, to) {SL_ARR, SLE_FILE_U8 | SLE_VAR_NULL, length, from, to, (void*)NULL}
+#define SLEG_CONDNULL(length, from, to) {SL_ARR, SLE_FILE_U8 | SLE_VAR_NULL | SLF_CONFIG_NO, length, from, to, (void*)NULL}
 
 #define SLEG_END() {SL_END, 0, 0, 0, 0, NULL}
 
diff --git a/settings.c b/settings.c
--- a/settings.c
+++ b/settings.c
@@ -615,7 +615,6 @@ static void ini_load_settings(IniFile *i
 		const SaveLoad        *sld = &sd->save;
 
 		if (!SlIsObjectCurrentlyValid(sld->version_from, sld->version_to)) continue;
-		if (sd->desc.name == NULL) continue;
 
 		// XXX - wtf is this?? (group override?)
 		s = strchr(sdb->name, '.');
@@ -683,7 +682,6 @@ static void ini_save_settings(IniFile *i
 		 * file, just continue with the next setting */
 		if (!SlIsObjectCurrentlyValid(sld->version_from, sld->version_to)) continue;
 		if (sld->conv & SLF_CONFIG_NO) continue;
-		if (sd->desc.name == NULL) continue;
 
 		// XXX - wtf is this?? (group override?)
 		s = strchr(sdb->name, '.');
@@ -882,7 +880,7 @@ static void ini_save_setting_list(IniFil
 	SDTG_CONDMMANY(name, type, flags, guiflags, var, def, full, str, proc, 0, SL_MAX_VERSION)
 
 #define SDTG_CONDNULL(length, from, to)\
-	{{NULL, NULL, 0, 0, 0, 0, NULL, STR_NULL, NULL}, SLEG_CONDNULL(length, from, to)}
+	{{"", NULL, 0, 0, 0, 0, NULL, STR_NULL, NULL}, SLEG_CONDNULL(length, from, to)}
 
 #define SDTG_END() {{NULL, NULL, 0, 0, 0, 0, NULL, STR_NULL, NULL}, SLEG_END()}
 
@@ -931,7 +929,7 @@ static void ini_save_setting_list(IniFil
 	SDT_CONDMMANY(base, var, type, 0, SL_MAX_VERSION, flags, guiflags, def, full, str, proc)
 
 #define SDT_CONDNULL(length, from, to)\
-	{{NULL, NULL, 0, 0, 0, 0, NULL, STR_NULL, NULL}, SLE_CONDNULL(length, from, to)}
+	{{"", NULL, 0, 0, 0, 0, NULL, STR_NULL, NULL}, SLE_CONDNULL(length, from, to)}
 
 #define SDT_END() {{NULL, NULL, 0, 0, 0, 0, NULL, STR_NULL, NULL}, SLE_END()}