diff --git a/settings.c b/settings.c
--- a/settings.c
+++ b/settings.c
@@ -615,6 +615,7 @@ 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, '.');
@@ -682,6 +683,7 @@ 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, '.');
@@ -879,6 +881,9 @@ static void ini_save_setting_list(IniFil
 #define SDTG_MMANY(name, type, flags, guiflags, var, def, full, str, proc)\
 	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)}
+
 #define SDTG_END() {{NULL, NULL, 0, 0, 0, 0, NULL, STR_NULL, NULL}, SLEG_END()}
 
 /* Macros for various objects to go in the configuration file.
@@ -925,6 +930,9 @@ static void ini_save_setting_list(IniFil
 #define SDT_MMANY(base, var, type, flags, guiflags, def, full, str, proc)\
 	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)}
+
 #define SDT_END() {{NULL, NULL, 0, 0, 0, 0, NULL, STR_NULL, NULL}, SLE_END()}
 
 /* Shortcuts for macros below. Logically if we don't save the value