diff --git a/src/saveload/afterload.cpp b/src/saveload/afterload.cpp
--- a/src/saveload/afterload.cpp
+++ b/src/saveload/afterload.cpp
@@ -830,10 +830,12 @@ bool AfterLoadGame()
 	 *  a company does not exist yet. So create one here.
 	 * 1 exception: network-games. Those can have 0 companies
 	 *   But this exception is not true for non-dedicated network servers! */
-	if (!Company::IsValidID(COMPANY_FIRST) && (!_networking || (_networking && _network_server && !_network_dedicated))) {
-		DoStartupNewCompany(false);
-		Company *c = Company::Get(COMPANY_FIRST);
-		c->settings = _settings_client.company;
+	if (!_networking || (_networking && _network_server && !_network_dedicated)) {
+		CompanyID first_human_company = GetFirstPlayableCompanyID();
+		if (!Company::IsValidID(first_human_company)) {
+			Company *c = DoStartupNewCompany(false, first_human_company);
+			c->settings = _settings_client.company;
+		}
 	}
 
 	/* Fix the cache for cargo payments. */
@@ -1013,10 +1015,10 @@ bool AfterLoadGame()
 		/* When loading a game, _local_company is not yet set to the correct value.
 		 * However, in a dedicated server we are a spectator, so nothing needs to
 		 * happen. In case we are not a dedicated server, the local company always
-		 * becomes company 0, unless we are in the scenario editor where all the
-		 * companies are 'invalid'.
+		 * becomes the first available company, unless we are in the scenario editor
+		 * where all the companies are 'invalid'.
 		 */
-		Company *c = Company::GetIfValid(COMPANY_FIRST);
+		Company *c = Company::GetIfValid(GetFirstPlayableCompanyID());
 		if (!_network_dedicated && c != nullptr) {
 			c->settings = _settings_client.company;
 		}