diff --git a/similar/main/multi.cpp b/similar/main/multi.cpp
index 84a1e42e5..2656c0ed2 100644
--- a/similar/main/multi.cpp
+++ b/similar/main/multi.cpp
@@ -3576,7 +3576,9 @@ int multi_all_players_alive()
 	int i;
 	for (i=0;i<N_players;i++)
 	{
-		if (Players[i].connected)
+		if ((Players[i].connected == CONNECT_PLAYING) && (Objects[Players[i].objnum].type == OBJ_GHOST)) // player alive?
+			return (0);
+		if ((Players[i].connected != CONNECT_DISCONNECTED) && (Players[i].connected != CONNECT_PLAYING)) // ... and actually playing?
 			return (0);
 	}
 	return (1);
@@ -4659,7 +4661,7 @@ void multi_initiate_save_game()
 	}
 	if (!multi_all_players_alive())
 	{
-		HUD_init_message_literal(HM_MULTI, "Can't save! All players must be alive!");
+		HUD_init_message_literal(HM_MULTI, "Can't save! All players must be alive and playing!");
 		return;
 	}
 	for (i = 0; i < N_players; i++)
@@ -4693,6 +4695,24 @@ void multi_initiate_save_game()
 	if ( game_id == 0 )
 		game_id = 1; // 0 is invalid
 
+	// Execute "alive" and "duplicate callsign" checks again in case things changed while host decided upon the savegame.
+	if (!multi_all_players_alive())
+	{
+		HUD_init_message_literal(HM_MULTI, "Can't save! All players must be alive and playing!");
+		return;
+	}
+	for (i = 0; i < N_players; i++)
+	{
+		for (j = i + 1; j < N_players; j++)
+		{
+			if (i != j && Players[i].callsign == Players[j].callsign)
+			{
+				HUD_init_message_literal(HM_MULTI, "Can't save! Multiple players with same callsign!");
+				return;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	multi_send_save_game( slot, game_id, desc );
 	multi_do_frame();
 	multi_save_game( slot,game_id, desc );
@@ -4713,7 +4733,7 @@ void multi_initiate_restore_game()
 	}
 	if (!multi_all_players_alive())
 	{
-		HUD_init_message_literal(HM_MULTI, "Can't load! All players must be alive!");
+		HUD_init_message_literal(HM_MULTI, "Can't load! All players must be alive and playing!");
 		return;
 	}
 	for (i = 0; i < N_players; i++)
diff --git a/similar/main/state.cpp b/similar/main/state.cpp
index 1a9055eca..b6ea71556 100644
--- a/similar/main/state.cpp
+++ b/similar/main/state.cpp
@@ -1327,7 +1327,7 @@ int state_restore_all_sub(const char *filename, int secret_restore)
 		callsign_t saved_callsign;
 		state_game_id = PHYSFSX_readSXE32(fp, swap);
 		PHYSFS_read(fp, &saved_callsign, sizeof(char)*CALLSIGN_LEN+1, 1);
-		if (saved_callsign != Players[Player_num].callsign) // check the callsign of the palyer who saved this state. It MUST match. If we transferred this savegame from pilot A to pilot B, others won't be able to restore us. So bail out here if this is the case.
+		if (!(saved_callsign == Players[Player_num].callsign)) // check the callsign of the palyer who saved this state. It MUST match. If we transferred this savegame from pilot A to pilot B, others won't be able to restore us. So bail out here if this is the case.
 		{
 			PHYSFS_close(fp);
 			return 0;
@@ -1803,7 +1803,8 @@ int state_get_game_id(const char *filename)
 	int version;
 	PHYSFS_file *fp;
 	int swap = 0;	// if file is not endian native, have to swap all shorts and ints
-	char id[5], saved_callsign[CALLSIGN_LEN+1];
+	char id[5];
+	callsign_t saved_callsign;
 
 	#ifndef NDEBUG
 	if (GameArg.SysUsePlayersDir && strncmp(filename, "Players/", 8))
@@ -1840,7 +1841,7 @@ int state_get_game_id(const char *filename)
 // Read Coop state_game_id to validate the savegame we are about to load matches the others
 	state_game_id = PHYSFSX_readSXE32(fp, swap);
 	PHYSFS_read(fp, &saved_callsign, sizeof(char)*CALLSIGN_LEN+1, 1);
-	if (saved_callsign != Players[Player_num].callsign) // check the callsign of the palyer who saved this state. It MUST match. If we transferred this savegame from pilot A to pilot B, others won't be able to restore us. So bail out here if this is the case.
+	if (!(saved_callsign == Players[Player_num].callsign)) // check the callsign of the palyer who saved this state. It MUST match. If we transferred this savegame from pilot A to pilot B, others won't be able to restore us. So bail out here if this is the case.
 		return 0;
 
 	return state_game_id;