diff --git a/source/glest_game/menu/menu_state_connected_game.cpp b/source/glest_game/menu/menu_state_connected_game.cpp
index e82e57d8..41f24ae7 100644
--- a/source/glest_game/menu/menu_state_connected_game.cpp
+++ b/source/glest_game/menu/menu_state_connected_game.cpp
@@ -1013,7 +1013,12 @@ void MenuStateConnectedGame::update() {
 	    			factionCRCList.clear();
 	    			for(unsigned int factionIdx = 0; factionIdx < factionFiles.size(); ++factionIdx) {
 	    				string factionName = factionFiles[factionIdx];
-	    				int32 factionCRC   = getFolderTreeContentsCheckSumRecursively(config.getPathListForType(ptTechs,""), "/" + gameSettings->getTech() + "/factions/" + factionName + "/*", ".xml", NULL, true);
+	    				int32 factionCRC   = 0;
+	    				if(factionName != GameConstants::RANDOMFACTION_SLOTNAME &&
+	    					factionName != GameConstants::OBSERVER_SLOTNAME &&
+	    					factionName != ITEM_MISSING) {
+	    					factionCRC   = getFolderTreeContentsCheckSumRecursively(config.getPathListForType(ptTechs,""), "/" + gameSettings->getTech() + "/factions/" + factionName + "/*", ".xml", NULL, true);
+	    				}
 	    				factionCRCList.push_back(make_pair(factionName,factionCRC));
 	    			}
 	    			console.addLine("Found factions: " + intToStr(factionCRCList.size()));
diff --git a/source/glest_game/menu/menu_state_custom_game.cpp b/source/glest_game/menu/menu_state_custom_game.cpp
index 747b0607..db22ffa4 100644
--- a/source/glest_game/menu/menu_state_custom_game.cpp
+++ b/source/glest_game/menu/menu_state_custom_game.cpp
@@ -2243,7 +2243,11 @@ void MenuStateCustomGame::loadGameSettings(GameSettings *gameSettings) {
     			factionCRCList.clear();
     			for(unsigned int factionIdx = 0; factionIdx < factionFiles.size(); ++factionIdx) {
     				string factionName = factionFiles[factionIdx];
-    				int32 factionCRC   = getFolderTreeContentsCheckSumRecursively(config.getPathListForType(ptTechs,""), "/" + gameSettings->getTech() + "/factions/" + factionName + "/*", ".xml", NULL, true);
+    				int32 factionCRC   = 0;
+    				if(factionName != GameConstants::RANDOMFACTION_SLOTNAME &&
+    					factionName != GameConstants::OBSERVER_SLOTNAME) {
+    					factionCRC   = getFolderTreeContentsCheckSumRecursively(config.getPathListForType(ptTechs,""), "/" + gameSettings->getTech() + "/factions/" + factionName + "/*", ".xml", NULL, true);
+    				}
     				factionCRCList.push_back(make_pair(factionName,factionCRC));
     			}
     			console.addLine("Found factions: " + intToStr(factionCRCList.size()));