diff --git a/neo/idlib/containers/StrPool.h b/neo/idlib/containers/StrPool.h
index 5971a7e8..65ab7fa6 100644
--- a/neo/idlib/containers/StrPool.h
+++ b/neo/idlib/containers/StrPool.h
@@ -168,7 +168,23 @@ ID_INLINE void idStrPool::FreeString( const idPoolStr* poolStr )
 {
 	int i, hash;
 	
-	assert( poolStr->numUsers >= 1 );
+	/*
+	 * DG: numUsers can actually be 0 when shutting down the game, because then
+	 * first idCommonLocal::Quit() -> idCommonLocal::Shutdown() -> idLib::Shutdown()
+	 * -> idDict::Shutdown() -> idDict::globalKeys.Clear() and idDict::globalVars.Clear()
+	 * is called and then, from destructors,
+	 * ~idSessionLocal() => destroy idDict titleStorageVars -> ~idDict() -> idDict::Clear()
+	 * -> idDict::globalVars.FreeString() and idDict::globalKeys.FreeString() (this function)
+	 * is called, leading here.
+	 * So just return if poolStr->numUsers < 1, instead of segfaulting/asserting below
+	 * when i == -1 because nothing was found here. As there is no nice way to find out if
+	 * we're shutting down (at this point) just get rid of the following assertion:
+	 * assert( poolStr->numUsers >= 1 );
+	 */
+	if( poolStr->numUsers < 1 )
+		return;
+	// DG end
+	
 	assert( poolStr->pool == this );
 	
 	poolStr->numUsers--;