diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/build/src/build.c b/polymer/eduke32/build/src/build.c
index 9b65803d1..4444b52db 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/build/src/build.c
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/build/src/build.c
@@ -8547,7 +8547,7 @@ static int32_t deletesector(int16_t sucksect)
 
 int32_t fixspritesectors(void)
 {
-    int32_t i, j, dax, day, cz, fz;
+    int32_t i;
     int32_t numfixedsprites = 0, printfirsttime = 0;
 
     for (i=numsectors-1; i>=0; i--)
@@ -8566,11 +8566,12 @@ int32_t fixspritesectors(void)
     for (i=0; i<MAXSPRITES; i++)
         if (sprite[i].statnum < MAXSTATUS)
         {
-            dax = sprite[i].x;
-            day = sprite[i].y;
+            const int32_t dax=sprite[i].x, day=sprite[i].y;
 
             if (inside(dax,day,sprite[i].sectnum) != 1)
             {
+                int32_t j, cz, fz;
+
                 spriteoncfz(i, &cz, &fz);
 
                 for (j=0; j<numsectors; j++)
@@ -8589,7 +8590,8 @@ int32_t fixspritesectors(void)
                                 initprintf("--------------------\n");
                                 printfirsttime = 1;
                             }
-                            initprintf_nowarn("Changed sectnum of sprite %d from %d to %d\n", i, TrackerCast(sprite[i].sectnum), j);
+                            initprintf_nowarn("Changed sectnum of sprite #%d from %d to %d\n",
+                                              i, TrackerCast(sprite[i].sectnum), j);
                             changespritesect(i, j);
                         }
                         break;
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/build/src/engine.c b/polymer/eduke32/build/src/engine.c
index 901f814d3..c3d4827ae 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/build/src/engine.c
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/build/src/engine.c
@@ -9601,7 +9601,7 @@ static void prepare_loadboard(int32_t fil, vec3_t *dapos, int16_t *daang, int16_
 
 static void finish_loadboard(const vec3_t *dapos, int16_t *dacursectnum, int16_t numsprites, char myflags)
 {
-    int32_t i;
+    int32_t i, realnumsprites=numsprites;
 
 #if !defined USE_OPENGL || !defined POLYMER
     UNREFERENCED_PARAMETER(myflags);
@@ -9609,12 +9609,44 @@ static void finish_loadboard(const vec3_t *dapos, int16_t *dacursectnum, int16_t
 
     for (i=0; i<numsprites; i++)
     {
+        int32_t removeit = 0;
+
         if ((sprite[i].cstat & 48) == 48)
             sprite[i].cstat &= ~48;
 
+        if (sprite[i].statnum == MAXSTATUS)
+        {
+            // Sprite was removed in loadboard() -> check_sprite(). Insert it
+            // for now, because we must maintain the sprite numbering.
+            sprite[i].statnum = sprite[i].sectnum = 0;
+            removeit = 1;
+        }
+
         insertsprite(sprite[i].sectnum, sprite[i].statnum);
+
+        if (removeit)
+        {
+            // Flag .statnum==MAXSTATUS, temporarily creating an inconsistency
+            // with sprite list.
+            sprite[i].statnum = MAXSTATUS;
+            realnumsprites--;
+        }
     }
 
+    if (numsprites != realnumsprites)
+    {
+        for (i=0; i<numsprites; i++)
+            if (sprite[i].statnum == MAXSTATUS)
+            {
+                // Now remove it for real!
+                sprite[i].statnum = 0;
+                deletesprite(i);
+            }
+    }
+
+    numsprites = realnumsprites;
+    Bassert(numsprites == Numsprites);
+
     //Must be after loading sectors, etc!
     updatesector(dapos->x, dapos->y, dacursectnum);
 
@@ -9645,31 +9677,47 @@ static void finish_loadboard(const vec3_t *dapos, int16_t *dacursectnum, int16_t
 #define MYMAXWALLS()   (MAXSECTORS==MAXSECTORSV7 || mapversion <= 7 ? MAXWALLSV7 : MAXWALLSV8)
 #define MYMAXSPRITES() (MAXSECTORS==MAXSECTORSV7 || mapversion <= 7 ? MAXSPRITESV7 : MAXSPRITESV8)
 
+// Sprite checking
+
+static void remove_sprite(int32_t i)
+{
+    Bmemset(&sprite[i], 0, sizeof(spritetype));
+    sprite[i].statnum = MAXSTATUS;
+    sprite[i].sectnum = MAXSECTORS;
+}
+
+// This is only to be run after reading the sprite array!
 static void check_sprite(int32_t i)
 {
-    if ((unsigned)sprite[i].sectnum >= MYMAXSECTORS())
+    if ((unsigned)sprite[i].statnum >= MAXSTATUS)
     {
-        initprintf_nowarn(OSD_ERROR "Map error: sprite #%d (%d,%d) with illegal sector (%d). Map is corrupt!\n",
+        initprintf_nowarn(OSD_ERROR "Map error: sprite #%d (%d,%d) with illegal statnum (%d) REMOVED.\n",
+                   i, TrackerCast(sprite[i].x), TrackerCast(sprite[i].y), TrackerCast(sprite[i].statnum));
+        remove_sprite(i);
+    }
+    else if ((unsigned)sprite[i].picnum >= MAXTILES)
+    {
+        initprintf_nowarn(OSD_ERROR "Map error: sprite #%d (%d,%d) with illegal picnum (%d) REMOVED.\n",
                    i, TrackerCast(sprite[i].x), TrackerCast(sprite[i].y), TrackerCast(sprite[i].sectnum));
+        remove_sprite(i);
+    }
+    else if ((unsigned)sprite[i].sectnum >= (unsigned)numsectors)
+    {
+        const int32_t osectnum = sprite[i].sectnum;
 
+        sprite[i].sectnum = -1;
         updatesector(sprite[i].x, sprite[i].y, &sprite[i].sectnum);
 
         if (sprite[i].sectnum < 0)
-            sprite[i].sectnum = 0;
-    }
+            remove_sprite(i);
 
-    if ((unsigned)sprite[i].statnum >= MAXSTATUS)
-    {
-        initprintf_nowarn(OSD_ERROR "Map error: sprite #%d (%d,%d) with illegal statnum (%d). Map is corrupt!\n",
-                   i, TrackerCast(sprite[i].x), TrackerCast(sprite[i].y), TrackerCast(sprite[i].statnum));
-        sprite[i].statnum = 0;
-    }
+        initprintf_nowarn(OSD_ERROR "Map error: sprite #%d (%d,%d) with illegal sector (%d) ",
+                   i, TrackerCast(sprite[i].x), TrackerCast(sprite[i].y), osectnum);
 
-    if ((unsigned)sprite[i].picnum >= MAXTILES)
-    {
-        initprintf_nowarn(OSD_ERROR "Map error: sprite #%d (%d,%d) with illegal picnum (%d). Map is corrupt!\n",
-                   i, TrackerCast(sprite[i].x), TrackerCast(sprite[i].y), TrackerCast(sprite[i].sectnum));
-        sprite[i].picnum = 0;
+        if (sprite[i].statnum != MAXSTATUS)
+            initprintf_nowarn("changed to sector %d.\n", TrackerCast(sprite[i].sectnum));
+        else
+            initprintf_nowarn("REMOVED.\n");
     }
 }
 
@@ -9777,6 +9825,9 @@ int32_t loadboard(char *filename, char flags, vec3_t *dapos, int16_t *daang, int
 
     kread(fil, sprite, sizeof(spritetype)*numsprites);
 
+    kclose(fil);
+    // Done reading file.
+
     for (i=numsprites-1; i>=0; i--)
     {
         sprite[i].x       = B_LITTLE32(sprite[i].x);
@@ -9798,9 +9849,6 @@ int32_t loadboard(char *filename, char flags, vec3_t *dapos, int16_t *daang, int
         check_sprite(i);
     }
 
-    kclose(fil);
-    // Done reading file.
-
 #ifdef YAX_ENABLE
     yax_update(mapversion<9);
     if (editstatus)
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/source/astub.c b/polymer/eduke32/source/astub.c
index eadef6944..28675454b 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/source/astub.c
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/source/astub.c
@@ -11467,20 +11467,25 @@ static int32_t check_spritelist_consistency()
 
     for (i=0; i<MAXSPRITES; i++)
     {
+        const int32_t sectnum=sprite[i].sectnum, statnum=sprite[i].statnum;
+
         csc_i = i;
 
-        if ((sprite[i].statnum==MAXSTATUS) != (sprite[i].sectnum==MAXSECTORS))
+        if ((statnum==MAXSTATUS) != (sectnum==MAXSECTORS))
             return 2;  // violation of .statnum==MAXSTATUS iff .sectnum==MAXSECTORS
 
-        if ((unsigned)sprite[i].statnum > MAXSTATUS || (unsigned)sprite[i].sectnum > MAXSECTORS)
+        if ((unsigned)statnum > MAXSTATUS || (sectnum!=MAXSECTORS && (unsigned)sectnum > (unsigned)numsectors))
             return 3;  // oob sectnum or statnum
 
-        if (sprite[i].statnum != MAXSTATUS)
+        if (statnum != MAXSTATUS)
             ournumsprites++;
     }
 
     if (ournumsprites != Numsprites)
+    {
+        initprintf("ournumsprites=%d, Numsprites=%d\n", ournumsprites, Numsprites);
         return 4;  // counting sprites by statnum!=MAXSTATUS inconsistent with Numsprites
+    }
 
     // SECTOR LIST
 
@@ -11917,8 +11922,8 @@ int32_t CheckMapCorruption(int32_t printfromlev, uint64_t tryfixing)
         {
             int32_t onumct = numcorruptthings;
 
-            CORRUPTCHK_PRINT(3, CORRUPT_SPRITE|i, "SPRITE %d at [%d, %d] is out of the maximal grid range [%d, %d]",
-                             TrackerCast(sprite[i].x), TrackerCast(sprite[i].y), i, -BXY_MAX, BXY_MAX);
+            CORRUPTCHK_PRINT(3, CORRUPT_SPRITE|i, "SPRITE %d at [%d, %d] is outside the maximal grid range [%d, %d]",
+                             i, TrackerCast(sprite[i].x), TrackerCast(sprite[i].y), -BXY_MAX, BXY_MAX);
 
             if (onumct < MAXCORRUPTTHINGS)
             {