diff --git a/saveload.c b/saveload.c
index 59de6f24a1..d1e0cc7db0 100644
--- a/saveload.c
+++ b/saveload.c
@@ -510,11 +510,13 @@ static inline size_t SlCalcStringLen(const char *ptr, uint length)
  * Save/Load a string.
  * @param ptr the string being manipulated
  * @param the length of the string (full length)
- * @param conv must be SLE_FILE_STRING */
+ * @param conv must be SLE_FILE_STRING
+ * XXX - only works with global strings of a pre-allocated buffer */
 static void SlString(void *ptr, uint length, VarType conv)
 {
 	uint len;
 	assert(GetVarFileType(conv) == SLE_FILE_STRING);
+	assert(GetVarMemType(conv) == SLE_VAR_STRB || GetVarMemType(conv) == SLE_VAR_STRQ);
 
 	if (_sl.save) {
 		len = SlCalcNetStringLen(ptr, length);
diff --git a/saveload.h b/saveload.h
index 1a7fc82e21..9b2ba8b4aa 100644
--- a/saveload.h
+++ b/saveload.h
@@ -98,8 +98,10 @@ enum VarTypes {
 	SLE_VAR_U64  =  8 << 4,
 	SLE_VAR_NULL =  9 << 4, ///< useful to write zeros in savegame.
 	SLE_VAR_STRB = 10 << 4, ///< normal string (with pre-allocated buffer)
-	SLE_VAR_STRQ = 11 << 4, ///< string enclosed in parentheses
-	/* 4 more possible memory-primitives */
+	SLE_VAR_STRBQ= 11 << 4, ///< string enclosed in parentheses (with pre-allocated buffer)
+	SLE_VAR_STR  = 12 << 4, ///< string pointer
+	SLE_VAR_STRQ = 13 << 4, ///< string enclosed in parentheses
+	/* 2 more possible memory-primitives */
 
 	/* Shortcut values */
 	SLE_VAR_CHAR = SLE_VAR_I8,
@@ -119,12 +121,16 @@ enum VarTypes {
 	SLE_CHAR        = SLE_FILE_I8  | SLE_VAR_CHAR,
 	SLE_STRINGID    = SLE_FILE_STRINGID | SLE_VAR_U16,
 	SLE_STRINGBUF   = SLE_FILE_STRING   | SLE_VAR_STRB,
+	SLE_STRINGBQUOTE= SLE_FILE_STRING   | SLE_VAR_STRBQ,
+	SLE_STRING      = SLE_FILE_STRING   | SLE_VAR_STR,
 	SLE_STRINGQUOTE = SLE_FILE_STRING   | SLE_VAR_STRQ,
 
 	/* Shortcut values */
 	SLE_UINT = SLE_UINT32,
 	SLE_INT  = SLE_INT32,
 	SLE_STRB = SLE_STRINGBUF,
+	SLE_STRBQ= SLE_STRINGBQUOTE,
+	SLE_STR  = SLE_STRING,
 	SLE_STRQ = SLE_STRINGQUOTE,
 
 	/* 8 bytes allocated for a maximum of 8 flags
diff --git a/settings.c b/settings.c
index 4e8cc5cf16..5e7faae110 100644
--- a/settings.c
+++ b/settings.c
@@ -695,9 +695,16 @@ static void ini_load_settings(IniFile *ini, const SettingDesc *sd, const char *g
 		case SDT_STRING:
 			switch (GetVarMemType(sld->conv)) {
 				case SLE_VAR_STRB:
-				case SLE_VAR_STRQ:
+				case SLE_VAR_STRBQ:
 					if (p != NULL) ttd_strlcpy((char*)ptr, p, sld->length);
 					break;
+				case SLE_VAR_STR:
+				case SLE_VAR_STRQ:
+					if (p != NULL) {
+						free(*(char**)ptr);
+						*(char**)ptr = strdup((const char*)p);
+					}
+					break;
 				case SLE_VAR_CHAR: *(char*)ptr = *(char*)p; break;
 				default: NOT_REACHED(); break;
 			}
@@ -806,7 +813,9 @@ static void ini_save_settings(IniFile *ini, const SettingDesc *sd, const char *g
 		case SDT_STRING:
 			switch (GetVarMemType(sld->conv)) {
 			case SLE_VAR_STRB: strcpy(buf, (char*)ptr); break;
-			case SLE_VAR_STRQ: sprintf(buf, "\"%s\"", (char*)ptr); break;
+			case SLE_VAR_STRBQ:sprintf(buf, "\"%s\"", (char*)ptr); break;
+			case SLE_VAR_STR:  strcpy(buf, *(char**)ptr); break;
+			case SLE_VAR_STRQ: sprintf(buf, "\"%s\"", *(char**)ptr); break;
 			case SLE_VAR_CHAR: sprintf(buf, "\"%c\"", *(char*)ptr); break;
 			default: NOT_REACHED();
 			}
@@ -1431,8 +1440,8 @@ static const SettingDesc _currency_settings[] = {
 	SDT_VAR(CurrencySpec, rate,    SLE_UINT16, S, 0,  1, 0, 100, STR_NULL, NULL),
 	SDT_CHR(CurrencySpec, separator,           S, 0,        ".", STR_NULL, NULL),
 	SDT_VAR(CurrencySpec, to_euro, SLE_UINT16, S, 0,  0, 0,1000, STR_NULL, NULL),
-	SDT_STR(CurrencySpec, prefix,    SLE_STRQ, S, 0,       NULL, STR_NULL, NULL),
-	SDT_STR(CurrencySpec, suffix,    SLE_STRQ, S, 0, " credits", STR_NULL, NULL),
+	SDT_STR(CurrencySpec, prefix,   SLE_STRBQ, S, 0,       NULL, STR_NULL, NULL),
+	SDT_STR(CurrencySpec, suffix,   SLE_STRBQ, S, 0, " credits", STR_NULL, NULL),
 	SDT_END()
 };