diff --git a/code/game/G_Timer.cpp b/code/game/G_Timer.cpp
index fc8ed1e848..028613a4bd 100644
--- a/code/game/G_Timer.cpp
+++ b/code/game/G_Timer.cpp
@@ -248,16 +248,14 @@ void TIMER_Load( void )
 
 			if (sg_buffer_size < 0 || static_cast<size_t>(sg_buffer_size) >= sizeof(tempBuffer))
 			{
-				sg_buffer_size = 0;
-			}
-			else
-			{
-				std::uninitialized_copy_n(
-					sg_buffer_data,
-					sg_buffer_size,
-					tempBuffer);
+				::G_Error("invalid length for TMID string in saved game: %d\n", sg_buffer_size);
 			}
 
+			std::uninitialized_copy_n(
+				sg_buffer_data,
+				sg_buffer_size,
+				tempBuffer);
+
 			tempBuffer[sg_buffer_size] = '\0';
 
 			saved_game.read_chunk<int32_t>(
diff --git a/code/game/Q3_Interface.cpp b/code/game/Q3_Interface.cpp
index 2c740d48bb..585167a295 100644
--- a/code/game/Q3_Interface.cpp
+++ b/code/game/Q3_Interface.cpp
@@ -7328,7 +7328,7 @@ void CQuake3GameInterface::VariableLoadFloats( varFloat_m &fmap )
 
 		if (idSize < 0 || static_cast<size_t>(idSize) >= sizeof(tempBuffer))
 		{
-			idSize = 0;
+			::G_Error("invalid length for FIDS string in save game: %d bytes\n", idSize);
 		}
 
 		saved_game.read_chunk(
@@ -7378,7 +7378,7 @@ void CQuake3GameInterface::VariableLoadStrings( int type, varString_m &fmap )
 
 		if (idSize < 0 || static_cast<size_t>(idSize) >= sizeof(tempBuffer))
 		{
-			idSize = 0;
+			::G_Error("invalid length for SIDS string in save game: %d bytes\n", idSize);
 		}
 
 		saved_game.read_chunk(
@@ -7394,7 +7394,7 @@ void CQuake3GameInterface::VariableLoadStrings( int type, varString_m &fmap )
 
 		if (idSize < 0 || static_cast<size_t>(idSize) >= sizeof(tempBuffer2))
 		{
-			idSize = 0;
+			::G_Error("invalid length for SVAL string in save game: %d bytes\n", idSize);
 		}
 
 		saved_game.read_chunk(
diff --git a/code/game/g_roff.cpp b/code/game/g_roff.cpp
index 9ec25adfc2..a337b28423 100644
--- a/code/game/g_roff.cpp
+++ b/code/game/g_roff.cpp
@@ -704,7 +704,9 @@ void G_LoadCachedRoffs()
 			len);
 
 		if (len < 0 || static_cast<size_t>(len) >= sizeof(buffer))
-			len = 0;
+		{
+			::G_Error("invalid length for RSTR string in save game: %d bytes\n", len);
+		}
 
 		saved_game.read_chunk(
 			INT_ID('R', 'S', 'T', 'R'),
diff --git a/code/icarus/IcarusImplementation.cpp b/code/icarus/IcarusImplementation.cpp
index cd6d01c663..f59da295ce 100644
--- a/code/icarus/IcarusImplementation.cpp
+++ b/code/icarus/IcarusImplementation.cpp
@@ -719,18 +719,18 @@ int CIcarus::Load()
 
 	int sg_buffer_size = saved_game.get_buffer_size();
 
-	if (sg_buffer_size < 0 || static_cast<size_t>(sg_buffer_size) >= sizeof(m_byBuffer))
+	if (sg_buffer_size < 0 || static_cast<size_t>(sg_buffer_size) > MAX_BUFFER_SIZE)
 	{
-		sg_buffer_size = 0;
-	}
-	else
-	{
-		std::uninitialized_copy_n(
-			sg_buffer_data,
-			sg_buffer_size,
-			m_byBuffer);
+		DestroyBuffer();
+		game->DebugPrint( IGameInterface::WL_ERROR, "invalid ISEQ length: %d bytes\n", sg_buffer_size);
+		return false;
 	}
 
+	std::uninitialized_copy_n(
+		sg_buffer_data,
+		sg_buffer_size,
+		m_byBuffer);
+
 	//Load all signals
 	if ( LoadSignals() == false )
 	{
@@ -859,18 +859,17 @@ void CIcarus::BufferRead( void *pDstBuff, unsigned long ulNumBytesToRead )
 
 		int sg_buffer_size = saved_game.get_buffer_size();
 
-		if (sg_buffer_size < 0 || static_cast<size_t>(sg_buffer_size) >= sizeof(m_byBuffer))
+		if (sg_buffer_size < 0 || static_cast<size_t>(sg_buffer_size) > MAX_BUFFER_SIZE)
 		{
-			sg_buffer_size = 0;
-		}
-		else
-		{
-			std::uninitialized_copy_n(
-				sg_buffer_data,
-				sg_buffer_size,
-				m_byBuffer);
+			IGameInterface::GetGame()->DebugPrint( IGameInterface::WL_ERROR, "invalid ISEQ length: %d bytes\n", sg_buffer_size);
+			return;
 		}
 
+		std::uninitialized_copy_n(
+			sg_buffer_data,
+			sg_buffer_size,
+			m_byBuffer);
+
 		m_ulBytesRead = 0;	//reset buffer
 	}
 
diff --git a/codeJK2/game/Q3_Registers.cpp b/codeJK2/game/Q3_Registers.cpp
index 25c99cd133..f278c09085 100644
--- a/codeJK2/game/Q3_Registers.cpp
+++ b/codeJK2/game/Q3_Registers.cpp
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ void Q3_VariableLoadFloats( varFloat_m &fmap )
 
 		if (idSize < 0 || static_cast<size_t>(idSize) >= sizeof(tempBuffer))
 		{
-			idSize = 0;
+			::G_Error("invalid length for FIDS string in save game: %d bytes\n", idSize);
 		}
 
 		saved_game.read_chunk(
@@ -460,7 +460,7 @@ void Q3_VariableLoadStrings( int type, varString_m &fmap )
 
 		if (idSize < 0 || static_cast<size_t>(idSize) >= sizeof(tempBuffer))
 		{
-			idSize = 0;
+			::G_Error("invalid length for SIDS string in save game: %d bytes\n", idSize);
 		}
 
 		saved_game.read_chunk(
@@ -476,7 +476,7 @@ void Q3_VariableLoadStrings( int type, varString_m &fmap )
 
 		if (idSize < 0 || static_cast<size_t>(idSize) >= sizeof(tempBuffer2))
 		{
-			idSize = 0;
+			::G_Error("invalid length for SVAL string in save game: %d bytes\n", idSize);
 		}
 
 		saved_game.read_chunk(
diff --git a/codeJK2/game/g_roff.cpp b/codeJK2/game/g_roff.cpp
index b5c0240f8f..b1c9539e26 100644
--- a/codeJK2/game/g_roff.cpp
+++ b/codeJK2/game/g_roff.cpp
@@ -680,7 +680,7 @@ void G_LoadCachedRoffs()
 
 		if (len < 0 || static_cast<size_t>(len) >= sizeof(buffer))
 		{
-			len = 0;
+			::G_Error("invalid length for RSTR string in save game: %d bytes\n", len);
 		}
 
 		saved_game.read_chunk(