diff --git a/src/game_initialization/connect_engine.cpp b/src/game_initialization/connect_engine.cpp
index 033da2fc06aa..5e114ef90663 100644
--- a/src/game_initialization/connect_engine.cpp
+++ b/src/game_initialization/connect_engine.cpp
@@ -1027,6 +1027,7 @@ config side_engine::new_config() const
 		desc = player_id_;
 	}
 	if(res["name"].str().empty() && !desc.empty()) {
+		//TODO: maybe we should add this in to the leaders config instead of the side config?
 		res["name"] = desc;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/game_initialization/playcampaign.cpp b/src/game_initialization/playcampaign.cpp
index 2f2e9705e010..68b45eebf8dc 100644
--- a/src/game_initialization/playcampaign.cpp
+++ b/src/game_initialization/playcampaign.cpp
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ void campaign_controller::show_carryover_message(playsingle_controller& playcont
 				continue;
 			}
 			if (persistent_teams > 1) {
-				report << "\n<b>" << t.current_player() << "</b>\n";
+				report << "\n<b>" << t.side_name() << "</b>\n";
 			}
 
 			report_victory(report, t, finishing_bonus_per_turn, turns_left, finishing_bonus);
diff --git a/src/leader_scroll_dialog.cpp b/src/leader_scroll_dialog.cpp
index 2d99e8afd01f..9aa01507538a 100644
--- a/src/leader_scroll_dialog.cpp
+++ b/src/leader_scroll_dialog.cpp
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ void scenario_settings_table(display& gui, int selected)
 		}
 
 		str << COLUMN_SEPARATOR	<< team::get_side_highlight(n)
-			<< teams[n].current_player() << COLUMN_SEPARATOR
+			<< teams[n].side_name() << COLUMN_SEPARATOR
 			<< n + 1 << COLUMN_SEPARATOR
 			<< teams[n].start_gold() << COLUMN_SEPARATOR
 			<< teams[n].base_income() << COLUMN_SEPARATOR
diff --git a/src/menu_events.cpp b/src/menu_events.cpp
index 532761c9488d..e43452b29d59 100644
--- a/src/menu_events.cpp
+++ b/src/menu_events.cpp
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ void menu_handler::show_statistics(int side_num)
 {
 	team &current_team = teams()[side_num - 1];
 	// Current Player name
-	const std::string &player = current_team.current_player();
+	const std::string &player = current_team.side_name();
 	//add player's name to title of dialog
 	std::stringstream title_str;
 	title_str <<  _("Statistics") << " (" << player << ")";
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ void menu_handler::status_table(int selected)
 			}
 
 			if (pc_.get_classification().campaign_type == game_classification::CAMPAIGN_TYPE::MULTIPLAYER)
-				leader_name = teams()[n].current_player();
+				leader_name = teams()[n].side_name();
 
 		} else {
 			leader_bools.push_back(false);
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ void menu_handler::scenario_settings_table(int selected)
 		}
 
 		str << COLUMN_SEPARATOR	<< team::get_side_highlight(n)
-			<< teams()[n].current_player() << COLUMN_SEPARATOR
+			<< teams()[n].side_name() << COLUMN_SEPARATOR
 			<< n + 1 << COLUMN_SEPARATOR
 			<< teams()[n].start_gold() << COLUMN_SEPARATOR
 			<< teams()[n].base_income() << COLUMN_SEPARATOR
diff --git a/src/playsingle_controller.cpp b/src/playsingle_controller.cpp
index f48b898151da..b6b20dde63b8 100644
--- a/src/playsingle_controller.cpp
+++ b/src/playsingle_controller.cpp
@@ -430,7 +430,7 @@ void playsingle_controller::show_turn_dialog(){
 		gui_->recalculate_minimap();
 		std::string message = _("It is now $name|’s turn");
 		utils::string_map symbols;
-		symbols["name"] = gamestate().board_.teams()[current_side() - 1].current_player();
+		symbols["name"] = gamestate().board_.teams()[current_side() - 1].side_name();
 		message = utils::interpolate_variables_into_string(message, &symbols);
 		gui2::show_transient_message(gui_->video(), "", message);
 	}
diff --git a/src/reports.cpp b/src/reports.cpp
index 55dcb2744b05..2dc5b46c2ceb 100644
--- a/src/reports.cpp
+++ b/src/reports.cpp
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ static config unit_side(reports::context & rc, const unit* u)
 	std::stringstream text;
 	text << " " << u->side();
 
-	add_image(report, flag_icon + mods, u_team.current_player(), "");
+	add_image(report, flag_icon + mods, u_team.side_name(), "");
 	add_text(report, text.str(), "", "");
 	return report;
 }
@@ -1485,7 +1485,7 @@ REPORT_GENERATOR(side_playing, rc)
 	std::string mods = "~RC(" + old_rgb + ">" + new_rgb + ")";
 	if (flag_icon.empty())
 		flag_icon = game_config::images::flag_icon;
-	return image_report(flag_icon + mods, active_team.current_player());
+	return image_report(flag_icon + mods, active_team.side_name());
 }
 
 REPORT_GENERATOR(observers, rc)
diff --git a/src/saved_game.cpp b/src/saved_game.cpp
index 2fc82ab608e8..20b07aba2323 100644
--- a/src/saved_game.cpp
+++ b/src/saved_game.cpp
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ void saved_game::write_general_info(config_writer& out) const
 
 void saved_game::set_defaults()
 {
+	const bool is_multiplayer_tag = classification().get_tagname() == "multiplayer";
 	static const std::vector<std::string> team_defaults = boost::assign::list_of
 		("carryover_percentage")
 		("carryover_add")
@@ -179,6 +180,10 @@ void saved_game::set_defaults()
 		{
 			side["save_id"] = side["id"];
 		}
+		if(!is_multiplayer_tag && side["side_name"].blank())
+		{
+			side["side_name"] = side["name"];
+		}
 		// Set some team specific values to their defaults specified in scenario
 		BOOST_FOREACH(const std::string& att_name, team_defaults)
 		{
diff --git a/src/team.cpp b/src/team.cpp
index e55ab45b7fbb..1e6d493e41fb 100644
--- a/src/team.cpp
+++ b/src/team.cpp
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ const boost::container::flat_set<std::string> team::attributes = boost::assign::
 	("recall_cost")("recruit")("save_id")("id")("scroll_to_leader")
 	("share_vision")("share_maps")("share_view")("shroud")("shroud_data")("start_gold")
 	("suppress_end_turn_confirmation")
-	("team_name")("user_team_name")("village_gold")("village_support")("is_local")
+	("team_name")("user_team_name")("side_name")("village_gold")("village_support")("is_local")
 	// Multiplayer attributes.
 	("action_bonus_count")("allow_changes")("allow_player")("color_lock")
 	("countdown_time")("disallow_observers")("faction")
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ team::team_info::team_info() :
 	can_recruit(),
 	team_name(),
 	user_team_name(),
+	side_name(),
 	save_id(),
 	current_player(),
 	countdown_time(),
@@ -123,6 +124,7 @@ void team::team_info::read(const config &cfg)
 	income = cfg["income"];
 	team_name = cfg["team_name"].str();
 	user_team_name = cfg["user_team_name"];
+	side_name = cfg["side_name"];
 	save_id = cfg["save_id"].str();
 	current_player = cfg["current_player"].str();
 	countdown_time = cfg["countdown_time"].str();
@@ -239,6 +241,7 @@ void team::team_info::write(config& cfg) const
 	cfg["income"] = income;
 	cfg["team_name"] = team_name;
 	cfg["user_team_name"] = user_team_name;
+	cfg["side_name"] = side_name;
 	cfg["save_id"] = save_id;
 	cfg["current_player"] = current_player;
 	cfg["flag"] = flag;
diff --git a/src/team.hpp b/src/team.hpp
index f1f4adedc48b..a5ec42f7cd95 100644
--- a/src/team.hpp
+++ b/src/team.hpp
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ class team : public savegame::savegame_config
 		std::set<std::string> can_recruit;
 		std::string team_name;
 		t_string user_team_name;
+		t_string side_name;
 		std::string save_id;
 		// 'id' of the current player (not necessarily unique)
 		std::string current_player;
@@ -302,6 +303,7 @@ class team : public savegame::savegame_config
 	void set_flag(const std::string& flag) { info_.flag = flag; }
 	void set_flag_icon(const std::string& flag_icon) { info_.flag_icon = flag_icon; }
 
+	const std::string& side_name() const { return info_.side_name.empty() ? info_.current_player : info_.side_name; }
 	//Returns true if the hex is shrouded/fogged for this side, or
 	//any other ally with shared vision.
 	bool shrouded(const map_location& loc) const;
diff --git a/src/teambuilder.cpp b/src/teambuilder.cpp
index a92304b3e2ec..3eec3c2f0b24 100644
--- a/src/teambuilder.cpp
+++ b/src/teambuilder.cpp
@@ -297,12 +297,6 @@ class team_builder {
 		BOOST_FOREACH(const config *u, unit_configs_) {
 			uc.add_unit(*u);
 		}
-
-		// Find the first leader and use its name as the player name.
-		unit_map::iterator u = board_.units().find_first_leader(t_->side());
-		if ((u != board_.units().end()) && t_->current_player().empty())
-			t_->set_current_player(u->name());
-
 	}
 
 };