diff --git a/src/ai/configuration.cpp b/src/ai/configuration.cpp
index 41669f16d1f0..492b86f610b1 100644
--- a/src/ai/configuration.cpp
+++ b/src/ai/configuration.cpp
@@ -318,13 +318,7 @@ void configuration::expand_simplified_aspects(side_number side, config &cfg) {
 						facet_config["id"] = child.cfg["id"];
 					}
 				}
-				if (child.key == "recruitment") {
-					// This aspect is deprecated; transform it to a valid recruitment_instructions aspect
-					facet_config.child("value").add_child("recruit", config_of("importance", 0));
-					facet_configs.push_back(std::make_pair("recruitment_instructions", facet_config));
-				} else {
-					facet_configs.push_back(std::make_pair(child.key, facet_config));
-				}
+				facet_configs.push_back(std::make_pair(child.key, facet_config));
 			}
 		}
 		std::map<std::string, config> aspect_configs;
diff --git a/src/ai/registry.cpp b/src/ai/registry.cpp
index 8db2d10d458a..2a206dee93f2 100644
--- a/src/ai/registry.cpp
+++ b/src/ai/registry.cpp
@@ -508,6 +508,18 @@ static register_lua_aspect_factory< lua_aspect<int> >
 static register_lua_aspect_factory< lua_aspect< std::vector<std::string> > >
 	recruitment_pattern__lua_aspect_factory("recruitment_pattern*lua_aspect");
 
+
+// Some compatibility - recruitment is a removed aspect, but its syntax
+// is compatible with recruitment_instructions
+static register_aspect_factory< composite_aspect<config> >
+	recruitments__composit_aspect_factory("recruitment*composite_aspect");
+
+static register_aspect_factory< default_recruitment::recruitment_aspect >
+	recruitment__standard_aspect_factory("recruitment*standard_aspect");
+
+static register_aspect_factory< default_recruitment::recruitment_aspect >
+	recruitment__standard_aspect_factory2("recruitment*");
+
 void registry::init()
 {
 }