diff --git a/src/about.cpp b/src/about.cpp
index ebb44f70979a..a4c415e7fe9f 100644
--- a/src/about.cpp
+++ b/src/about.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #include "about.hpp"
 
 #include "config.hpp"
+#include "gettext.hpp"
 #include "serialization/string_utils.hpp"
 
 #include <map>
@@ -25,77 +26,124 @@
  */
 namespace about
 {
+namespace
+{
+credits_data parsed_credits_data;
+std::map<std::string, std::vector<std::string>> images_campaigns;
+std::vector<std::string> images_general;
 
-static config about_list;
-static std::map<std::string, std::vector<std::string>> images;
-static std::vector<std::string> images_default;
+void gather_images(const config& from, std::vector<std::string>& to)
+{
+	const auto& im = utils::parenthetical_split(from["images"], ',');
+	if(!im.empty()) {
+		to.insert(to.end(), im.begin(), im.end());
+	}
+}
+
+} // end anon namespace
 
-const config& get_about_config()
+credits_group::credits_group(const config& cfg, bool is_campaign_credits)
+	: sections()
+	, id()
+	, header()
 {
-	return about_list;
+	if(is_campaign_credits) {
+		id = cfg["id"].str();
+		header = cfg["name"].t_str();
+	}
+
+	sections.reserve(cfg.child_count("about"));
+
+	for(const config& about : cfg.child_range("about")) {
+		if(!about.has_child("entry")) {
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		sections.emplace_back(about);
+
+		if(is_campaign_credits) {
+			gather_images(about, images_campaigns[id]);
+		} else {
+			gather_images(about, images_general);
+		}
+	}
+
+	if(cfg["sort"].to_bool(false)) {
+		std::sort(sections.begin(), sections.end());
+	}
 }
 
-std::vector<std::string> get_background_images(const std::string& campaign)
+credits_group::about_group::about_group(const config& cfg)
+	: names()
+	, title(cfg["title"].t_str())
 {
-	if(!campaign.empty() && !images[campaign].empty()){
-		return images[campaign];
+	names.reserve(cfg.child_count("entry"));
+
+	for(const config& entry : cfg.child_range("entry")) {
+		names.push_back(entry["name"].str());
 	}
+}
 
-	return images_default;
+bool credits_group::about_group::operator<(const about_group& o)
+{
+	return translation::compare(title.str(), o.title.str()) < 0;
 }
 
-static void gather_images(const config& from, std::vector<std::string>& to)
+const credits_data& get_credits_data()
 {
-	const auto& im = utils::parenthetical_split(from["images"], ',');
-	if(!im.empty()) {
-		to.insert(to.end(), im.begin(), im.end());
+	return parsed_credits_data;
+}
+
+std::vector<std::string> get_background_images(const std::string& campaign)
+{
+	if(!campaign.empty() && !images_campaigns[campaign].empty()){
+		return images_campaigns[campaign];
 	}
+
+	return images_general;
 }
 
-void set_about(const config &cfg)
+void set_about(const config& cfg)
 {
-	about_list.clear();
+	parsed_credits_data.clear();
+
+	// TODO: should we reserve space in parsed_credits_data here?
 
-	images.clear();
-	images_default.clear();
+	images_campaigns.clear();
+	images_general.clear();
 
+	//
+	// Parse all [credits_group] tags
+	//
 	for(const config& group : cfg.child_range("credits_group")) {
-		if(!group.has_child("about")) {
-			continue;
-		}
-		about_list.add_child("credits_group", group);
-		gather_images(group, images_default);
-		for(const config& about : group.child_range("about")) {
-			gather_images(about, images_default);
+		if(group.has_child("about")) {
+			parsed_credits_data.emplace_back(group, false);
+
+			// Not in the credits_group since we don't want to inadvertently
+			// pick up images from campaigns.
+			gather_images(group, images_general);
 		}
 	}
 
+	//
+	// Parse all toplevel [about] tags.
+	//
 	config misc;
 	for(const config& about : cfg.child_range("about")) {
 		misc.add_child("about", about);
-		gather_images(about, images_default);
 	}
+
 	if(!misc.empty()) {
-		about_list.add_child("credits_group", std::move(misc));
+		parsed_credits_data.emplace_back(misc, false);
 	}
 
+	//
+	// Parse all campaign [about] tags.
+	//
 	for(const config& campaign : cfg.child_range("campaign")) {
-		if(!campaign.has_child("about")) {
-			continue;
+		if(campaign.has_child("about")) {
+			parsed_credits_data.emplace_back(campaign, true);
 		}
-
-		const std::string& id = campaign["id"];
-
-		config temp;
-		temp["title"] = campaign["name"];
-		temp["id"] = id;
-
-		for(const config& about : campaign.child_range("about")) {
-			temp.add_child("about", about);
-			gather_images(about, images[id]);
-		}
-
-		about_list.add_child("credits_group", std::move(temp));
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/about.hpp b/src/about.hpp
index c064d343e1f2..b6d4dc1f8393 100644
--- a/src/about.hpp
+++ b/src/about.hpp
@@ -14,18 +14,48 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
-class config;
+#include "tstring.hpp"
 
 #include <vector>
 #include <string>
 
+class config;
+
 namespace about
 {
+struct credits_group
+{
+	struct about_group
+	{
+		explicit about_group(const config& cfg);
+
+		/** Contributor names. */
+		std::vector<std::string> names;
+
+		/** The section title. */
+		t_string title;
+
+        bool operator<(const about_group& o);
+	};
+
+	credits_group(const config& cfg, bool is_campaign_credits);
+
+	/** The group's sub-groups. Corresponds to each [about] tag .*/
+	std::vector<about_group> sections;
+
+	/** Optional group ID. Currently only used for identifying campaigns. */
+	std::string id;
+
+	/** Optional group tite. Currently only used for identifying campaigns. */
+	t_string header;
+};
+
+using credits_data = std::vector<credits_group>;
 
 /**
  * General getter methods for the credits config and image lists by campaign id
  */
-const config& get_about_config();
+const credits_data& get_credits_data();
 
 std::vector<std::string> get_background_images(const std::string& campaign);
 
diff --git a/src/gui/dialogs/end_credits.cpp b/src/gui/dialogs/end_credits.cpp
index f600a31b24ea..01a58007fd60 100644
--- a/src/gui/dialogs/end_credits.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/dialogs/end_credits.cpp
@@ -47,19 +47,6 @@ end_credits::end_credits(const std::string& campaign)
 {
 }
 
-static void parse_about_tag(const config& cfg, std::stringstream& ss)
-{
-	if(!cfg.has_child("entry")) {
-		return;
-	}
-
-	ss << "\n" << "<span size='x-large'>" << cfg["title"] << "</span>" << "\n";
-
-	for(const auto& entry : cfg.child_range("entry")) {
-		ss << entry["name"] << "\n";
-	}
-}
-
 void end_credits::pre_show(window& window)
 {
 	window.set_callback_next_draw([this]()
@@ -75,28 +62,19 @@ void end_credits::pre_show(window& window)
 	std::stringstream ss;
 	std::stringstream focus_ss;
 
-	const config& credits_config = about::get_about_config();
-
-	for(const auto& group : credits_config.child_range("credits_group")) {
-		std::stringstream& group_stream = (group["id"] == focus_on_) ? focus_ss : ss;
-
+	for(const about::credits_group& group : about::get_credits_data()) {
+		std::stringstream& group_stream = (group.id == focus_on_) ? focus_ss : ss;
 		group_stream << "\n";
-		if(group.has_attribute("title")) {
-			group_stream << "<span size='xx-large'>" << group["title"] << "</span>" << "\n";
+
+		if(!group.header.empty()) {
+			group_stream << "<span size='xx-large'>" << group.header << "</span>" << "\n";
 		}
 
-		if(group["sort"].to_bool(false)) {
-			auto sections = group.child_range("about");
-			std::vector<config> sorted(sections.begin(), sections.end());
-			std::sort(sorted.begin(), sorted.end(), [](const config& entry1, const config& entry2) {
-				return translation::compare(entry1["title"].str(), entry2["title"].str()) < 0;
-			});
-			for(const auto& about : sorted) {
-				parse_about_tag(about, group_stream);
-			}
-		} else {
-			for(const auto& about : group.child_range("about")) {
-				parse_about_tag(about, group_stream);
+		for(const about::credits_group::about_group& about : group.sections) {
+			group_stream << "\n" << "<span size='x-large'>" << about.title << "</span>" << "\n";
+
+			for(const std::string& entry : about.names) {
+				group_stream << entry << "\n";
 			}
 		}
 	}