diff --git a/src/game_initialization/connect_engine.cpp b/src/game_initialization/connect_engine.cpp
index bdf37ae3951b..7a9599fc87eb 100644
--- a/src/game_initialization/connect_engine.cpp
+++ b/src/game_initialization/connect_engine.cpp
@@ -879,6 +879,15 @@ side_engine::side_engine(const config& cfg, connect_engine& parent_engine,
 	waiting_to_choose_faction_(allow_changes_),
 	custom_color_()
 {
+	// Save default attributes that could be overwirtten by the faction, so that correct faction lists would be
+	// initialized by flg_manager when the new side config is sent over network.
+	cfg_.add_child("default_faction", config_of
+		("type", cfg_["type"])
+		("gender", cfg_["gender"])
+		("faction", cfg_["faction"])
+		("recruit", cfg_["recruit"])
+	);
+
 	// Check if this side should give its control to some other side.
 	const size_t side_cntr_index = cfg_["controller"].to_int(-1) - 1;
 	if (side_cntr_index < parent_.side_engines().size()) {
@@ -978,14 +987,6 @@ config side_engine::new_config() const
 {
 	config res = cfg_;
 
-	// Save default "recruit" so that correct faction lists would be
-	// initialized by flg_manager when the new side config is sent over network.
-	// In case recruit list was empty, set a flag to indicate that.
-	res["default_recruit"] = cfg_["recruit"].str();
-	if (res["default_recruit"].empty()) {
-		res["no_recruit"] = true;
-	}
-
 	// If the user is allowed to change type, faction, leader etc,
 	// then import their new values in the config.
 	if (!parent_.params_.saved_game) {
diff --git a/src/game_initialization/flg_manager.cpp b/src/game_initialization/flg_manager.cpp
index dbebc5fb535d..3e30062d5661 100644
--- a/src/game_initialization/flg_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/game_initialization/flg_manager.cpp
@@ -331,20 +331,20 @@ void flg_manager::resolve_random(rand_rng::mt_rng & rng, const std::vector<std::
 void flg_manager::update_available_factions()
 {
 	const config* custom_faction = nullptr;
-	const bool show_custom_faction = side_["faction"] == "Custom" || !has_no_recruits_ || faction_lock_;
+	const bool show_custom_faction = get_default_faction(side_)["faction"] == "Custom" || !has_no_recruits_ || faction_lock_;
 
 	for (const config* faction : era_factions_) {
 		if ((*faction)["id"] == "Custom" && !show_custom_faction) {
 
 			// "Custom" faction should not be available if both
-			// "default_recruit" and "previous_recruits" lists are empty.
+			// "recruit" and "previous_recruits" lists are empty.
 			// However, it should be available if it was explicitly stated so.
 			custom_faction = faction;
 			continue;
 		}
 
 		// Add default faction to the top of the list.
-		if (side_["faction"] == (*faction)["id"]) {
+		if (get_default_faction(side_)["faction"] == (*faction)["id"]) {
 			available_factions_.insert(available_factions_.begin(), faction);
 		} else {
 			available_factions_.push_back(faction);
@@ -518,7 +518,7 @@ int flg_manager::find_suitable_faction() const
 	std::vector<std::string> find;
 	std::string search_field;
 
-	if (const config::attribute_value *f = side_.get("faction")) {
+	if (const config::attribute_value *f = get_default_faction(side_).get("faction")) {
 		// Choose based on faction.
 		find.push_back(f->str());
 		search_field = "id";
@@ -623,15 +623,18 @@ void flg_manager::set_current_gender(const std::string& gender)
 
 std::vector<std::string> flg_manager::get_original_recruits(const config& cfg)
 {
-	if (cfg["no_recruit"].to_bool()) {
-		return std::vector<std::string>();
-	}
-	const config::attribute_value& cfg_default_recruit = cfg["default_recruit"];
-	if (!cfg_default_recruit.empty()) {
-		return utils::split(cfg_default_recruit.str());
+	return utils::split(get_default_faction(cfg)["recruit"].str());
+}
+
+const config& flg_manager::get_default_faction(const config& cfg)
+{
+	const config& df = cfg.child("default_faction");
+	if (df) {
+		return df;
 	}
 	else {
-		return utils::split(cfg["recruit"].str());
+		return cfg;
 	}
 }
+
 } // end namespace ng
diff --git a/src/game_initialization/flg_manager.hpp b/src/game_initialization/flg_manager.hpp
index 7b4af19636bc..f185b4b1a70b 100644
--- a/src/game_initialization/flg_manager.hpp
+++ b/src/game_initialization/flg_manager.hpp
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@ class flg_manager
 	std::string default_leader_gender_;
 	const config* default_leader_cfg_;
 	static std::vector<std::string> get_original_recruits(const config& cfg);
+	static const config& get_default_faction(const config& cfg);
 };
 
 } // end namespace ng
diff --git a/src/team.cpp b/src/team.cpp
index b774f01baa69..c8fa2f1078d3 100644
--- a/src/team.cpp
+++ b/src/team.cpp
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ const boost::container::flat_set<std::string> team::attributes = boost::assign::
 	("countdown_time")("disallow_observers")("faction")
 	("faction_from_recruit")("faction_name")("gold_lock")("income_lock")
 	("leader")("random_leader")("team_lock")("terrain_liked")
-	("user_description")("default_recruit")("controller_lock")("chose_random")
+	("user_description")("controller_lock")("chose_random")
 	("disallow_shuffle")("description").convert_to_container<boost::container::flat_set<std::string> >();
 
 team::team_info::team_info() :
diff --git a/src/tests/test_mp_connect.cpp b/src/tests/test_mp_connect.cpp
index 4e7c5d77070c..0cc8f12a55b9 100644
--- a/src/tests/test_mp_connect.cpp
+++ b/src/tests/test_mp_connect.cpp
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ static ng::side_engine* create_side_engine(const config& defaults,
 {
 	config side_cfg = connect_engine->current_config()->child("side");
 	side_cfg.remove_attributes("faction");
+	side_cfg.clear_children("default_faction");
 	side_cfg.append(defaults);
 
 	return new ng::side_engine(side_cfg, *connect_engine, 0);