diff --git a/ai/tex/texaiplayer.c b/ai/tex/texaiplayer.c
index cc1c14d973..d40d5bce1e 100644
--- a/ai/tex/texaiplayer.c
+++ b/ai/tex/texaiplayer.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include "city.h"
 #include "game.h"
 #include "map.h"
+#include "player.h"
 #include "unit.h"
 
 /* server/advisors */
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ struct texai_thr
   int num_players;
   struct texai_msgs msgs_to;
   struct texai_reqs reqs_from;
+  struct player_list* controlled_players;
   bool thread_running;
   fc_thread ait;
 } exthrai;
@@ -75,6 +77,7 @@ void texai_init_threading(void)
   exthrai.thread_running = FALSE;
 
   exthrai.num_players = 0;
+  exthrai.controlled_players = player_list_new();
 }
 
 /**********************************************************************//**
@@ -332,6 +335,8 @@ void texai_control_gained(struct ai_type *ait, struct player *pplayer)
       } unit_list_iterate_end;
     } players_iterate_end;
   }
+
+  player_list_append(exthrai.controlled_players, pplayer);
 }
 
 /**********************************************************************//**
@@ -339,9 +344,17 @@ void texai_control_gained(struct ai_type *ait, struct player *pplayer)
 **************************************************************************/
 void texai_control_lost(struct ai_type *ait, struct player *pplayer)
 {
+  /* do we actually control the player? The game doesn't tell us */
+  if (player_list_search(exthrai.controlled_players, pplayer) == NULL) {
+    /* we never actually did have control */
+    log_debug("%s not actually under tex AI control, nothing to release",
+              pplayer->name);
+    return;
+  }
   exthrai.num_players--;
+  player_list_remove(exthrai.controlled_players, pplayer);
 
-  log_debug("%s no longer under threaded AI (%d)", pplayer->name,
+  log_debug("%s no longer under tex AI (%d)", pplayer->name,
             exthrai.num_players);
 
   if (exthrai.num_players <= 0) {