diff --git a/src/alchemy.c b/src/alchemy.c
index a1dd86c0a..ace6a62dd 100644
--- a/src/alchemy.c
+++ b/src/alchemy.c
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ void herbsearch(unit * u, int max)
     herbsfound = ntimespprob(effsk * u->number,
         (double)rherbs(r) / 100.0F, -0.01F);
     herbsfound = _min(herbsfound, max);
-    rsetherbs(r, (short) (rherbs(r) - herbsfound));
+    rsetherbs(r, rherbs(r) - herbsfound);
 
     if (herbsfound) {
         produceexp(u, SK_HERBALISM, u->number);
diff --git a/src/economy.c b/src/economy.c
index 6311d0c3a..12843bd58 100644
--- a/src/economy.c
+++ b/src/economy.c
@@ -2298,7 +2298,8 @@ static void plant(unit * u, int raw)
     /* Alles ok. Abziehen. */
     use_pooled(u, rt_water, GET_DEFAULT, 1);
     use_pooled(u, itype->rtype, GET_DEFAULT, n);
-    rsetherbs(r, (short) (rherbs(r) + planted));
+    /* TODO should there a region maximum for herbs? */
+    rsetherbs(r, rherbs(r) + planted);
     ADDMSG(&u->faction->msgs, msg_message("plant", "unit region amount herb",
         u, r, planted, itype->rtype));
 }
diff --git a/src/kernel/CMakeLists.txt b/src/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
index b1c3bcd0f..9c3b7d888 100644
--- a/src/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ build.test.c
 config.test.c
 group.test.c
 faction.test.c
+region.test.c
 unit.test.c
 save.test.c
 ship.test.c
diff --git a/src/kernel/region.c b/src/kernel/region.c
index ed56851ee..5add8f7b2 100644
--- a/src/kernel/region.c
+++ b/src/kernel/region.c
@@ -598,12 +598,13 @@ int rpeasants(const region * r)
     return r->land ? r->land->peasants : 0;
 }
 
-void rsetpeasants(region * r, int value)
+int rsetpeasants(const region * r, int value)
 {
+    assert(value >= 0);
     if (r->land) {
-        assert(value >= 0);
-        r->land->peasants = value;
+        return r->land->peasants = value;
     }
+    return 0;
 }
 
 int rmoney(const region * r)
@@ -611,12 +612,13 @@ int rmoney(const region * r)
     return r->land ? r->land->money : 0;
 }
 
-void rsethorses(const region * r, int value)
+int rsethorses(const region * r, int value)
 {
+    assert(value >= 0);
     if (r->land) {
-        assert(value >= 0);
-        r->land->horses = value;
+        return r->land->horses = value;
     }
+    return 0;
 }
 
 int rhorses(const region * r)
@@ -624,12 +626,13 @@ int rhorses(const region * r)
     return r->land ? r->land->horses : 0;
 }
 
-void rsetmoney(region * r, int value)
+int rsetmoney(const region * r, int value)
 {
+    assert(value >= 0);
     if (r->land) {
-        assert(value >= 0);
-        r->land->money = value;
+        return r->land->money = value;
     }
+    return 0;
 }
 
 int rherbs(const struct region *r)
@@ -637,12 +640,13 @@ int rherbs(const struct region *r)
     return r->land?r->land->herbs:0;
 }
 
-void rsetherbs(const struct region *r, int value)
+int rsetherbs(const struct region *r, int value)
 {
+    assert(value >= 0 && value < (1 << 15));
     if (r->land) {
-        assert(value >= 0);
-        r->land->herbs = (short)(value);
+        return r->land->herbs = (short)(value);
     }
+    return 0;
 }
 
 
@@ -704,12 +708,11 @@ int rtrees(const region * r, int ageclass)
 
 int rsettrees(const region * r, int ageclass, int value)
 {
-    if (!r->land)
-        assert(value == 0);
-    else {
+    if (r->land) {
         assert(value >= 0);
         return r->land->trees[ageclass] = value;
     }
+    assert(value == 0);
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -1124,7 +1127,7 @@ void terraform_region(region * r, const terrain_type * terrain)
         }
         if (itype != NULL) {
             rsetherbtype(r, itype);
-            rsetherbs(r, (short)(50 + rng_int() % 31));
+            rsetherbs(r, 50 +  rng_int() % 31);
         }
         else {
             rsetherbtype(r, NULL);
diff --git a/src/kernel/region.h b/src/kernel/region.h
index 5974fd96c..b2d33e9f0 100644
--- a/src/kernel/region.h
+++ b/src/kernel/region.h
@@ -195,14 +195,14 @@ extern "C" {
     int rsettrees(const struct region *r, int ageclass, int value);
 
     int rpeasants(const struct region *r);
-    void rsetpeasants(struct region *r, int value);
+    int rsetpeasants(const struct region *r, int value);
     int rmoney(const struct region *r);
-    void rsetmoney(struct region *r, int value);
+    int rsetmoney(const struct region *r, int value);
     int rhorses(const struct region *r);
-    void rsethorses(const struct region *r, int value);
+    int rsethorses(const struct region *r, int value);
 
     int rherbs(const struct region *r);
-    void rsetherbs(const struct region *r, int value);
+    int rsetherbs(const struct region *r, int value);
 
 #define rbuildings(r) ((r)->buildings)
 
diff --git a/src/kernel/region.test.c b/src/kernel/region.test.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..da7c36780
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/kernel/region.test.c
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+#include <platform.h>
+#include <kernel/config.h>
+#include <kernel/terrain.h>
+#include "region.h"
+
+#include <CuTest.h>
+#include <tests.h>
+
+#include <assert.h>
+
+static void assert_setter(CuTest *tc, int (*setter)(const region *, int),
+    int (*getter)(const region *), region *land, region *ocean, bool throwaway) {
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 0, setter(land, 0));
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 0, getter(land));
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 42, setter(land, 42));
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 42, getter(land));
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 0, setter(ocean, 0));
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 0, getter(ocean));
+    if (throwaway) {
+        CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 0, setter(ocean, 42));
+        CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 0, getter(ocean));
+    }
+}
+
+static int t_settrees0(const region *r, int trees) {
+    return rsettrees(r, 0, trees);
+}
+
+static int t_trees0(const region *r) {
+    return rtrees(r, 0);
+}
+
+static void test_setters(CuTest *tc) {
+    region *land, *ocean;
+
+    test_cleanup();
+    test_create_world();
+    land = findregion(0, 0);
+    ocean = findregion(-1, 0);
+    assert(fval(ocean->terrain, SEA_REGION) && fval(land->terrain, LAND_REGION));
+
+    assert_setter(tc, rsetherbs, rherbs, land, ocean, true);
+    assert_setter(tc, rsethorses, rhorses, land, ocean, true);
+    assert_setter(tc, rsetmoney, rmoney, land, ocean, true);
+    assert_setter(tc, rsetpeasants, rpeasants, land, ocean, true);
+    assert_setter(tc, t_settrees0, t_trees0, land, ocean, false);
+
+    test_cleanup();
+}
+
+CuSuite *get_region_suite(void)
+{
+    CuSuite *suite = CuSuiteNew();
+    SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_setters);
+    return suite;
+}
diff --git a/src/kernel/save.c b/src/kernel/save.c
index d4df2b6f8..40894b3cd 100644
--- a/src/kernel/save.c
+++ b/src/kernel/save.c
@@ -946,7 +946,7 @@ static region *readregion(struct gamedata *data, int x, int y)
             rsetherbtype(r, NULL);
         }
         READ_INT(data->store, &n);
-        rsetherbs(r, (short)n);
+        rsetherbs(r, n);
         READ_INT(data->store, &n);
         rsetpeasants(r, n);
         READ_INT(data->store, &n);
diff --git a/src/kernel/terrain.h b/src/kernel/terrain.h
index 931a74861..75368b54e 100644
--- a/src/kernel/terrain.h
+++ b/src/kernel/terrain.h
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ extern "C" {
 #define SWIM_INTO		     (1<<8)     /* man darf hierhin schwimmen */
 #define WALK_INTO		     (1<<9)     /* man darf hierhin laufen */
 
+    struct region;
+
     typedef struct production_rule {
         char *name;
         const struct resource_type *rtype;
diff --git a/src/laws.c b/src/laws.c
index 7dc6cd0af..bbb7ee342 100755
--- a/src/laws.c
+++ b/src/laws.c
@@ -692,7 +692,7 @@ growing_herbs(region * r, const int current_season, const int last_weeks_season)
         int i;
         for (i = rherbs(r); i > 0; i--) {
             if (rng_int() % 100 < (100 - rherbs(r)))
-                rsetherbs(r, (short)(rherbs(r) + 1));
+                rsetherbs(r, rherbs(r) + 1);
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/test_eressea.c b/src/test_eressea.c
index f3d4b71ae..adc8b243d 100644
--- a/src/test_eressea.c
+++ b/src/test_eressea.c
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ int RunAllTests(int argc, char *argv[])
     ADD_SUITE(item);
     ADD_SUITE(magic);
     ADD_SUITE(alchemy);
+    ADD_SUITE(region);
     ADD_SUITE(reports);
     ADD_SUITE(save);
     ADD_SUITE(ship);