diff --git a/binaries/data/mods/public/simulation/components/PlayerManager.js b/binaries/data/mods/public/simulation/components/PlayerManager.js
index 0a706040a0..0c05cc43bf 100644
--- a/binaries/data/mods/public/simulation/components/PlayerManager.js
+++ b/binaries/data/mods/public/simulation/components/PlayerManager.js
@@ -31,8 +31,7 @@ PlayerManager.prototype.AddPlayer = function(ent)
 /**
  * To avoid possible problems with cached quantities (as in TechnologyManager),
  * we first remove all entities from this player, and add them back after the replacement.
- * Futhermore, because of the Engine.FlushDestroyedComponents, it should only be called during setup/init
- * and not during the game
+ * Note: This should only be called during setup/init and not during the game
  */
 PlayerManager.prototype.ReplacePlayer = function(id, ent)
 {
diff --git a/binaries/data/mods/public/simulation/helpers/InitGame.js b/binaries/data/mods/public/simulation/helpers/InitGame.js
index 7a1e70b799..e80f2bd9e8 100644
--- a/binaries/data/mods/public/simulation/helpers/InitGame.js
+++ b/binaries/data/mods/public/simulation/helpers/InitGame.js
@@ -24,21 +24,21 @@ function InitGame(settings)
 
 	let cmpRangeManager = Engine.QueryInterface(SYSTEM_ENTITY, IID_RangeManager);
 	if (settings.ExploreMap)
-		for (var i = 0; i < settings.PlayerData.length; i++)
-			cmpRangeManager.ExploreAllTiles(i+1);
+		for (let i = 1; i < settings.PlayerData.length; ++i)
+			cmpRangeManager.ExploreAllTiles(i);
 	else
 		// Explore the map only inside the players' territory borders
 		cmpRangeManager.ExploreTerritories();
 
 	let cmpPlayerManager = Engine.QueryInterface(SYSTEM_ENTITY, IID_PlayerManager);
 	let cmpAIManager = Engine.QueryInterface(SYSTEM_ENTITY, IID_AIManager);
-	for (let i = 0; i < settings.PlayerData.length; ++i)
+	for (let i = 1; i < settings.PlayerData.length; ++i)
 	{
-		let cmpPlayer = Engine.QueryInterface(cmpPlayerManager.GetPlayerByID(i+1), IID_Player);
+		let cmpPlayer = Engine.QueryInterface(cmpPlayerManager.GetPlayerByID(i), IID_Player);
 		cmpPlayer.SetCheatsEnabled(!!settings.CheatsEnabled);
 		if (settings.PlayerData[i] && settings.PlayerData[i].AI && settings.PlayerData[i].AI != "")
 		{
-			cmpAIManager.AddPlayer(settings.PlayerData[i].AI, i+1, +settings.PlayerData[i].AIDiff);
+			cmpAIManager.AddPlayer(settings.PlayerData[i].AI, i, +settings.PlayerData[i].AIDiff);
 			cmpPlayer.SetAI(true);
 			// Sandbox: 50%, very easy: 50%, easy: 66%, Medium: 100%, hard: 133%, very hard: 166%
 			cmpPlayer.SetGatherRateMultiplier(Math.max(0.5,(+settings.PlayerData[i].AIDiff)/3.0));
diff --git a/binaries/data/mods/public/simulation/helpers/Player.js b/binaries/data/mods/public/simulation/helpers/Player.js
index 2a6077885c..f57ab8bfde 100644
--- a/binaries/data/mods/public/simulation/helpers/Player.js
+++ b/binaries/data/mods/public/simulation/helpers/Player.js
@@ -19,43 +19,35 @@ function LoadPlayerSettings(settings, newPlayers)
 	if (!(rawData && rawData.PlayerData))
 		throw("Player.js: Error reading player_defaults.json");
 
+	// Add gaia to simplify iteration
+	if (settings.PlayerData)
+		settings.PlayerData.unshift({});
+
 	var playerDefaults = rawData.PlayerData;
+	var playerData = settings.PlayerData;
 
 	// Get player manager
 	var cmpPlayerManager = Engine.QueryInterface(SYSTEM_ENTITY, IID_PlayerManager);
 	var numPlayers = cmpPlayerManager.GetNumPlayers();
 
 	var cmpTemplateManager = Engine.QueryInterface(SYSTEM_ENTITY, IID_TemplateManager);
-	var templatesList = cmpTemplateManager.FindAllTemplates(false);
-	var previousPlayers = numPlayers;
 
 	// Remove existing players or add new ones
 	if (newPlayers)
 	{
 		var settingsNumPlayers = 9; // default 8 players + gaia
 
-		if (settings.PlayerData)
-			settingsNumPlayers = settings.PlayerData.length + 1; // including gaia
+		if (playerData)
+			settingsNumPlayers = playerData.length; // includes gaia (see above)
 		else
 			warn("Player.js: Setup has no player data - using defaults");
 
-		previousPlayers = Math.min(numPlayers, settingsNumPlayers);
-
 		while (settingsNumPlayers > numPlayers)
 		{
 			// Add player entity to engine
-			var playerTemplate = "special/player";
-			if (numPlayers > 0)
-			{
-				var pDefs = playerDefaults ? playerDefaults[numPlayers] : {};
-				var pData = settings.PlayerData ? settings.PlayerData[numPlayers-1] : {};
-				var civ = getSetting(pData, pDefs, "Civ");
-			}
-			else
-				var civ = "gaia";
-			if (templatesList.indexOf("special/"+civ+"_player") !== -1)
-				playerTemplate = "special/"+civ+"_player";
-			var entID = Engine.AddEntity(playerTemplate);
+			var civ = getSetting(playerData, playerDefaults, i, "Civ");
+			var template = cmpTemplateManager.TemplateExists("special/"+civ+"_player") ? "special/"+civ+"_player" : "special/player";
+			var entID = Engine.AddEntity(template);
 			var cmpPlayer = Engine.QueryInterface(entID, IID_Player);
 			if (!cmpPlayer)
 				throw("Player.js: Error creating player entity " + numPlayers);
@@ -72,19 +64,15 @@ function LoadPlayerSettings(settings, newPlayers)
 	}
 
 	// Even when no new player, we must check the template compatibility as player template may be civ dependent
-	for (var i = 1; i < previousPlayers; ++i)
+	for (var i = 0; i < numPlayers; ++i)
 	{
-		var pDefs = playerDefaults ? playerDefaults[i] : {};
-		var pData = settings.PlayerData ? settings.PlayerData[i-1] : {};
-		var civ = getSetting(pData, pDefs, "Civ");
-		var neededTemplate = "special/player";
-		if (templatesList.indexOf("special/"+civ+"_player") !== -1)
-			neededTemplate = "special/"+civ+"_player";
+		var civ = getSetting(playerData, playerDefaults, i, "Civ");
+		var template = cmpTemplateManager.TemplateExists("special/"+civ+"_player") ? "special/"+civ+"_player" : "special/player";
 		var entID = cmpPlayerManager.GetPlayerByID(i);
-		if (cmpTemplateManager.GetCurrentTemplateName(entID) === neededTemplate)
+		if (cmpTemplateManager.GetCurrentTemplateName(entID) === template)
 			continue;
 		// We need to recreate this player to have the right template
-		entID = Engine.AddEntity(neededTemplate);
+		entID = Engine.AddEntity(template);
 		cmpPlayerManager.ReplacePlayer(i, entID);
 	}
 
@@ -92,79 +80,70 @@ function LoadPlayerSettings(settings, newPlayers)
 	for (var i = 0; i < numPlayers; ++i)
 	{
 		var cmpPlayer = Engine.QueryInterface(cmpPlayerManager.GetPlayerByID(i), IID_Player);
-		var pDefs = playerDefaults ? playerDefaults[i] : {};
+		cmpPlayer.SetName(getSetting(playerData, playerDefaults, i, "Name"));
+		cmpPlayer.SetCiv(getSetting(playerData, playerDefaults, i, "Civ"));
+		var colour = getSetting(playerData, playerDefaults, i, "Colour");
+		cmpPlayer.SetColour(colour.r, colour.g, colour.b);
 
-		// Skip gaia
-		if (i > 0)
+		// Special case for gaia
+		if (i == 0)
 		{
-			var pData = settings.PlayerData ? settings.PlayerData[i-1] : {};
-
-			cmpPlayer.SetName(getSetting(pData, pDefs, "Name"));
-			cmpPlayer.SetCiv(getSetting(pData, pDefs, "Civ"));
-			var colour = getSetting(pData, pDefs, "Colour");
-			cmpPlayer.SetColour(colour.r, colour.g, colour.b);
-
-			// Note: this is not yet implemented but I leave it commented to highlight it's easy
-			// If anyone ever adds handicap.
-			//if (getSetting(pData, pDefs, "GatherRateMultiplier") !== undefined)
-			//	cmpPlayer.SetGatherRateMultiplier(getSetting(pData, pDefs, "GatherRateMultiplier"));
-
-			if (getSetting(pData, pDefs, "PopulationLimit") !== undefined)
-				cmpPlayer.SetMaxPopulation(getSetting(pData, pDefs, "PopulationLimit"));
-
-			if (getSetting(pData, pDefs, "Resources") !== undefined)
-				cmpPlayer.SetResourceCounts(getSetting(pData, pDefs, "Resources"));
-
-			// If diplomacy explicitly defined, use that; otherwise use teams
-			if (getSetting(pData, pDefs, "Diplomacy") !== undefined)
-				cmpPlayer.SetDiplomacy(getSetting(pData, pDefs, "Diplomacy"));
-			else
-			{
-				// Init diplomacy
-				var myTeam = getSetting(pData, pDefs, "Team");
-
-				// Set all but self as enemies as SetTeam takes care of allies
-				for (var j = 0; j < numPlayers; ++j)
-				{
-					if (i == j)
-						cmpPlayer.SetAlly(j);
-					else
-						cmpPlayer.SetEnemy(j);
-				}
-				cmpPlayer.SetTeam((myTeam !== undefined) ? myTeam : -1);
-			}
-
-			// If formations explicitly defined, use that; otherwise use civ defaults
-			var formations = getSetting(pData, pDefs, "Formations");
-			if (formations !== undefined)
-				cmpPlayer.SetFormations(formations);
-			else
-			{
-				var rawFormations = Engine.ReadCivJSONFile(cmpPlayer.GetCiv()+".json");
-				if (!(rawFormations && rawFormations.Formations))
-					throw("Player.js: Error reading "+cmpPlayer.GetCiv()+".json");
-
-				cmpPlayer.SetFormations(rawFormations.Formations);
-			}
-
-			var startCam = getSetting(pData, pDefs, "StartingCamera");
-			if (startCam !== undefined)
-				cmpPlayer.SetStartingCamera(startCam.Position, startCam.Rotation);
-		}
-		else
-		{
-			// Copy gaia data from defaults
-			cmpPlayer.SetName(pDefs.Name);
-			cmpPlayer.SetCiv(pDefs.Civ);
-			cmpPlayer.SetColour(pDefs.Colour.r, pDefs.Colour.g, pDefs.Colour.b);
-
 			// Gaia should be its own ally.
 			cmpPlayer.SetAlly(0);
 
 			// Gaia is everyone's enemy
 			for (var j = 1; j < numPlayers; ++j)
 				cmpPlayer.SetEnemy(j);
+
+			continue;
 		}
+
+		// Note: this is not yet implemented but I leave it commented to highlight it's easy
+		// If anyone ever adds handicap.
+		//if (getSetting(playerData, playerDefaults, i, "GatherRateMultiplier") !== undefined)
+		//	cmpPlayer.SetGatherRateMultiplier(getSetting(playerData, playerDefaults, i, "GatherRateMultiplier"));
+
+		if (getSetting(playerData, playerDefaults, i, "PopulationLimit") !== undefined)
+			cmpPlayer.SetMaxPopulation(getSetting(playerData, playerDefaults, i, "PopulationLimit"));
+
+		if (getSetting(playerData, playerDefaults, i, "Resources") !== undefined)
+			cmpPlayer.SetResourceCounts(getSetting(playerData, playerDefaults, i, "Resources"));
+
+		// If diplomacy explicitly defined, use that; otherwise use teams
+		if (getSetting(playerData, playerDefaults, i, "Diplomacy") !== undefined)
+			cmpPlayer.SetDiplomacy(getSetting(playerData, playerDefaults, i, "Diplomacy"));
+		else
+		{
+			// Init diplomacy
+			var myTeam = getSetting(playerData, playerDefaults, i, "Team");
+
+			// Set all but self as enemies as SetTeam takes care of allies
+			for (var j = 0; j < numPlayers; ++j)
+			{
+				if (i == j)
+					cmpPlayer.SetAlly(j);
+				else
+					cmpPlayer.SetEnemy(j);
+			}
+			cmpPlayer.SetTeam((myTeam !== undefined) ? myTeam : -1);
+		}
+
+		// If formations explicitly defined, use that; otherwise use civ defaults
+		var formations = getSetting(playerData, playerDefaults, i, "Formations");
+		if (formations !== undefined)
+			cmpPlayer.SetFormations(formations);
+		else
+		{
+			var rawFormations = Engine.ReadCivJSONFile(cmpPlayer.GetCiv()+".json");
+			if (!(rawFormations && rawFormations.Formations))
+				throw("Player.js: Error reading "+cmpPlayer.GetCiv()+".json");
+
+			cmpPlayer.SetFormations(rawFormations.Formations);
+		}
+
+		var startCam = getSetting(playerData, playerDefaults, i, "StartingCamera");
+		if (startCam !== undefined)
+			cmpPlayer.SetStartingCamera(startCam.Position, startCam.Rotation);
 	}
 
 	// NOTE: We need to do the team locking here, as otherwise
@@ -178,14 +157,14 @@ function LoadPlayerSettings(settings, newPlayers)
 }
 
 // Get a setting if it exists or return default
-function getSetting(settings, defaults, property)
+function getSetting(settings, defaults, idx, property)
 {
-	if (settings && (property in settings))
-		return settings[property];
+	if (settings && settings[idx] && (property in settings[idx]))
+		return settings[idx][property];
 
 	// Use defaults
-	if (defaults && (property in defaults))
-		return defaults[property];
+	if (defaults && defaults[idx] && (property in defaults[idx]))
+		return defaults[idx][property];
 
 	return undefined;
 }
diff --git a/source/ps/TemplateLoader.cpp b/source/ps/TemplateLoader.cpp
index d692f6799d..d2e8345849 100644
--- a/source/ps/TemplateLoader.cpp
+++ b/source/ps/TemplateLoader.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* Copyright (C) 2014 Wildfire Games.
+/* Copyright (C) 2015 Wildfire Games.
  * This file is part of 0 A.D.
  *
  * 0 A.D. is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
@@ -206,6 +206,13 @@ static Status AddActorToTemplates(const VfsPath& pathname, const CFileInfo& UNUS
 	return INFO::OK;
 }
 
+bool CTemplateLoader::TemplateExists(const std::string& templateName)
+{
+	size_t pos = templateName.rfind('|');
+	std::string baseName(pos != std::string::npos ? templateName.substr(pos+1) : templateName);
+	return VfsFileExists(VfsPath(TEMPLATE_ROOT) / wstring_from_utf8(baseName + ".xml"));
+}
+
 std::vector<std::string> CTemplateLoader::FindPlaceableTemplates(const std::string& path, bool includeSubdirectories, ETemplatesType templatesType, ScriptInterface& scriptInterface)
 {
 	JSContext* cx = scriptInterface.GetContext();
diff --git a/source/ps/TemplateLoader.h b/source/ps/TemplateLoader.h
index 7f471aaa6b..816c4f1964 100644
--- a/source/ps/TemplateLoader.h
+++ b/source/ps/TemplateLoader.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* Copyright (C) 2014 Wildfire Games.
+/* Copyright (C) 2015 Wildfire Games.
  * This file is part of 0 A.D.
  *
  * 0 A.D. is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
@@ -54,6 +54,11 @@ public:
 	 */
 	const CParamNode& GetTemplateFileData(const std::string& templateName);
 
+	/**
+	 * Check if the template XML file exits, without trying to load it.
+	 */
+	bool TemplateExists(const std::string& templateName);
+
 	/**
 	 * Returns a list of strings that could be validly passed as @c templateName to LoadTemplateFile.
 	 * (This includes "actor|foo" etc names).
diff --git a/source/simulation2/components/CCmpTemplateManager.cpp b/source/simulation2/components/CCmpTemplateManager.cpp
index dcf721ce39..ffb3cd82ce 100644
--- a/source/simulation2/components/CCmpTemplateManager.cpp
+++ b/source/simulation2/components/CCmpTemplateManager.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* Copyright (C) 2014 Wildfire Games.
+/* Copyright (C) 2015 Wildfire Games.
  * This file is part of 0 A.D.
  *
  * 0 A.D. is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
@@ -124,6 +124,8 @@ public:
 
 	virtual const CParamNode* GetTemplateWithoutValidation(std::string templateName);
 
+	virtual bool TemplateExists(std::string templateName);
+
 	virtual const CParamNode* LoadLatestTemplate(entity_id_t ent);
 
 	virtual std::string GetCurrentTemplateName(entity_id_t ent);
@@ -212,6 +214,11 @@ const CParamNode* CCmpTemplateManager::GetTemplateWithoutValidation(std::string
 	return &templateRoot;
 }
 
+bool CCmpTemplateManager::TemplateExists(std::string templateName)
+{
+	return m_templateLoader.TemplateExists(templateName);
+}
+
 const CParamNode* CCmpTemplateManager::LoadLatestTemplate(entity_id_t ent)
 {
 	std::map<entity_id_t, std::string>::const_iterator it = m_LatestTemplates.find(ent);
diff --git a/source/simulation2/components/ICmpTemplateManager.cpp b/source/simulation2/components/ICmpTemplateManager.cpp
index c0af33ac8f..b2b343cf3e 100644
--- a/source/simulation2/components/ICmpTemplateManager.cpp
+++ b/source/simulation2/components/ICmpTemplateManager.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* Copyright (C) 2010 Wildfire Games.
+/* Copyright (C) 2015 Wildfire Games.
  * This file is part of 0 A.D.
  *
  * 0 A.D. is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 BEGIN_INTERFACE_WRAPPER(TemplateManager)
 DEFINE_INTERFACE_METHOD_1("GetTemplate", const CParamNode*, ICmpTemplateManager, GetTemplate, std::string)
 DEFINE_INTERFACE_METHOD_1("GetTemplateWithoutValidation", const CParamNode*, ICmpTemplateManager, GetTemplateWithoutValidation, std::string)
+DEFINE_INTERFACE_METHOD_1("TemplateExists", bool, ICmpTemplateManager, TemplateExists, std::string)
 DEFINE_INTERFACE_METHOD_1("GetCurrentTemplateName", std::string, ICmpTemplateManager, GetCurrentTemplateName, entity_id_t)
 DEFINE_INTERFACE_METHOD_1("FindAllTemplates", std::vector<std::string>, ICmpTemplateManager, FindAllTemplates, bool)
 DEFINE_INTERFACE_METHOD_1("GetEntitiesUsingTemplate", std::vector<entity_id_t>, ICmpTemplateManager, GetEntitiesUsingTemplate, std::string)
diff --git a/source/simulation2/components/ICmpTemplateManager.h b/source/simulation2/components/ICmpTemplateManager.h
index 8830adbfb8..999fb272bb 100644
--- a/source/simulation2/components/ICmpTemplateManager.h
+++ b/source/simulation2/components/ICmpTemplateManager.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* Copyright (C) 2014 Wildfire Games.
+/* Copyright (C) 2015 Wildfire Games.
  * This file is part of 0 A.D.
  *
  * 0 A.D. is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
@@ -73,6 +73,11 @@ public:
 	 */
 	virtual const CParamNode* GetTemplateWithoutValidation(std::string templateName) = 0;
 
+	/**
+	 * Check if the template XML file exists, without trying to load it.
+	 */
+	virtual bool TemplateExists(std::string templateName) = 0;
+
 	/**
 	 * Returns the template most recently specified for the entity 'ent'.
 	 * Used during deserialization.
diff --git a/source/tools/atlas/AtlasUI/ScenarioEditor/Sections/Player/Player.cpp b/source/tools/atlas/AtlasUI/ScenarioEditor/Sections/Player/Player.cpp
index 1d9aa52f46..e3599545ed 100644
--- a/source/tools/atlas/AtlasUI/ScenarioEditor/Sections/Player/Player.cpp
+++ b/source/tools/atlas/AtlasUI/ScenarioEditor/Sections/Player/Player.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* Copyright (C) 2014 Wildfire Games.
+/* Copyright (C) 2015 Wildfire Games.
  * This file is part of 0 A.D.
  *
  * 0 A.D. is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
@@ -668,7 +668,7 @@ void PlayerSettingsControl::ReadFromEngine()
 		m_NumPlayers = MAX_NUM_PLAYERS;
 	}
 	else
-		m_NumPlayers = player.count();
+		m_NumPlayers = player.count() - 1; // skip gaia
 
 	wxASSERT(m_NumPlayers <= MAX_NUM_PLAYERS && m_NumPlayers != 0);