diff --git a/src/mechanics.cpp b/src/mechanics.cpp
index 79c76f65f50..d56dae5777b 100644
--- a/src/mechanics.cpp
+++ b/src/mechanics.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ bool mechanicsShutdown()
 {
 	for (BASE_OBJECT* psObj : psDestroyedObj)
 	{
-		objmemDestroy(psObj);
+		objmemDestroy(psObj, true);
 	}
 	psDestroyedObj.clear();
 
diff --git a/src/objmem.cpp b/src/objmem.cpp
index e491183efbd..12c3457fbf3 100644
--- a/src/objmem.cpp
+++ b/src/objmem.cpp
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ static bool checkReferences(BASE_OBJECT *psVictim)
 
 /* Remove an object from the destroyed list, finally freeing its memory
  * Hopefully by this time, no pointers still refer to it! */
-bool objmemDestroy(BASE_OBJECT *psObj)
+bool objmemDestroy(BASE_OBJECT *psObj, bool checkRefs)
 {
 	switch (psObj->type)
 	{
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ bool objmemDestroy(BASE_OBJECT *psObj)
 	default:
 		ASSERT(!"unknown object type", "unknown object type in destroyed list at 0x%p", static_cast<void *>(psObj));
 	}
-	if (!checkReferences(psObj))
+	if (checkRefs && !checkReferences(psObj))
 	{
 		return false;
 	}
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ void objmemUpdate()
 	{
 		if ((*it)->died <= gameTime - deltaGameTime)
 		{
-			objmemDestroy(*it);
+			objmemDestroy(*it, true);
 			it = psDestroyedObj.erase(it);
 		}
 		else
diff --git a/src/objmem.h b/src/objmem.h
index 924dec133d4..9946c857079 100644
--- a/src/objmem.h
+++ b/src/objmem.h
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ void objmemUpdate();
 
 /* Remove an object from the destroyed list, finally freeing its memory
  * Hopefully by this time, no pointers still refer to it! */
-bool objmemDestroy(BASE_OBJECT* psObj);
+bool objmemDestroy(BASE_OBJECT* psObj, bool checkRefs);
 
 /// Generates a new, (hopefully) unique object id.
 uint32_t generateNewObjectId();