diff --git a/src/data/backwardsCompatibility/pitBC.js b/src/data/backwardsCompatibility/pitBC.js
index c6303e044a4b96987a78935695d36c7a2079e7c9..1bd08cc35916812c8dd3b7a172fee8762cffc225 100644
--- a/src/data/backwardsCompatibility/pitBC.js
+++ b/src/data/backwardsCompatibility/pitBC.js
@@ -60,8 +60,13 @@ App.Facilities.Pit.BC = function() {
 		if (V.pit.minimumHealth !== true && V.pit.minimumHealth !== false) {
 			V.pit.minimumHealth = true;
 		}
-		if (V.pit.slavesFighting !== null && V.pit.slavesFighting.length !== 2) {
-			V.pit.slavesFighting = null;
+		if (V.pit.slavesFighting !== null) {
+			if (V.pit.slavesFighting.length !== 2) {
+				V.pit.slavesFighting = null;
+			} else if (!V.pit.slavesFighting.reduce((acc, id) => acc && !!getSlave(id), true)) {
+				// a slave scheduled to fight isn't owned anymore
+				V.pit.slavesFighting = null;
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/facilities/pit/pit.js b/src/facilities/pit/pit.js
index 4b377f034145e3b5eb4e5029b2d91d2c384f21e1..15f070c61c0f214e7e1c207a08b847bd1a4c3c14 100644
--- a/src/facilities/pit/pit.js
+++ b/src/facilities/pit/pit.js
@@ -69,8 +69,8 @@ App.Facilities.Pit.pit = function() {
 		if (V.pit.slavesFighting !== null) {
 			const [slave1, slave2] = V.pit.slavesFighting;
 
-			el.append(`You have scheduled `, App.UI.DOM.slaveDescriptionDialog(getSlave(slave1)), ` and `,
-				contextualIntro(getSlave(slave1), getSlave(slave2), true), " to fight this week.");
+			el.append(`You have scheduled `, App.UI.DOM.referenceSlaveWithPreview(getSlave(slave1), SlaveFullName(getSlave(slave1))), ` and `,
+				App.UI.DOM.referenceSlaveWithPreview(getSlave(slave2), SlaveFullName(getSlave(slave2))), " to fight this week.");
 
 			App.UI.DOM.appendNewElement("div", el, App.UI.DOM.link(`Cancel it`, () => {
 				V.pit.slavesFighting = null;
diff --git a/src/facilities/pit/pitWorkaround.js b/src/facilities/pit/pitWorkaround.js
index f0a40dcb0a08232190beb1e9967bc8f2239dbecd..b4f8fe0bcdc7401360f7a5de5f00c28ed95e488c 100644
--- a/src/facilities/pit/pitWorkaround.js
+++ b/src/facilities/pit/pitWorkaround.js
@@ -24,21 +24,23 @@ App.Facilities.Pit.workaround = function() {
 	);
 
 	for (const slave of V.slaves) {
+		const div = document.createElement("div");
 		if (V.pit.slavesFighting.includes(slave.ID)) {
-			App.UI.DOM.appendNewElement("div", f, SlaveFullName(slave), ['indent']);
+			div.append("Assign");
 		} else {
-			App.UI.DOM.appendNewElement("div", f, App.UI.DOM.link(SlaveFullName(slave), () => {
+			div.append(App.UI.DOM.link("Assign", () => {
 				if (V.pit.slavesFighting.length > 1) {
 					V.pit.slavesFighting.shift();
 				}
-
 				V.pit.slavesFighting.push(slave.ID);
 
-				V.passageSwitchHandler = () => { };
+				V.passageSwitchHandler = () => {
+				};
 				App.UI.reload();
-				V.passageSwitchHandler = passageHandler;
-			}), ['indent']);
+			}));
 		}
+		div.append(" ", App.UI.DOM.referenceSlaveWithPreview(slave, SlaveFullName(slave)));
+		f.append(div);
 	}
 
 	function passageHandler() {
diff --git a/src/js/removeSlave.js b/src/js/removeSlave.js
index 6cdb3c72a919c34b9ddb1d82a0573180afd3764c..eefd9a8a4180914330403bd31714e638e7040b6a 100644
--- a/src/js/removeSlave.js
+++ b/src/js/removeSlave.js
@@ -124,6 +124,10 @@ globalThis.removeSlave = function(slave) {
 		if (V.pit && V.pit.fighterIDs) {
 			V.pit.fighterIDs.delete(AS_ID);
 		}
+		// scheduled pit fight
+		if (V.pit && V.pit.slavesFighting.includes(AS_ID)) {
+			V.pit.slavesFighting = null;
+		}
 
 		/* remove from Coursing Association, if needed */
 		if (V.LurcherID === AS_ID) {