diff --git a/src/TLuaInterpreter.cpp b/src/TLuaInterpreter.cpp
index 096686a54c8..e1fda1903c1 100644
--- a/src/TLuaInterpreter.cpp
+++ b/src/TLuaInterpreter.cpp
@@ -6608,7 +6608,7 @@ int TLuaInterpreter::setCustomEnvColor( lua_State *L )
 
 int TLuaInterpreter::setAreaName( lua_State *L )
 {
-    int id;
+    int id = -1;
     QString existingName;
     QString newName;
     Host * pHost = TLuaInterpreter::luaInterpreterMap[L];
@@ -6633,12 +6633,16 @@ int TLuaInterpreter::setAreaName( lua_State *L )
                             .arg( id ).toUtf8().constData() );
             return 2;
         }
-        else if( ! pHost->mpMap->mpRoomDB->getAreaIDList().contains( id ) ) {
-            lua_pushnil( L );
-            lua_pushstring( L, tr( "setAreaName: bad argument #1 value (area Id=%1 does not exist)." )
-                            .arg( id ).toUtf8().constData() );
-            return 2;
-        }
+// Strangely, previous code allowed this command to create a NEW area's name
+// with this ID, but without a TArea instance to accompany it (the latter was/is
+// instantiated as needed when a room is moved to the relevent area...) and we
+// need to continue to allow this - Slysven
+//        else if( ! pHost->mpMap->mpRoomDB->getAreaIDList().contains( id ) ) {
+//            lua_pushnil( L );
+//            lua_pushstring( L, tr( "setAreaName: bad argument #1 value (area Id=%1 does not exist)." )
+//                            .arg( id ).toUtf8().constData() );
+//            return 2;
+//        }
     }
     else if( lua_isstring( L, 1 ) ) {
         existingName = QString::fromUtf8( lua_tostring( L, 1 ) );
@@ -6702,10 +6706,11 @@ int TLuaInterpreter::setAreaName( lua_State *L )
 
     bool isCurrentAreaRenamed = false;
     if( pHost->mpMap->mpMapper ) {
-        if( pHost->mpMap->mpRoomDB->getAreaNamesMap().value( id ) == pHost->mpMap->mpMapper->showArea->currentText() ) {
+        if( id > 0 && pHost->mpMap->mpRoomDB->getAreaNamesMap().value( id ) == pHost->mpMap->mpMapper->showArea->currentText() ) {
             isCurrentAreaRenamed = true;
         }
     }
+
     bool result = pHost->mpMap->mpRoomDB->setAreaName( id, newName );
     if( result ) {
         // Update mapper Area names widget, using method designed for it...!
@@ -6858,7 +6863,8 @@ int TLuaInterpreter::deleteArea( lua_State *L )
                             .arg( id ).toUtf8().constData() );
             return 2;
         }
-        else if( ! pHost->mpMap->mpRoomDB->getAreaIDList().contains( id ) ) {
+        else if(    ! pHost->mpMap->mpRoomDB->getAreaIDList().contains( id )
+                 && ! pHost->mpMap->mpRoomDB->getAreaNamesMap().contains( id ) ) {
             lua_pushnil( L );
             lua_pushstring( L, tr( "deleteArea: bad argument #1 value (area Id=%1 does not exist)." )
                             .arg( id ).toUtf8().constData() );
diff --git a/src/TRoomDB.cpp b/src/TRoomDB.cpp
index a088d1c3ad1..31f9873da8c 100644
--- a/src/TRoomDB.cpp
+++ b/src/TRoomDB.cpp
@@ -182,6 +182,11 @@ bool TRoomDB::removeArea( int id )
         mpMap->mMapGraphNeedsUpdate = true;
         return true;
     }
+    else if( areaNamesMap.contains( id ) ) {
+        // Handle corner case where the area name was created but not used
+        areaNamesMap.remove( id );
+        return true;
+    }
     return false;
 }
 
@@ -279,6 +284,10 @@ bool TRoomDB::setAreaName( int areaID, QString name )
         }
     }
     areaNamesMap[areaID] = name;
+    // This creates a NEW area name with given areaID if the ID was not
+    // previously used - but the TArea only gets created if the user manually
+    // creates it with TLuaInterpreter::addArea(areaId), OR moves a room to the
+    // area with either a Lua command or GUI action.
     return true;
 }