diff --git a/source/game/game_engine.c b/source/game/game_engine.c
index 84bb011c..51063a48 100644
--- a/source/game/game_engine.c
+++ b/source/game/game_engine.c
@@ -4662,9 +4662,64 @@ static struct
 	real_vector3d forward;
 	real_vector3d up;
 	long idle_since;
+	/* (the scenario name the map's scripts teleport; NONE when it had none) */
+	short name_index;
 } game_engine_vehicle_homes[MAXIMUM_VEHICLE_HOMES];
 static short game_engine_vehicle_home_count = NONE;
 
+/* still on the pad the map put it on: further than this, and empty, it can
+come back */
+#define VEHICLE_HOME_AWAY_SQUARED 4.0f
+
+/* the vehicle this home should follow. The recorded one, if it is still
+alive. A map script often destroys that one and creates it again under the
+same name: that one is this home's vehicle, and a second is not put on the
+pad with it. */
+static long game_engine_vehicle_home_current(
+	short home)
+{
+	long object_index = game_engine_vehicle_homes[home].object_index;
+	struct unit_datum *vehicle = unit_try_and_get(object_index);
+	long named_index;
+	struct object_iterator iterator;
+
+	if (vehicle && !TEST_FLAG(vehicle->object.damage_flags, _object_dead_bit))
+		return object_index;
+
+	named_index = game_engine_vehicle_homes[home].name_index == NONE ? NONE :
+		object_index_from_name_index(game_engine_vehicle_homes[home].name_index);
+	vehicle = unit_try_and_get(named_index);
+	if (vehicle && !TEST_FLAG(vehicle->object.damage_flags, _object_dead_bit))
+	{
+		game_engine_vehicle_homes[home].object_index = named_index;
+		return named_index;
+	}
+
+	object_iterator_new(&iterator, _object_mask_vehicle, 0);
+	while (object_iterator_next(&iterator))
+	{
+		struct object_datum *object = object_get(iterator.index);
+		real dx = object->object.position.x - game_engine_vehicle_homes[home].position.x;
+		real dy = object->object.position.y - game_engine_vehicle_homes[home].position.y;
+		real dz = object->object.position.z - game_engine_vehicle_homes[home].position.z;
+
+		if (TEST_FLAG(object->object.damage_flags, _object_dead_bit) ||
+			object->definition_index != game_engine_vehicle_homes[home].definition_index ||
+			dx * dx + dy * dy + dz * dz > VEHICLE_HOME_AWAY_SQUARED)
+		{
+			continue;
+		}
+		game_engine_vehicle_homes[home].object_index = iterator.index;
+		if (game_engine_vehicle_homes[home].name_index == NONE)
+			game_engine_vehicle_homes[home].name_index = object->object.name_index;
+		else
+			object_claim_scenario_name(iterator.index, game_engine_vehicle_homes[home].name_index);
+		return iterator.index;
+	}
+
+	return NONE;
+}
+
 static void game_engine_update_vehicle_respawn(
 	void)
 {
@@ -4692,11 +4747,13 @@ static void game_engine_update_vehicle_respawn(
 			object_get_orientation(iterator.index, &game_engine_vehicle_homes[home].forward,
 				&game_engine_vehicle_homes[home].up);
 			game_engine_vehicle_homes[home].idle_since = NONE;
+			game_engine_vehicle_homes[home].name_index = object->object.name_index;
 		}
 	}
 	for (index = 0; index < game_engine_vehicle_home_count; index++)
 	{
-		struct unit_datum *vehicle = unit_try_and_get(game_engine_vehicle_homes[index].object_index);
+		long object_index = game_engine_vehicle_home_current(index);
+		struct unit_datum *vehicle = unit_try_and_get(object_index);
 		boolean waiting = TRUE;
 
 		if (vehicle && !TEST_FLAG(vehicle->object.damage_flags, _object_dead_bit))
@@ -4710,7 +4767,7 @@ static void game_engine_update_vehicle_respawn(
 			/* (empty: no rider among its children, which hold its own
 			weapons too) */
 			waiting = vehicle->unit.driver_object_index == NONE && vehicle->unit.gunner_object_index == NONE &&
-				dx * dx + dy * dy + dz * dz > 4.0f;
+				dx * dx + dy * dy + dz * dz > VEHICLE_HOME_AWAY_SQUARED;
 			for (child_index = vehicle->object.first_child_object_index; waiting && child_index != NONE;
 				child_index = object_get(child_index)->object.next_object_index)
 			{
@@ -4725,14 +4782,54 @@ static void game_engine_update_vehicle_respawn(
 		else if (now - game_engine_vehicle_homes[index].idle_since >= respawn_ticks)
 		{
 			struct object_placement_data placement_data;
+			struct object_iterator iterator;
+			long stale_index = game_engine_vehicle_homes[index].object_index;
+			long named_index = game_engine_vehicle_homes[index].name_index == NONE ? NONE :
+				object_index_from_name_index(game_engine_vehicle_homes[index].name_index);
+			long on_pad = NONE;
 
-			if (vehicle)
-				object_delete(game_engine_vehicle_homes[index].object_index);
+			/* (a vehicle of this kind is already there: follow that one,
+			rather than putting another on top of it) */
+			object_iterator_new(&iterator, _object_mask_vehicle, 0);
+			while (object_iterator_next(&iterator))
+			{
+				struct object_datum *occupant = object_get(iterator.index);
+				real dx = occupant->object.position.x - game_engine_vehicle_homes[index].position.x;
+				real dy = occupant->object.position.y - game_engine_vehicle_homes[index].position.y;
+				real dz = occupant->object.position.z - game_engine_vehicle_homes[index].position.z;
+
+				if (iterator.index == object_index ||
+					TEST_FLAG(occupant->object.damage_flags, _object_dead_bit) ||
+					occupant->definition_index != game_engine_vehicle_homes[index].definition_index ||
+					dx * dx + dy * dy + dz * dz > VEHICLE_HOME_AWAY_SQUARED)
+				{
+					continue;
+				}
+				on_pad = iterator.index;
+				break;
+			}
+			if (on_pad != NONE)
+			{
+				game_engine_vehicle_homes[index].object_index = on_pad;
+				if (game_engine_vehicle_homes[index].name_index == NONE)
+					game_engine_vehicle_homes[index].name_index = object_get(on_pad)->object.name_index;
+				else
+					object_claim_scenario_name(on_pad, game_engine_vehicle_homes[index].name_index);
+				game_engine_vehicle_homes[index].idle_since = NONE;
+				continue;
+			}
+			if (unit_try_and_get(stale_index))
+				object_delete(stale_index);
+			if (named_index != stale_index && unit_try_and_get(named_index))
+				object_delete(named_index);
 			object_placement_data_new(&placement_data, game_engine_vehicle_homes[index].definition_index, NONE);
 			placement_data.position = game_engine_vehicle_homes[index].position;
 			placement_data.forward = game_engine_vehicle_homes[index].forward;
 			placement_data.up = game_engine_vehicle_homes[index].up;
 			game_engine_vehicle_homes[index].object_index = object_new(&placement_data);
+			object_claim_scenario_name(
+				game_engine_vehicle_homes[index].object_index,
+				game_engine_vehicle_homes[index].name_index);
 			game_engine_vehicle_homes[index].idle_since = NONE;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/source/objects/objects.c b/source/objects/objects.c
index 4c9f6a1d..4f8a8b0b 100644
--- a/source/objects/objects.c
+++ b/source/objects/objects.c
@@ -4665,6 +4665,23 @@ static void object_name_list_new(
 	return;
 }
 
+/* the name is free: deleting the vehicle that held it cleared the slot.
+A name something else still holds stays with that object. */
+void object_claim_scenario_name(
+	long object_index,
+	short name_index)
+{
+	if (object_index == NONE ||
+		!VALID_INDEX(name_index, MIN(global_scenario_get()->object_names.count, MAXIMUM_OBJECT_NAMES_PER_SCENARIO)) ||
+		object_name_list[name_index] != NONE)
+	{
+		return;
+	}
+
+	object_name_list_new(object_index, name_index);
+	return;
+}
+
 static void object_name_list_delete(
 	long object_index)
 {
diff --git a/source/objects/objects.h b/source/objects/objects.h
index ee691bc0..96dbee3f 100644
--- a/source/objects/objects.h
+++ b/source/objects/objects.h
@@ -432,6 +432,10 @@ void object_permute_region(long object_index, char *permutation_name, short desi
 boolean object_get_function_value(long object_index, short function_index, real *value_reference);
 short objects_in_clusters_by_indices(unsigned long class_flags, short cluster_count, short const *cluster_indices, short maximum_object_count, long *object_indices);
 long object_index_from_name_index(short name_index);
+/* port: this object takes a scenario name nobody holds, the way a placed
+vehicle does. A respawned vehicle keeps the name of the one it replaces, so
+a script that teleports that name still finds it. */
+void object_claim_scenario_name(long object_index, short name_index);
 void objects_disconnect_from_structure_bsp(void);
 boolean object_visible_to_any_player(long object_index);
 void object_pvs_activate(long object_index);