diff --git a/src/script/api/script_basestation.cpp b/src/script/api/script_basestation.cpp
index 981ec2c31a..d46d717a0c 100644
--- a/src/script/api/script_basestation.cpp
+++ b/src/script/api/script_basestation.cpp
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 	EnforcePrecondition(false, ScriptObject::GetCompany() != OWNER_DEITY);
 	EnforcePrecondition(false, IsValidBaseStation(station_id));
 	EnforcePrecondition(false, name != NULL);
-	const char *text = name->GetEncodedText();
+	const char *text = name->GetDecodedText();
 	EnforcePreconditionEncodedText(false, text);
 	EnforcePreconditionCustomError(false, ::Utf8StringLength(text) < MAX_LENGTH_STATION_NAME_CHARS, ScriptError::ERR_PRECONDITION_STRING_TOO_LONG);
 
diff --git a/src/script/api/script_company.cpp b/src/script/api/script_company.cpp
index 99fe34376b..2f06fd69de 100644
--- a/src/script/api/script_company.cpp
+++ b/src/script/api/script_company.cpp
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
 	CCountedPtr<Text> counter(name);
 
 	EnforcePrecondition(false, name != NULL);
-	const char *text = name->GetEncodedText();
+	const char *text = name->GetDecodedText();
 	EnforcePreconditionEncodedText(false, text);
 	EnforcePreconditionCustomError(false, ::Utf8StringLength(text) < MAX_LENGTH_COMPANY_NAME_CHARS, ScriptError::ERR_PRECONDITION_STRING_TOO_LONG);
 
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
 	CCountedPtr<Text> counter(name);
 
 	EnforcePrecondition(false, name != NULL);
-	const char *text = name->GetEncodedText();
+	const char *text = name->GetDecodedText();
 	EnforcePreconditionEncodedText(false, text);
 	EnforcePreconditionCustomError(false, ::Utf8StringLength(text) < MAX_LENGTH_PRESIDENT_NAME_CHARS, ScriptError::ERR_PRECONDITION_STRING_TOO_LONG);
 
diff --git a/src/script/api/script_group.cpp b/src/script/api/script_group.cpp
index bd2ea3010a..01569d8241 100644
--- a/src/script/api/script_group.cpp
+++ b/src/script/api/script_group.cpp
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@
 
 	EnforcePrecondition(false, IsValidGroup(group_id));
 	EnforcePrecondition(false, name != NULL);
-	const char *text = name->GetEncodedText();
+	const char *text = name->GetDecodedText();
 	EnforcePreconditionEncodedText(false, text);
 	EnforcePreconditionCustomError(false, ::Utf8StringLength(text) < MAX_LENGTH_GROUP_NAME_CHARS, ScriptError::ERR_PRECONDITION_STRING_TOO_LONG);
 
diff --git a/src/script/api/script_object.cpp b/src/script/api/script_object.cpp
index 6615b58de9..6d4140b2a3 100644
--- a/src/script/api/script_object.cpp
+++ b/src/script/api/script_object.cpp
@@ -287,6 +287,8 @@ ScriptObject::ActiveInstance::~ActiveInstance()
 		return false;
 	}
 
+	assert(StrEmpty(text) || (GetCommandFlags(cmd) & CMD_STR_CTRL) != 0 || StrValid(text, text + strlen(text)));
+
 	/* Set the default callback to return a true/false result of the DoCommand */
 	if (callback == NULL) callback = &ScriptInstance::DoCommandReturn;
 
diff --git a/src/script/api/script_sign.cpp b/src/script/api/script_sign.cpp
index 514dd4a21c..3373800b54 100644
--- a/src/script/api/script_sign.cpp
+++ b/src/script/api/script_sign.cpp
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 
 	EnforcePrecondition(false, IsValidSign(sign_id));
 	EnforcePrecondition(false, name != NULL);
-	const char *text = name->GetEncodedText();
+	const char *text = name->GetDecodedText();
 	EnforcePreconditionEncodedText(false, text);
 	EnforcePreconditionCustomError(false, ::Utf8StringLength(text) < MAX_LENGTH_SIGN_NAME_CHARS, ScriptError::ERR_PRECONDITION_STRING_TOO_LONG);
 
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@
 
 	EnforcePrecondition(INVALID_SIGN, ::IsValidTile(location));
 	EnforcePrecondition(INVALID_SIGN, name != NULL);
-	const char *text = name->GetEncodedText();
+	const char *text = name->GetDecodedText();
 	EnforcePreconditionEncodedText(INVALID_SIGN, text);
 	EnforcePreconditionCustomError(INVALID_SIGN, ::Utf8StringLength(text) < MAX_LENGTH_SIGN_NAME_CHARS, ScriptError::ERR_PRECONDITION_STRING_TOO_LONG);
 
diff --git a/src/script/api/script_text.cpp b/src/script/api/script_text.cpp
index 8507a176d0..2339ce5d63 100644
--- a/src/script/api/script_text.cpp
+++ b/src/script/api/script_text.cpp
@@ -11,9 +11,12 @@
 
 #include "../../stdafx.h"
 #include "../../string_func.h"
+#include "../../strings_func.h"
 #include "script_text.hpp"
 #include "../../table/control_codes.h"
 
+#include "table/strings.h"
+
 ScriptText::ScriptText(HSQUIRRELVM vm) :
 	ZeroedMemoryAllocator()
 {
@@ -191,3 +194,13 @@ char *ScriptText::_GetEncodedText(char *p, char *lastofp, int &param_count)
 
 	return p;
 }
+
+const char *Text::GetDecodedText()
+{
+	const char *encoded_text = this->GetEncodedText();
+	if (encoded_text == NULL) return NULL;
+
+	static char buf[1024];
+	::SetDParamStr(0, encoded_text);
+	return ::GetString(buf, STR_JUST_RAW_STRING, lastof(buf));
+}
diff --git a/src/script/api/script_text.hpp b/src/script/api/script_text.hpp
index 6dd022bb76..9b75e21c52 100644
--- a/src/script/api/script_text.hpp
+++ b/src/script/api/script_text.hpp
@@ -27,6 +27,13 @@ public:
 	 * @api -all
 	 */
 	virtual const char *GetEncodedText() = 0;
+
+	/**
+	 * Convert a #ScriptText into a decoded normal string.
+	 * @return A string (in a static buffer), or NULL.
+	 * @api -all
+	 */
+	const char *GetDecodedText();
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/script/api/script_town.cpp b/src/script/api/script_town.cpp
index 5ade6f40fc..cb8fb62d69 100644
--- a/src/script/api/script_town.cpp
+++ b/src/script/api/script_town.cpp
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
 	CCountedPtr<Text> counter(text);
 
 	EnforcePrecondition(false, text != NULL);
-	const char *encoded_text = text->GetEncodedText();
+	const char *encoded_text = text->GetDecodedText();
 	EnforcePreconditionEncodedText(false, encoded_text);
 	EnforcePrecondition(false, IsValidTown(town_id));
 	EnforcePreconditionCustomError(false, ::Utf8StringLength(encoded_text) < MAX_LENGTH_TOWN_NAME_CHARS, ScriptError::ERR_PRECONDITION_STRING_TOO_LONG);
diff --git a/src/script/api/script_vehicle.cpp b/src/script/api/script_vehicle.cpp
index 84cfc99fc9..23003ca26e 100644
--- a/src/script/api/script_vehicle.cpp
+++ b/src/script/api/script_vehicle.cpp
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@
 	EnforcePrecondition(false, ScriptObject::GetCompany() != OWNER_DEITY);
 	EnforcePrecondition(false, IsValidVehicle(vehicle_id));
 	EnforcePrecondition(false, name != NULL);
-	const char *text = name->GetEncodedText();
+	const char *text = name->GetDecodedText();
 	EnforcePreconditionEncodedText(false, text);
 	EnforcePreconditionCustomError(false, ::Utf8StringLength(text) < MAX_LENGTH_VEHICLE_NAME_CHARS, ScriptError::ERR_PRECONDITION_STRING_TOO_LONG);