diff --git a/src/ai/ai.hpp b/src/ai/ai.hpp
index 1b5b6c07da..065367d03b 100644
--- a/src/ai/ai.hpp
+++ b/src/ai/ai.hpp
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ public:
 		START_NEXT_EASY   = DAYS_IN_YEAR * 2,
 		START_NEXT_MEDIUM = DAYS_IN_YEAR,
 		START_NEXT_HARD   = DAYS_IN_YEAR / 2,
-		START_NEXT_MIN    = 0,
+		START_NEXT_MIN    = 1,
 		START_NEXT_MAX    = 3600,
 		START_NEXT_DEVIATION = 60,
 	};
diff --git a/src/ai/ai_config.cpp b/src/ai/ai_config.cpp
index a782814786..ea26f32679 100644
--- a/src/ai/ai_config.cpp
+++ b/src/ai/ai_config.cpp
@@ -127,14 +127,3 @@ void AIConfig::SetSetting(const char *name, int value)
 
 	ScriptConfig::SetSetting(name, value);
 }
-
-void AIConfig::AddRandomDeviation()
-{
-	int start_date = this->GetSetting("start_date");
-
-	ScriptConfig::AddRandomDeviation();
-
-	/* start_date = 0 is a special case, where random deviation does not occur.
-	 * If start_date was not already 0, then a minimum value of 1 must apply. */
-	this->SetSetting("start_date", start_date != 0 ? max(1, this->GetSetting("start_date")) : 0);
-}
diff --git a/src/ai/ai_config.hpp b/src/ai/ai_config.hpp
index 30c6f84bbd..12cc02a497 100644
--- a/src/ai/ai_config.hpp
+++ b/src/ai/ai_config.hpp
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ public:
 
 	/* virtual */ int GetSetting(const char *name) const;
 	/* virtual */ void SetSetting(const char *name, int value);
-	/* virtual */ void AddRandomDeviation();
 
 	/**
 	 * When ever the AI Scanner is reloaded, all infos become invalid. This
diff --git a/src/company_cmd.cpp b/src/company_cmd.cpp
index 2c5a7dc467..651b216a56 100644
--- a/src/company_cmd.cpp
+++ b/src/company_cmd.cpp
@@ -595,10 +595,10 @@ void StartupCompanies()
 }
 
 /** Start a new competitor company if possible. */
-static bool MaybeStartNewCompany()
+static void MaybeStartNewCompany()
 {
 #ifdef ENABLE_NETWORK
-	if (_networking && Company::GetNumItems() >= _settings_client.network.max_companies) return false;
+	if (_networking && Company::GetNumItems() >= _settings_client.network.max_companies) return;
 #endif /* ENABLE_NETWORK */
 
 	Company *c;
@@ -612,10 +612,8 @@ static bool MaybeStartNewCompany()
 	if (n < (uint)_settings_game.difficulty.max_no_competitors) {
 		/* Send a command to all clients to start up a new AI.
 		 * Works fine for Multiplayer and Singleplayer */
-		return DoCommandP(0, CCA_NEW_AI | INVALID_COMPANY << 16, 0, CMD_COMPANY_CTRL);
+		DoCommandP(0, CCA_NEW_AI | INVALID_COMPANY << 16, 0, CMD_COMPANY_CTRL);
 	}
-
-	return false;
 }
 
 /** Initialize the pool of companies. */
@@ -716,15 +714,11 @@ void OnTick_Companies()
 	}
 
 	if (_next_competitor_start == 0) {
-		/* AI::GetStartNextTime() can return 0. */
-		_next_competitor_start = max(1, AI::GetStartNextTime() * DAY_TICKS);
+		_next_competitor_start = AI::GetStartNextTime() * DAY_TICKS;
 	}
 
-	if (_game_mode != GM_MENU && AI::CanStartNew() && --_next_competitor_start == 0) {
-		/* Allow multiple AIs to possibly start in the same tick. */
-		do {
-			if (!MaybeStartNewCompany()) break;
-		} while (AI::GetStartNextTime() == 0);
+	if (AI::CanStartNew() && _game_mode != GM_MENU && --_next_competitor_start == 0) {
+		MaybeStartNewCompany();
 	}
 
 	_cur_company_tick_index = (_cur_company_tick_index + 1) % MAX_COMPANIES;
diff --git a/src/script/script_config.hpp b/src/script/script_config.hpp
index 3dfd6bb0b2..dfc675473c 100644
--- a/src/script/script_config.hpp
+++ b/src/script/script_config.hpp
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ public:
 	/**
 	 * Randomize all settings the Script requested to be randomized.
 	 */
-	virtual void AddRandomDeviation();
+	void AddRandomDeviation();
 
 	/**
 	 * Is this config attached to an Script? In other words, is there a Script