diff --git a/src/save.c b/src/save.c
index 3ba551ea9..974f25995 100644
--- a/src/save.c
+++ b/src/save.c
@@ -316,7 +316,6 @@ savegamestate(NHFILE *nhfp)
     save_dungeon(nhfp, (boolean) !!perform_bwrite(nhfp),
                  (boolean) !!release_data(nhfp));
     savelevchn(nhfp);
-    /* svm.moves below will actually be read back into svo.omoves on restore */
     if (nhfp->structlevel) {
         bwrite(nhfp->fd, (genericptr_t) &svm.moves, sizeof svm.moves);
         bwrite(nhfp->fd, (genericptr_t) &svq.quest_status,
@@ -532,9 +531,12 @@ savelev_core(NHFILE *nhfp, xint8 lev)
             bwrite(nhfp->fd, (genericptr_t) &svl.lastseentyp[c][r],
                    sizeof(schar));
         }
+    /* svm.moves below will actually be read back into svo.omoves on restore */
     if (nhfp->structlevel) {
         bwrite(nhfp->fd, (genericptr_t) &svm.moves, sizeof svm.moves);
-        save_stairs(nhfp);
+    }
+    save_stairs(nhfp);
+    if (nhfp->structlevel) {
         bwrite(nhfp->fd, (genericptr_t) &svu.updest, sizeof(dest_area));
         bwrite(nhfp->fd, (genericptr_t) &svd.dndest, sizeof(dest_area));
         bwrite(nhfp->fd, (genericptr_t) &svl.level.flags,