diff --git a/rogueviz/ru/classes.cpp b/rogueviz/ru/classes.cpp
index f8a4271f..927d995e 100644
--- a/rogueviz/ru/classes.cpp
+++ b/rogueviz/ru/classes.cpp
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ struct stater {
   };
 
 struct entity {
-  string name;
+  string id;
   virtual ~entity() {}
   virtual xy siz() = 0;
   xy where, vel;
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@ struct timed_orb : public located_entity {
   };
 
 struct npc_or_trader : public located_entity {
-  string text;
+  string text, name;
   int talk_on;
   xy siz() override { return {12, 12}; }
   void act() override;
@@ -718,7 +718,7 @@ struct item : public located_entity {
     if(intersect(get_pixel_bbox(), m.get_pixel_bbox())) {
       addMessage(pickup_message);
       add_revert(death_revert, {"ITEM", p->name, its(p->qty_filled), its(p->qty_owned)});
-      add_revert(death_revert, {"EXIST", name});
+      add_revert(death_revert, {"EXIST", id});
       p->picked_up(qty);
       existing = false;
       }
diff --git a/rogueviz/ru/load-world.cpp b/rogueviz/ru/load-world.cpp
index 9728de06..413365b8 100644
--- a/rogueviz/ru/load-world.cpp
+++ b/rogueviz/ru/load-world.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,12 @@ void visit(cell *c, int d) {
   q.push(c);
   }
 
+string unspace(string s) {
+  string t;
+  for(char c: s) if(c == ' ') t += "_"; else t += c;
+  return t;
+  }
+
 void save_map(string fname) {
   in_queue.clear();
   q = {};
@@ -142,7 +148,7 @@ void load_room(fhstream& f, cell *c) {
         pos = param.find(" "); auto res = param.substr(0, pos); param = param.substr(pos + 1);
         return res;
         };
-      auto nam = [&] (entity& b) { b.name = cutoff("NOTHING"); };
+      auto nam = [&] (entity& b) { b.id = cutoff("NOTHING"); };
       auto get_ld = [&] () { return atof(cutoff("0").c_str()); };
       auto get_int = [&] () { return atoi(cutoff("0").c_str()); };
       auto get_color = [&] () { color_t col; sscanf(cutoff("0").c_str(), "%08x", &col); return col; };
@@ -159,7 +165,7 @@ void load_room(fhstream& f, cell *c) {
         b->qty = param == "" ? 1 : get_int();
         println(hlog, "qty is ", b->qty);
         b->p = &find_power(scanline_noblank(f));
-        b->name = b->pickup_message = scanline_noblank(f);
+        b->id = unspace(b->pickup_message = scanline_noblank(f));
         r.entities.emplace_back(std::move(b)); 
         }
       else if(cap == "LOOT") {
@@ -167,7 +173,7 @@ void load_room(fhstream& f, cell *c) {
         b->owner = &*r.entities.back();
         b->qty = param == "" ? 1 : get_int();
         b->p = &find_power(scanline_noblank(f));
-        b->name = b->pickup_message = scanline_noblank(f);
+        b->id = unspace(b->pickup_message = scanline_noblank(f));
         r.entities.emplace_back(std::move(b));
         }
       else if(cap == "SHOPITEM") {
@@ -177,7 +183,7 @@ void load_room(fhstream& f, cell *c) {
         b->qty = param == "" ? 1 : get_int();
         b->qty1 = param == "" ? 0 : get_int();
         b->p = &find_power(scanline_noblank(f));
-        b->name = b->pickup_message = scanline_noblank(f);
+        b->id = unspace(b->pickup_message = scanline_noblank(f));
         r.entities.emplace_back(std::move(b));
         }
       else if(cap == "NPC") {
@@ -187,6 +193,7 @@ void load_room(fhstream& f, cell *c) {
         s = scanline_noblank(f);
         b->sglyph = s[0];
         b->name = s.substr(1);
+        b->id = unspace(b->name);
         b->text = scanline_noblank(f);
         r.entities.emplace_back(std::move(b));
         }
@@ -195,6 +202,7 @@ void load_room(fhstream& f, cell *c) {
         b->respawn = get_xy();
         b->name = scanline_noblank(f);
         b->text = scanline_noblank(f);
+        b->id = unspace(b->name);
         r.entities.emplace_back(std::move(b));
         }
       else if(cap == "BOAR") {
@@ -299,7 +307,7 @@ void load_room(fhstream& f, cell *c) {
     }
   }
 
-map<string, entity*> entity_by_name;
+map<string, entity*> entity_by_id;
 
 void load_map(string fname) {
   fhstream f(fname, "r");
@@ -317,12 +325,12 @@ void load_map(string fname) {
   for(auto& [c,r]: rooms) {
     for(auto& e: r.entities) {
       e->hs(resetter);
-      if(e->name != "") {
-        while(entity_by_name.count(e->name)) {
-          println(hlog, "error: double entity name: ", e->name);
-          e->name += "'";
+      if(e->id != "") {
+        while(entity_by_id.count(e->id)) {
+          println(hlog, "error: double entity name: ", e->id);
+          e->id += "'";
           }
-        entity_by_name[e->name] = &*e;
+        entity_by_id[e->id] = &*e;
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/rogueviz/ru/powers.cpp b/rogueviz/ru/powers.cpp
index 6edb2833..51537689 100644
--- a/rogueviz/ru/powers.cpp
+++ b/rogueviz/ru/powers.cpp
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@ void gen_powers() {
             addMessage(si->pickup_message);
             power_death_revert(*si->p);
             si->p->qty_owned += si->qty;  si->p->qty_filled += si->qty1;
-            add_revert(death_revert, {"EXIST", si->name});
+            add_revert(death_revert, {"EXIST", si->id});
             si->existing = false;
             }
           else if(it == 0 && on && si->existing && si->bought) {
@@ -523,7 +523,7 @@ void gen_powers() {
             addMessage("You get some gold.");
             power_death_revert(*si->p);
             powers[gold_id].qty_owned += si->price;  powers[gold_id].qty_filled += si->price;
-            add_revert(death_revert, {"EXIST", si->name});
+            add_revert(death_revert, {"EXIST", si->id});
             si->existing = false;
             }
           else if((it ? !done_something : on) && !si->existing && !si->bought) {
@@ -531,7 +531,7 @@ void gen_powers() {
             addMessage("You rethink your purchase.");
             power_death_revert(*si->p);
             si->p->qty_owned -= si->qty;  si->p->qty_filled -= si->qty1;
-            add_revert(death_revert, {"UNEXIST", si->name});
+            add_revert(death_revert, {"UNEXIST", si->id});
             si->existing = true;
             }
           else if((it ? !done_something : on) && !si->existing && si->bought) {
@@ -539,7 +539,7 @@ void gen_powers() {
             addMessage("You rethink your actions.");
             power_death_revert(*si->p);
             powers[gold_id].qty_owned -= si->price;  powers[gold_id].qty_filled -= si->price;
-            add_revert(death_revert, {"UNEXIST", si->name});
+            add_revert(death_revert, {"UNEXIST", si->id});
             si->existing = true;
             }
           else if(it == 0 && on_trader && !si->existing && d.p->qty_owned >= si->price) {
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ void gen_powers() {
             power_death_revert(*si->p);
             powers[gold_id].qty_owned -= si->price;  powers[gold_id].qty_filled -= si->price;
             si->existing = true; si->bought = true;
-            add_revert(death_revert, {"UNBOUGHT", si->name});
+            add_revert(death_revert, {"UNBOUGHT", si->id});
             }
           else if(it == 0 && on_trader && !si->existing && !si->bought) {
             done_something = true;
diff --git a/rogueviz/ru/reverts.cpp b/rogueviz/ru/reverts.cpp
index 2c98c8c7..0e27b3c3 100644
--- a/rogueviz/ru/reverts.cpp
+++ b/rogueviz/ru/reverts.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ room *find_room(string s) {
   }
 
 entity* find_entity(string s) {
-  auto e = entity_by_name[s];
+  auto e = entity_by_id[s];
   if(!e) throw hr_name_error("find_entity");
   return e;
   }