diff --git a/modules/burgs-and-states.js b/modules/burgs-and-states.js
index d04ee699..2213edac 100644
--- a/modules/burgs-and-states.js
+++ b/modules/burgs-and-states.js
@@ -287,25 +287,28 @@
   // growth algorithm to assign cells to states like we did for cultures
   const expandStates = function() {
     TIME && console.time("expandStates");
-    const cells = pack.cells, states = pack.states, cultures = pack.cultures, burgs = pack.burgs;
+    const {cells, states, cultures, burgs} = pack;
 
-    cells.state = new Uint16Array(cells.i.length); // cell state
+    cells.state = new Uint16Array(cells.i.length);
     const queue = new PriorityQueue({comparator: (a, b) => a.p - b.p});
     const cost = [];
-    states.filter(s => s.i && !s.removed).forEach(function(s) {
-      cells.state[burgs[s.capital].cell] = s.i;
-      const b = cells.biome[cultures[s.culture].center]; // native biome
+    const neutral = cells.i.length / 5000 * 2500 * neutralInput.value * statesNeutral.value; // limit cost for state growth
+
+    states.filter(s => s.i && !s.removed).forEach(s => {
+      const capitalCell = burgs[s.capital].cell;
+      cells.state[capitalCell] = s.i;
+      const cultureCenter = cultures[s.culture].center;
+      const b = cells.biome[cultureCenter]; // state native biome
       queue.queue({e:s.center, p:0, s:s.i, b});
       cost[s.center] = 1;
     });
-    const neutral = cells.i.length / 5000 * 2500 * neutralInput.value * statesNeutral.value; // limit cost for state growth
 
     while (queue.length) {
-      const next = queue.dequeue(), n = next.e, p = next.p, s = next.s, b = next.b;
-      const type = states[s].type;
-      const culture = states[s].culture;
+      const next = queue.dequeue();
+      const {e, p, s, b} = next;
+      const {type, culture} = states[s];
 
-      cells.c[n].forEach(function(e) {
+      cells.c[e].forEach(e => {
         if (cells.state[e] && e === states[cells.state[e]].center) return; // do not overwrite capital cells
 
         const cultureCost = culture === cells.culture[e] ? -9 : 100;
diff --git a/modules/cultures-generator.js b/modules/cultures-generator.js
index 6901b7f7..9ef56fe1 100644
--- a/modules/cultures-generator.js
+++ b/modules/cultures-generator.js
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
     const colors = getColors(count);
     const emblemShape = document.getElementById("emblemShape").value;
 
+    const codes = [];
     cultures.forEach(function(c, i) {
       const cell = c.center = placeCenter(c.sort ? c.sort : (i) => cells.s[i]);
       centers.add(cells.p[cell]);
@@ -53,7 +54,8 @@
       c.type = defineCultureType(cell);
       c.expansionism = defineCultureExpansionism(c.type);
       c.origin = 0;
-      c.code = getCode(c.name);
+      c.code = abbreviate(c.name, codes);
+      codes.push(c.code);
       cells.culture[cell] = i+1;
       if (emblemShape === "random") c.shield = getRandomShield();
     });
@@ -122,20 +124,10 @@
     TIME && console.timeEnd('generateCultures');
   }
 
-  // assign a unique two-letters code (abbreviation)
-  function getCode(name) {
-    name = name.replace(/[()]/g, "");
-    const words = name.split(" "), letters = words.join("");
-    let code = words.length === 2 ? words[0][0]+words[1][0] : letters.slice(0,2);
-    for (let i=1; i < letters.length-1 && pack.cultures.some(c => c.code === code); i++) {
-      code = letters[0] + letters[i].toUpperCase();
-    }
-    return code;
-  }
-
   const add = function(center) {
     const defaultCultures = getDefault();
     let culture, base, name;
+
     if (pack.cultures.length < defaultCultures.length) {
       // add one of the default cultures
       culture = pack.cultures.length;
@@ -147,7 +139,7 @@
       name = Names.getCulture(culture, 5, 8, "");
       base = pack.cultures[culture].base;
     }
-    const code = getCode(name);
+    const code = abbreviate(name, pack.cultures.map(c => c.code));
     const i = pack.cultures.length;
     const color = d3.color(d3.scaleSequential(d3.interpolateRainbow)(Math.random())).hex();
 
diff --git a/modules/religions-generator.js b/modules/religions-generator.js
index 1563f966..1e2535dd 100644
--- a/modules/religions-generator.js
+++ b/modules/religions-generator.js
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@
     });
 
     if (religionsInput.value == 0 || pack.cultures.length < 2) {
-      religions.filter(r => r.i).forEach(r => r.code = getCode(r.name));
+      religions.filter(r => r.i).forEach(r => r.code = abbreviate(r.name));
       return;
     }
 
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@
     if (type === "Organized") [name, expansion] = getReligionName(form, deity, center)
     else {name = getCultName(form, center); expansion = "global";}
     const formName = type === "Heresy" ? religions[r].form : form;
-    const code = getCode(name);
+    const code = abbreviate(name, religions.map(r => r.code));
     religions.push({i, name, color, culture, type, form:formName, deity, expansion, expansionism:0, center, cells:0, area:0, rural:0, urban:0, origin:r, code});
     cells.religion[center] = i;
   }
@@ -267,9 +267,9 @@
   function checkCenters() {
     const cells = pack.cells, religions = pack.religions;
 
+    const codes = religions.map(r => r.code);
     religions.filter(r => r.i).forEach(r => {
-      // generate religion code (abbreviation)
-      r.code = getCode(r.name);
+      r.code = abbreviate(r.name, codes);
 
       // move religion center if it's not within religion area after expansion
       if (cells.religion[r.center] === r.i) return; // in area
@@ -290,17 +290,6 @@
     TIME && console.timeEnd('updateCulturesForReligions');
   }
 
-  // assign a unique two-letters code (abbreviation)
-  function getCode(rawName) {
-    const name = rawName.replace("Old ", ""); // remove Old prefix
-    const words = name.split(" "), letters = words.join("");
-    let code = words.length === 2 ? words[0][0]+words[1][0] : letters.slice(0,2);
-    for (let i=1; i < letters.length-1 && pack.religions.some(r => r.code === code); i++) {
-      code = letters[0] + letters[i].toUpperCase();
-    }
-    return code;
-  }
-
   // get supreme deity name
   const getDeityName = function(culture) {
     if (culture === undefined) {ERROR && console.error("Please define a culture"); return;}
diff --git a/modules/ui/cultures-editor.js b/modules/ui/cultures-editor.js
index 67e4618c..ecb1060e 100644
--- a/modules/ui/cultures-editor.js
+++ b/modules/ui/cultures-editor.js
@@ -216,6 +216,7 @@ function editCultures() {
     const culture = +this.parentNode.dataset.id;
     this.parentNode.dataset.name = this.value;
     pack.cultures[culture].name = this.value;
+    pack.cultures[culture].code = abbreviate(this.value, pack.cultures.map(c => c.code));
   }
 
   function cultureChangeExpansionism() {
diff --git a/modules/ui/religions-editor.js b/modules/ui/religions-editor.js
index 704ff531..8161f15e 100644
--- a/modules/ui/religions-editor.js
+++ b/modules/ui/religions-editor.js
@@ -200,6 +200,7 @@ function editReligions() {
     const religion = +this.parentNode.dataset.id;
     this.parentNode.dataset.name = this.value;
     pack.religions[religion].name = this.value;
+    pack.religions[religion].code = abbreviate(this.value, pack.religions.map(c => c.code));
   }
 
   function religionChangeType() {
diff --git a/modules/utils.js b/modules/utils.js
index 623452c0..4ab91e3f 100644
--- a/modules/utils.js
+++ b/modules/utils.js
@@ -447,6 +447,19 @@ function getAdjective(string) {
 // get ordinal out of integer: 1 => 1st
 const nth = n => n+(["st","nd","rd"][((n+90)%100-10)%10-1]||"th");
 
+// get two-letters code (abbreviation) from string
+function abbreviate(name, restricted = []) {
+  const parsed = name.replace("Old ", "O ").replace(/[()]/g, ""); // remove Old prefix and parentheses
+  const words = parsed.split(" ");
+  const letters = words.join("");
+
+  let code = words.length === 2 ? words[0][0]+words[1][0] : letters.slice(0,2);
+  for (let i = 1; i < letters.length-1 && restricted.includes(code); i++) {
+    code = letters[0] + letters[i].toUpperCase();
+  }
+  return code;
+}
+
 // conjunct array: [A,B,C] => "A, B and C"
 function list(array) {
   if (!Intl.ListFormat) return array.join(", ");