diff --git a/code/script/scriptvariable.cpp b/code/script/scriptvariable.cpp
index f079cae7..ef74bee0 100644
--- a/code/script/scriptvariable.cpp
+++ b/code/script/scriptvariable.cpp
@@ -281,6 +281,19 @@ void ScriptVariable::ArchiveInternal(Archiver& arc)
         break;
     }
 }
+
+void ScriptVariable::MakePrimitive()
+{
+    switch (type) {
+    case VARIABLE_LISTENER:
+    case VARIABLE_REF:
+    case VARIABLE_CONTAINER:
+    case VARIABLE_SAFECONTAINER:
+        Com_Error(ERR_DROP, "^~^~^ game.%s cannot be archived since it is of type '%s'.", getName().c_str(), GetTypeName());
+        Clear();
+        break;
+    }
+}
 #endif
 
 ScriptArrayHolder::ScriptArrayHolder()
@@ -2568,6 +2581,15 @@ void ScriptVariableList::Archive(Archiver& arc)
     list.Archive(arc);
 }
 
+void ScriptVariableList::MakePrimitive()
+{
+    con_set_enum<short3, ScriptVariable> en = list;
+
+    for (con_set_enum<short3, ScriptVariable>::Entry *entry = en.NextElement(); entry; entry = en.NextElement()) {
+        entry->value.MakePrimitive();
+    }
+}
+
 CLASS_DECLARATION(Class, ScriptVariableList, NULL) {
     {NULL, NULL}
 };
diff --git a/code/script/scriptvariable.h b/code/script/scriptvariable.h
index 92d349c7..49056942 100644
--- a/code/script/scriptvariable.h
+++ b/code/script/scriptvariable.h
@@ -111,10 +111,6 @@ public:
 
     ~ScriptVariable();
 
-    void        Archive(Archiver& arc);
-    static void Archive(Archiver& arc, ScriptVariable **obj);
-    void        ArchiveInternal(Archiver& arc);
-
     void CastBoolean(void);
     void CastConstArrayValue(void);
     void CastEntity(void);
@@ -235,6 +231,12 @@ public:
 
     ScriptVariable operator++(int);
     ScriptVariable operator--(int);
+
+    void        Archive(Archiver& arc);
+    static void Archive(Archiver& arc, ScriptVariable** obj);
+    void        ArchiveInternal(Archiver& arc);
+
+    void MakePrimitive();
 };
 
 class ScriptArrayHolder : public LightClass
@@ -293,6 +295,8 @@ class con_set_Entry<short3, ScriptVariable>
 
 private:
     con_set_Entry *next;
+
+public:
     ScriptVariable value;
 
 public:
@@ -318,8 +322,6 @@ public:
 
     ScriptVariableList();
 
-    void Archive(Archiver& arc) override;
-
     void ClearList(void);
 
     ScriptVariable *GetOrCreateVariable(str name);
@@ -338,6 +340,9 @@ public:
     ScriptVariable *SetVariable(const char *name, ScriptVariable& value);
     ScriptVariable *SetVariable(unsigned int name, ScriptVariable& value);
     ScriptVariable *SetVariable(unsigned int name, ScriptVariable&& value);
+
+    void Archive(Archiver& arc) override;
+    void MakePrimitive();
 };
 
 #endif